AIM:ToInvestigatetheeffectsoftransforminggrowthfactorβ2(TGF-β2)andconnectivetissuegrowthfactor(CTGF)ontransdifferentiationofhumanlensepithelialcells(HLECs)culturedinvitroandsynthesisofextracellularmatrix(ECM).METHODS:HLECsweretreatedwithTGF-β2(0,0.5,1.0,5,10μg/L)andCTGF(0,15,30,60,100μg/L)fordifferenttimes(0,24,48,72h)invitroandtheexpressionofα-smoothmuscleactin(α-SMA),themaincomponentoftheextracellularmatrixtypeⅠcollagen(Col-1)andfibronectin(Fn)weremeasuredbyusingreal-timepolymerasechainreaction(PCR)andwestern-blot.RESULTS:TGF-β2andCTGFsignificantlyincreasedexpressionofα-SMAmRNAandprotein(P<0.05,P<0.001),FnmRNAandprotein(P<0.001),Col-1mRNAandprotein(P<0.001).TGF-β2couldinduceHLECsexpressionofCTGFmRNAandproteinindosedependentmanner(P<0.05,P<0.001).TGF-β2andCTGFcouldinduceHLECstoexpressα-SMA,FnandCol-1intime-dependentmanner.EachtimeofTGF-β2andCTGFinducedHELCsexpressionofα-SMA,Fn,Col-1mRNAandproteinwassignificantincreasecomparedwithcontrol(P<0.05,P<0.001).CONCLUSION:TGF-β2andCTGFcouldinduceHLECsepithelialmesenchymaltransitionandECMsynthesis.
