Effects Of Metformin On Proliferation,Migration And Epithelial Mesenchymal Transdifferentiation Of Human Lens Cells Induced By TGF-β₂

Objective:To investigate the effects of metformin on the proliferation,migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation（EMT）of human lens epithelial cells induced by transforming growth factor-β₂（TGF-β₂）,and to explore its mechanism.Methods:Human lens epithelial cells（LECs）HLEB-3 were selected and divided into control group and experimental group according to different treatment conditions.HLEB-3 was treated for 24 hours as the control group;and different concentrations of metformin were added to TGF-β₂as the experimental group;CCK8 assay was used to detect the proliferation of cells treated with different concentrations of metformin（10,15,20,25 mmol/L）at different time points（24,48,72 h）.Scratch healing test was used to detect the migration ability of cells.Western blotting was used to detect the expression of coactivator YAP1（Yes-associated protein）,large tumor suppressor 1（LATS1）and Vimentin in cells of each group.The m RNA expression levels of YAP1,LATS1,mammalian STE20-like kinase 1（mammalian sterile 20 like kinase,MST1）,Vimentin and E-cadherin were detected by RT-q PCR method.Results:The results of cell proliferation test showed that compared with the control group,the cell proliferation level of different concentrations of metformin group was significantly lower than that of the control group（P<0.05）,and the scratch test results showed that compared with the control group,the wide band of metformin group increased significantly（P<0.05）.The results of Western blotting showed that compared with the control group,the expression of YAP1 and Vimentin decreased,while the expression of LATS1 increased.The results of RT-q PCR showed that compared with the control group,the expression of YAP1 and Vimentin decreased,while the expression of LATS1,MST1 and E-cadherin increased（P<0.05）.Conclusion:Metformin can inhibit the proliferation,migration and epithelial mesenchymal transdifferentiation of human lens induced by TGF-β₂,and its mechanism may be related to the activation of Hippo signal pathway.