Effects Of Tripterygium Wilfordii Multiglucoside On Squamous Metaplasia Of Human Pterygium Epithelium Cultured In Vitro

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Tripterygium Wilfordii Multiglucoside(TWM) on squamous metaplasia of human pterygium epithelium cultured in vitro.METHODS: Human pterygium tissues were cultured under submerge mannerwith(experiment group) or without TWM (control group)for7days and14days，thechanges of morphology were observed. The changes of Pax6，Ki67and K14expression in pterygium epithelium were detected by immunohistochemistry，immunofluorescence staining and Western blot to investigate the proliferation anddifferentitation of pterygium epithelial cells.RESULTS: The ptergium epithelial layers increased, and the epithelium becamedisintact in control group after cultured for7days, but there was no obvious change inexperimental group. There were statistical differences in the most ptergium epitheliallayers after cultured for7days and14days between two groups(t=1.778、2.393，bothP<0.05). Compared with the normal pterygium tissue, the expression of Pax6inpterygium epithelial cell nuclei at14days in control group after culture was obviouslydecreased,K14had no obviously changes, and Ki67increased; Pax6in experimentgroup was not decreased, and Ki67and K14obviously changed. There were statisticaldifferences in Pax6,Ki67,and K14expression at14days after culture between controlgroup and experiment group (t=6.328,4.486,0.464，both P<0.05)CONCLUSIONS: The model of squamous metaplasia of pterygium epitheliumcultured in vitro can be established by medium submersion.TWM can partly inhibit the squamous metaplasia of pterygium epithelium,Which may shed new light ontreatment for diseases with epithelial squamous metaplasia.