BackgroundThe primary pathologic mechanism of posterior capsular opacification (PCO) is proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of residuary lens epithelial cells (LECs) following cataract surgery. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a role during the migration of LECs. Researches showed that GM6001, a broad inhibitor of MMPs, can arrest the migration of LECs, but as specific inhibitors of MMPs, the efficacy and safety of MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠand Ⅱ on LECs migration remain unclear.

ObjectiveThis study was to determine and compare the inhibitory efficacy among GM6001, MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠand Ⅱ on human LECs and search the clinical medication to prevent PCO.

MethodsHuman LECs were cultured and passaged in vitro, and the cells of 3-4 generation were incubated in 6-well plates. Then the cells of 70% confluent monolayer were cultured in DMEM without fetal bovine serum for 12 hours. GM6001, MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠand Ⅱ at different concentrations (0. 25, 0. 50, 1. 00, 2. 00, 4. 00, 8. 00, 16. 00, 32. 00, 64. 00, 128. 00 μmol/L) were added into the culture medium for 24 hours separately, and regularly cultured cells served as the control group. A bare area was made by a 200 μl sterile spear on the cell layer, and the migrated distance and inhibitory rate were calculated. The second or third generation of cells were incubated in 96-well plates at a density of 5×10 ⁵/ml (200 μl/well). GM6001 (128. 00 μmol/L), MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠ(64. 00 μmol/L) and Ⅱ (32. 00 μmol/L) were added into the culture medium for 24 hours, and the cell viability was assayed by using MTT assay.

ResultsCultured cells grew well with irregular arrangement and presented the polygon in shape. The migrated distance was gradually reduced as the increase of concentrations of GM6001, MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠand Ⅱ, showing significant differences among the various concentration groups (GM6001: F=248. 647, P<0. 05; MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠ: F=357. 125, P<0. 05; MP2/9 inhibitor Ⅱ: F=396. 374, P<0. 05). The cell migrated distance in the control group was set to 1, the relative migrated distances were 0. 478±0. 091, 0. 294±0. 088 and 0. 191±0. 081 in the GM6001 group, MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠgroup and MMP-2/9 inhibitor Ⅱ group at the concentrations of 32. 00 μmol/L, respectively, showing a significant difference among the groups ( F=116. 031, P<0. 01), and cell migrated distance was obviously shorter in the MMP-2/9 inhibitor Ⅱ group than that in the GM6001 group or MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠgroup (all at P<0. 01). The A values were 0. 607±0. 016, 0. 567±0. 015, 0. 583±0. 010 and 0. 595±0. 0138 in the control group, GM6001 group (128. 00 μmol/L), MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠgroup (64. 00 μmol/L) and MMP-2/9 inhibitor Ⅱ group (32. 00 μmol/L), respectively, without significant difference among the groups ( F=1. 403, P>0. 05).

ConclusionsGM6001, MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅠ and Ⅱ reduce the mobility of human LECs effectively but do not affect the viability of the cells in vitro. MMP-2/9 inhibitorⅡappears to be most dominant in inhibiting migration of human LECs.