Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37723490›Full record

ArticleCell communication and signaling : CCS2023

Arginase-1 promotes lens epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in different models of anterior subcapsular cataract.

Qingyu Li, Yuchuan Wang, Luoluo Shi, Qing Wang, Guang Yang, Lin Deng, Ye Tian, Xia Hua, Xiaoyong Yuan

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Identification of the role ofJournal of thoracic disease · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Cataract: Surgery first - is there still room for basic research?Advances in ophthalmology practice and research
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Qingyu Li *Department of Cataract, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Yuchuan Wang *Department of Cataract, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Luoluo Shi *Department of Cataract, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Qing Wang *Clinical College of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Guang YangSchool of Microelectronics, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Lin DengDepartment of Cataract, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Ye TianDepartment of Cataract, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Xia HuaTianjin Aier Eye Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. cathayhuaxia@163.com.
Xiaoyong YuanDepartment of Cataract, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China. yuanxy_cn@hotmail.com.
Tianjin Medical University · CNTianjin Medical University Eye Hospital · CNHeze Medical College · CNTianjin University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundArginase-1 (ARG1) promotes collagen synthesis and cell proliferation. ARG1 is highly expressed in various tumour cells. The mechanisms of ARG1 in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated cataracts were studied herein.

methodsC57BL/6 mice, a human lens epithelial cell line (HLEC-SRA01/04), and human lens capsule samples were used in this study. The right lens anterior capsule of the mouse eye was punctured through the central cornea with a 26-gauge hypodermic needle. Human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) were transfected with ARG1-targeted (siARG1) or negative control siRNA (siNC). For gene overexpression, HLECs were transfected with a plasmid bearing the ARG1 coding sequence or an empty vector. Medium containing 0.2% serum with or without transforming growth factor beta-2 (TGF-β2) was added for 6 or 24 h to detect mRNA or protein, respectively. The expression of related genes was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining. Transwell assays and wound healing assays were used to determine cell migration. Cell proliferation, superoxide levels, nitric oxide (NO) levels, and arginase activity were estimated using Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, a superoxide assay kit, an NO assay kit, and an arginase activity kit.

resultsARG1, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin, and Ki67 expression increased after lens capsular injury, while zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) expression decreased. Fibronectin and collagen type I alpha1 chain (collagen 1A1) expression increased, and cell migration increased significantly in ARG1-overexpressing HLECs compared with those transfected with an empty vector after TGF-β2 treatment. These effects were reversed by ARG1 knockdown. The arginase-related pathway plays an important role in EMT. mRNAs of enzymes of the arginase-related pathway were highly expressed after ARG1 overexpression. ARG1 knockdown suppressed these expression changes. Numidargistat (CB-1158) dihydrochloride (CB-1158), an ARG1 inhibitor, suppressed TGF-β2-induced anterior subcapsular cataract (ASC) by reducing the proliferation of lens epithelial cells (LECs) and decreasing fibronectin, α-SMA, collagen 1A1, and vimentin expression. Compared with that in nonanterior subcapsular cataract (non-ASC) patients, the expression of ARG1, collagen 1A1, vimentin, fibronectin, and Ki67 was markedly increased in ASC patients.

conclusionsARG1 can regulate EMT in EMT-associated cataracts. Based on the pathogenesis of ASC, these findings are expected to provide new therapeutic strategies for patients.

Indexed as

ArginaseCataractEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionAnimalsHumansKi-67 AntigenMiceMice, Inbred C57BLSuperoxidesTransforming Growth Factor beta2VimentinARG1 protein, humanArg1 protein, mouseArginaseKi-67 AntigenSuperoxidesTransforming Growth Factor beta2VimentinAnterior subcapsular cataractARG1Arginase-related pathwayCB-1158Posterior capsular opacification

Identifiers

PMID37723490
PMCPMC10506332
OpenAlexW4386834432

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.