Original Paper

Effect of Tranilast on Proliferation, Collagen Gel Contraction, and Transforming Growth Factor Beta Secretion of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells and Fibroblasts
Tsutomu Yasukawa^a, Hideya Kimura^c, Jin Dong^b, Yasuhiko Tabata^d, Hideki Miyamoto^e, Yoshihito Honda^e, Yuichiro Ogura<sup>c

a</sup>University Eye Hospital Leipzig, Germany;
^bDiscoveries in Sight, Devers Eye Institute, Portland, Oreg., USA;
^cDepartment of Ophthalmology, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Aichi,
^dInstitute for Frontier Medical Sciences, and
^eDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmic Res 2002;34:206-212 (DOI: 10.1159/000063884)

  Key Words

• Collagen gel contraction
• Drug delivery system
• Tranilast
• Pigmented rabbit
• Proliferative vitreoretinopathy

  Abstract

The efficiency of tranilast for the treatment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) was investigated in vitro. A tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay showed that the 300-µM concentration of tranilast inhibited proliferation of bovine retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and rabbit dermal fibroblasts with no toxicity. The contraction of collagen gels embedded with these cells was evaluated in the cultures. Compared with the gel incubated with minimal essential medium and 0.35% bovine serum albumin and/or fetal calf serum, tranilast inhibited gel contraction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that a 300-µM concentration of tranilast inhibited transforming growth factor-₁ (TGF-₁) secretion significantly (p < 0.01). These results suggest that tranilast may inhibit the proliferation of RPE cells and fibroblasts and contraction of intraocular fibrous membranes by suppressing TGF-₁ secretion from these cells with a potential to treat PVR.

Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Yuichiro Ogura, MD
Department of Ophthalmology
Nagoya City University Medical School, Mizuho-ku
Nagoya 467-8601 (Japan)
Tel. +81 52 853 8251, Fax +81 52 841 9490, E-Mail ogura@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp

  Article Information

Received: Received: December 18, 2001
Accepted after revision: April 5, 2002
Number of Print Pages : 7
Number of Figures : 4, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 50