Proliferative Status in the Aqueous Humor of Eyes With Congenital Cataract.

Purpose: To measure the concentrations of growth factors in the aqueous humor of patients with congenital cataract and to investigate the biological effects of a selected cytokine (fibroblast growth factor 4 [FGF4]) on cell proliferation, migration, and transformation.

Methods: In the aqueous humor obtained from 55 eyes with congenital cataract and 55 eyes with age-related cataract, 40 growth factors were screened and selected cytokines were confirmed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. After the addition of various concentrations of FGF4 (0, 2.5, 15, or 50 ng/mL) to the incubation medium, cellular functions were evaluated.

Results: The concentration of FGF4 was significantly higher in the aqueous humor of patients with congenital cataract than in that of patients with age-related cataract. The human SRA01/04 lens epithelial cell line was treated with FGF4 and the cell proliferation increased significantly both dose- and time-dependently. The wound healing assay and Transwell migration assay revealed a significant increase in the migration capacity of the SRA01/04 cell line treated with 15 or 50 ng/mL of FGF4 compared with that of control cells. The intensity of immunofluorescent staining for α-smooth muscle actin increased significantly in the SRA01/04 cell line when treated with FGF4. Cytoskeletal protein (F-actin) staining showed that changes of cell morphology were induced in primary lens epithelial cells by FGF4.

Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive profile of growth factors in congenital cataract. FGF4 induced cellular changes, and may have utility as a biomarker to predict the formation of visual axis opacification. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2020;57(3):159-168.].