The Role of SERPINA3K and Wnt Signaling Pathway in Ocular Surface Squamous Metaplasia

Zhirong Lin, Huan He, Tong Zhou, Xinye Xiao, Hui He, Yuping Zhou, Huping Wu, Zuguo Liu

Affiated Xiamen Eye Center & Xiamen Eye Institute of XiamenUniversity,Xiamen, China, 361003

To investigate the role of SERPINA3K and Wnt pathway in ocular surface squamous metaplasia.

Ocular surface squamous metaplasia was induced in BALB/c mice by topical benzalkonium chloride. Mice were treated simultaneously with PBS, BSA (0.15mg/ml), SERPINA3K (0.15mg/ml), SERPINA3K (0.15mg/ml) plus LiCl (0.1%), or LiCl (0.1%) solution in the 16 days. Squamous metaplasia and Wnt activation were evaluated by immunostaining or western blottting of K10, Ki67, P63, beta-catenin and TCF4, and inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-alpha.

K10, Ki67, P63, TCF4, IL-6, and TNF-alpha expression were gradually up-regulated in the corneal and conjunctival epithelium in PBS and BSA group. On day 16, the expression of these proteins were markedly down-regulated in SERPINA3K-treated group, and remained the same if treated with SERPINA3K plus LiCl or LiCl only. Translocation of beta-cateinin was hardly observed in the SERPINA3K group but more in other four groups.

SERPINA3K could interrupt benzalkonium chloride-induced ocular surface squamous metaplasia probably via Wnt blockade.