@article{TEXTUAL,
      recid = {8580},
      author = {Li, Hui and Wang, Hongwei and Wang, Fang and Gu, Qing and  Xu, Xun},
      title = {Snail Involves in the Transforming Growth Factor  β1-Mediated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Retinal  Pigment Epithelial Cells},
      journal = {PLOS ONE},
      address = {2011-08-10},
      number = {TEXTUAL},
      abstract = {&lt;p&gt;Background: The proliferation of retinal pigment  epithelium (RPE) cells resulting from an  epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a key role in  proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), which leads to  complex retinal detachment and the loss of vision. Genes of  Snail family encode the zinc finger transcription factors  that have been reported to be essential in EMT during  embryonic development and cancer metastasis. However, the  function of Snail in RPE cells undergoing EMT is largely  unknown.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Principal Findings: Transforming growth  factor beta(TGF-β)-1 resulted in EMT in human RPE cells  (ARPE-19), which was characterized by the expected decrease  in E-cadherin and Zona occludin-1(ZO-1) expression, and the  increase in fibronectin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)  expression, as well as the associated increase of Snail  expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore,  TGF-β1 treatment caused a significant change in ARPE-19  cells morphology, with transition from a typical epithelial  morphology to mesenchymal spindle-shaped. More  interestingly, Snail silencing significantly attenuated  TGF-β1-induced EMT in ARPE-19 cells by decreasing the  mesenchymal markers fibronectin and a-SMA and increasing  the epithelial marker E-cadherin and ZO-1. Snail knockdown  could effectively suppress ARPE-19 cell migration. Finally,  Snail was activated in epiretinal membranes from PVR  patients. Taken together, Snail plays very important roles  in TGF-β-1-induced EMT in human RPE cells and may  contribute to the development of PVR.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Significance:  Snail transcription factor plays a critical role in  TGF-β1-induced EMT in human RPE cells, which provides deep  insight into the pathogenesis of human PVR disease. The  specific inhibition of Snail may provide a new approach to  treat and prevent PVR.&lt;/p&gt;},
      url = {http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/8580},
}