Objective: To study the effects of interleukin 1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) on the proliferation and cytosolic Ca(2+) of bovine lens epithelial cells (BLEC) in vitro. The effects of IL-1 and TNF-alpha on posterior capsular opacification (PCO) and the mechanism of effect on the proliferation were investigated.
Methods: The effects of IL-1 and TNF-alpha on the proliferation of BLEC were detected with MTT staining colorimetry, and cytosolic Ca(2+) was measured by fluorescence determination with Fura-2.
Results: IL-1 10(2) - 10(5) ng/ml, TNF-alpha 10(2) - 10(4) U/ml obviously could promote BLEC proliferation (P < 0.05 - 0.01), and increase cytosolic Ca(2+) (P < 0.05 - 0.01) at the same doses.
Conclusions: IL-1, TNF-alpha contribute to the PCO. One of the mechanisms of IL-1 and TNF-alpha on proliferation is by cytosolic Ca(2+).