Nintedanib Inhibits VEGF-Induced Neovascularization in Human Conjunctival Vascular Endothelial Cells

Abstract

Objective

Conjunctival vascularization and fibroblasts are important factors leading to filtering bleb scarring after glaucoma filtering surgery. Previous studies have shown that nintedanib can inhibit the transformation of conjunctival fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, alleviating scar formation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of nintedanib on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced neovascularization of human conjunctival vascular endothelial cells and to reveal the molecular mechanisms involved.

Methods

Primary human conjunctival vascular endothelial cells were cultured with VEGF alone or in combination with nintedanib, and cell proliferation and migration were measured via cell counting kit-8 and scratch assays, respectively. The effect of nintedanib on human conjunctival vascular endothelial cell tube formation was also assayed. The phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were measured via Western blotting.

Results

VEGF (120 ng/mL) significantly promoted the proliferation of human conjunctival vascular endothelial cells. Nintedanib inhibited the VEGF-induced proliferation of these cells while also suppressing cell migration (P < 0.0001) and vascularization (P < 0.01). Furthermore, nintedanib reduced ERK1/2 (P < 0.01) and JNK phosphorylation (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our study provides new evidence that nintedanib inhibits the proliferation, migration, and neovascularization of human conjunctival vascular endothelial cells and downregulates the expression of p-ERK and p-JNK in the MAPK pathway.

Keywords

Glaucoma / Filtering bleb / Scarring / Nintedanib / Vascular endothelial growth factor / Angiogenesis / MAPK pathway

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Funding

Science and Technology Program of Hubei Province(No. 2024BCB037)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the Huazhong University of Science and Technology