Artesunate inhibits proliferation and migration of RPE cells and TGF-β2 mediated epithelial mesenchymal transition by suppressing PI3K/AKT pathway.

Aim: To study the braking effectiveness of artesunate on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) .

Methods: The fostered ARPE-19 cells were processed with artesunate alone or combined with the TGF-β2. The CCK-8 examination was utilized to test the cell propagation.

Artesunate inhibits the development of PVR by suppressing the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is the main cause of retinal detachment surgery failure. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by transforming growth factor (TGF-β2) plays an important role in the development of PVR. Artesunate has been widely studied as a treatment for ophthalmic diseases because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic and antiproliferative properties.