Effects of RGD peptides on cells derived from the human eye.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides on cells derived from the human eye.

Methods: SV40-transformed human corneal epithelial cells (SCE), SV40-transformed human lens epithelial cells (SLE), normal human keratocytes (NK), and human retinal pigment epithelial cells stably expressing human telomerase reverse transcriptase (TRPE) were used. A human corneal cDNA library was screened to isolate the human homologue of p130 Crk-associated substrate (Cas). Next, after these cells were attached to the substratum, RGD-containing soluble tetrapeptides Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) were added to the culture medium and morphological changes were observed.

Results: A clone, H-2, consisting of 3228 nucleotides, with a long open reading frame (870 amino acid residues) was isolated, and determined to be the human homologue of Cas. After addition of the RGDS peptides, both SLE and TRPE detached from the plastic culture plate, but SCE and NK did not. Detached SLE and TRPE showed decreased levels of tyrosine phosphorylation in Cas.

Conclusions: These results indicated that the signaling pathway through Cas played an important role in epithelial cell adhesion in the eye.