Epigallocatechin-3-gallate increases autophagic activity attenuating TGF-β1-induced transformation of human Tenon's fibroblasts.

We previously found that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) could inhibit the myofibroblast transformation of human Tenon's fibroblasts, however, the underlying mechanism remained unclear. We therefore investigated whether the autophagic regulation involved in the anti-fibrotic function of EGCG. The fibroblasts were subjected to transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) induction followed by EGCG treatments. The autophagic flux was examined by transmission electron microscopy and autophagic flux analysis. The levels of autophagy-related proteins (LC3β and p62) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were measured by Western blot and immunofluorescence. Results showed that TGF-β1 partially inhibited the autophagic function of Tenon's fibroblasts. But this inhibition effect was rescued by LY2157299, a TGF-βR1 selective inhibitor. Compared with the cells treated with TGF-β1 alone, EGCG treatments increased the amount of autophagosomes and autolysosomes, evaluated the ratio of LC3-II to LC3-I and decreased p62 level. Our results indicated that EGCG could recover the activity of autophagy in the TGF-β1-treated cells. Moreover, treatments with EGCG significantly decreased the α-SMA expression. Taken together, these findings revealed that autophagic regulation involved in the action of EGCG against TGF-β1-induced transformation of Tenon's fibroblasts. Through increasing intracellular autophagy, EGCG could be a potential anti-fibrotic reagent for preventing subconjunctival fibrosis after glaucoma filtration surgery.