13- Retinoic Acid-Mediated Modulation of Human Meibomian Gland Epithelial Cells Development: Implications for Modeling of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of 13- retinoic acid (13- RA) on human meibomian gland epithelial cells (HMGECs) and explore the potential of using this experimental model as an approach for studying meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). First, HMGECs were cultured with 13- RA at different doses and times, and cell viability and proliferation rates were assessed to determine the appropriate stimulation concentration and time. Subsequently, during the proliferation stage, the expression of proliferation, inflammation, and oxidative stress genes and their products were evaluated. The meibum synthesis capacity was determined during the differentiation stage. Additionally, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma () antagonist GW9662 was used as a control to assess the impact of 13- RA on . 13- RA significantly inhibited cell viability and proliferation in a time-dose response manner. Under the stimulation of 2 and 5 μM for 48 h during the proliferation stage, a significant decrease was observed in the expression of cell proliferation markers , antioxidant , and . However, the expression of the pro-inflammatory factors , , , and oxidative stress markers and reactive oxygen species increased. During the differentiation stage, it suppressed meibum synthesis and the expression of meibocyte differentiation-related proteins adipose differentiation-associated protein 4 (), elongation of very long chain fatty acid protein 4 (), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (), and . 13- RA inhibited cell viability, promoted inflammation and oxidative stress, and suppressed meibum synthesis through the pathway. Our study shed light on the effect of 13- RA on HMGECs and provided a promising direction for studying MGD .