Kojic acid enhances the proliferation of human corneal epithelial cells via p38 and p21 signaling pathways.
PURPOSE
Treatment of corneal injury depends on the self-proliferation ability of human corneal epithelial cells (HCEp). Our previous study revealed kojic acid had the anti-senescence function on human corneal endothelial cells. In this study, we researched the enhancive proliferation effect of kojic acid in HCEp.


METHODS
Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. The expression of proliferation-related protein was detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence assay.


RESULTS
Kojic acid could enhance HCEp proliferation, characterized by promoting cell proliferation rate, decreasing the expression levels of p21, galectin 8 and ki67, and increasing that of p-p38. The p38 signaling pathway inhibitor, SB203580, could reverse the enhancive proliferation function of kojic acid. Furthermore, knockdown of p21 had similar enhancive proliferation effect to kojic acid.


CONCLUSION
Kojic acid might enhance HCEp proliferation through p38 and p21 signaling pathways, potentially via reduced expression levels of galectin 8 and ki67. Hence, kojic acid might be a potential drug to accelerate the healing of corneal epithelial injury.
['Wei|Xi|X|', 'Du|Lingling|L|', 'Sun|Liyao|L|', 'Wang|Chao|C|', 'Song|Fanqian|F|', 'Qian|Hua|H|', 'Li|Xiaoguang|X|', 'Guo|Xin|X|', 'Tang|Xianling|X|', 'Liu|Ping|P|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0763-9291']
Kojic acid human corneal epithelial cells p38 p21 cell proliferation