Expression of tissue transglutaminase in cultured bovine trabecluar meshwork cells

To study whether cultured bovine trabecluar meshwork cells (BTMC) are capable of expressing tTG in protein and at mRNA level, BTMC were cultured in vitro and passaged three times, then the cells were transferred onto or cultured on sterile cover or submitted to isolation of RNA with Trizol, and the expression of tTG was detected by immunohistochemical technique and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) respectively. Our results showed that tTG immunostaining was positive in the cytoplasm and rarely in the nucleus of cultured BTMC. No immunostaining was seen in the negative control. Moreover, a single RT-PCR amplified product whose sequence and size were in accordance with our known parameters was obtained. The expression of tTG in cultured BTMC was confirmed in protein and at mRNA level. BMTC is available more readily for the investigation of the relationship between tTG and primary open-angle glaucoma.