View article

The compliance of the human trabecular meshwork (HTM) has been shown to dramatically stiffen in glaucomatous patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of substratum stiffness and latrunculin-B (Lat-B) on the expression and activity of the mechanotransducers, Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding domain (TAZ), in primary HTM cells as the cells start to recover from Lat-B treatment. Primary human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells were cultured on hydrogels possessing stiffness values mimicking those found in normal (5 kPa) and glaucomatous meshworks (75 kPa), or tissue culture polystyrene (TCP; >1 GPa). Cells were treated with 2.0 μM Lat-B in DMSO or DMSO alone. RT-PCR was used to determine the impact of substratum stiffness and/or Lat-B treatment on the expression of YAP, TAZ, 14-3-3σ, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and …