L‑carnitine attenuates TGF‑β1‑induced EMT in retinal pigment epithelial cells via a PPARγ‑dependent mechanism

The epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is an important underlying mechanism proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). We previously found that L‑carnitine (β‑hydroxy‑γ‑N-trimethylammonium‑butyrate, LC) was significantly lower during the transforming growth factor‑β1 (TGF‑β1)‑induced EMT process in ARPE‑19 cells. present study assessed role LC RPE migration detected using a Transwell assay. Then, EMT‑related biomarkers were measured via western blotting, immunofluorescence and reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. It observed attenuated TGF‑β1‑induced downregulation markers E‑Cadherin zonula occludens‑1, as well expression mesenchymal fibronectin α‑smooth muscle actin. Meanwhile, blocked Erk1/2 JNK pathways Moreover, treatment with peroxisome proliferator‑activated receptor γ (PPARγ) inhibitor prevented effect on EMT. Taken together, these data suggested induced by TGF‑β1 inhibition upregulation PPARγ expression.