AIM: To investigate the effect of d-δ-tocopherol on the growth of human lens epithelial SRA cells and its related molecular mechanism, and to provide experimental basis for the treatment and prevention of posterior cataract with d-δ-tocopherol.

METHODS: The experiment was divided into 6 groups, blank control group and experimental group, that is, five different concentrations of d-δ-tocopherol(40, 60, 80, 100, 120)μmoL/L. The proliferation inhibition rate of each group was detected by thiazolam(MTT)assay. The morphology of human lens epithelial SRA cells was observed under inverted microscope. Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry and the expression of bcl-2, bax, Cyclin D1, P21 protein was detected by Western Blot(WB).

RESULTS: With the increase of d-δ-tocopherol concentration, the SRA cells decreased significantly compared with the control group; the MTT results showed that with the increase of d-δ-tocopherol concentration, the inhibition rate of cell proliferation increased gradually, the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05); cell cycle: with the increase of the concentration of tocopherol drugs in the experimental group, the proportion of cells in the S phase increased gradually compared with the control group, the cells were blocked in the S phase, the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05); Western blotting: after 48h of d-δ-tocopherol intervention human lens epithelial SRA cells, the P21, Cyclin D1 and bcl-2 expression of human lens epithelial cells gradually decreased, and the expression of bax gradually increased, which was statistically significant(P<0.01).

CONCLUSION: d-δ-tocopherol can significantly inhibit the proliferation of human lens epithelial SRA cells and block the cell cycle in S phase. d-δ-tocopherol can inhibit the proliferation of human lens epithelial cells. The proliferation of human lens epithelial SRA cells may be achieved by inhibiting the expression of bcl-2, P21, Cyclin D1 and inducing the expression of bax.