Immortalized Human Lens Epithelial Cells-SV40

Immortalized Human Lens Epithelial Cells-SV40 (HLE-SV40) are a human epithelial cell line, which have been immortalized with SV40 large T antigen and are derived from the anterior lens capsule of human donor tissue. HLE-SV40 cells preserve a majority of the native lens epithelial cell biological properties, including polygonal epithelial morphology and expression of cytokeratins, E-cadherin, and lens-specific crystallins (αA- and β-crystallin). In addition, the immortalized HLE-SV40 cells are proliferatively stable in culture and have a well-defined and reproducible gene expression profile.

HLE-SV40 cells physiologically serve as the anterior-most cell layer of the lens that are crucial for maintenance of lens transparency, ion homeostasis, and fiber cell differentiation. In addition, they are highly responsive to oxidative stress, ultraviolet irradiation, and a number of growth factors and cytokines, many of which are related to or directly stimulate cataractogenesis in vivo. The cells have also been used to investigate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in response to TGF-β stimulation. HLE-SV40 cells are therefore frequently used in studies focused on processes related to cataractogenesis and especially the study of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) or fibrosis following cataract surgery.

HLE-SV40 cells have become a staple model system for research focused on cataract, oxidative injury, drug toxicity, regulation of crystallins, and screening anti-cataract therapeutics. Their physiological relevance combined with their robust proliferative capacity in 2D monolayer cultures has made them a widely used cell line in biochemical assays and imaging-based approaches.