Fig. 1
Pivotal genes encoding LTCC are expressed in OFs. LTCC mediates the intracellular Ca2+ response induced by TGF-β1. a–c The mRNA expression of CACNA1C, CACNB2 and CACNA2D1 in TED-OFs and HC-OFs in passage 3 were evaluated by RT-qPCR, n = 4. d–e The representative data and statistical analysis of the Indo-1 ratio in different groups detected by flow cytometry. After 60 ± 10 s baseline recording, different stimulus (trehalose solution, or TGF-β1 10 ng/mL) was added to flow cytometry samples (as indicated by the arrows). TGF-β1 induced a substantial elevation in the Indo-1 ratio and nimodipine (60 μmol/L) inhibited the TGF-β1 induced elevation in the Indo-1 ratio (n = 4, each group). The significance was determined using unpaired Student’s t-test (a–c), or one-way ANOVA (e). LTCC, L-type calcium channel; OF, orbital fibroblast; TGF-β1, transforming growth factor-beta 1; TED, thyroid eye disease; TED-OFs, OFs derived from patients with TED; HC, healthy control; HC-OFs, OFs derived from HC donors; RT-qPCR, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Nimo, nimodipine; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; ns, not significant