Upregulation of a Metastasis Associated 37 LRP/p40 Gene in the Sclera of Chick Eye With Form Deprivation Myopia

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: Myopia is characterized by excessive elongation of eyeball. Increased DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation had been shown by previous studies; however, the underlying mechanism was still unknown. In this experiment, subtraction hybridization technique was used to evaluated the differential gene expression between myopic and control eyes. Methods: Form deprivation myopia was induced in neonatal chicks by occlusion their right eyes with goggle. The chicks were sacrificed 2 weeks later and the eyes were enucleated. Sclera was harvested and mRNA was extracted. The differential gene expression between myopic eyes and control eyes was examined by subtraction hybridization methods. Results: With subtraction hybridization technique, 1 out of 200 differential expressed clones was picked up. The clone was sequenced and compared with Gene bank data. The sequence was compatible to a metastasis–associated 37 LRP/p40 gene in chicken. This 37 LRP/p40 gene had been reported to function as a laminin receptor (Clausse N, DNA Cell Biol 1996, 15:1009–1023). Results of semi–quantitative RT–PCR showed the mRNA of this 37 LRP/p40 gene was up–regulated in the chick sclera during the course of form–deprivation myopia. Conclusions: Subtraction hybridization is a powerful tool to study gene expression in myopia. The expression of a laminin receptor and metastasis–associated 37 LRP/p40 gene increased in myopic chick eye. The significant of this gene in myopia development needs further investigation.

Keywords: myopia • sclera • gene/expression