Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To search for differentially expressed genes in the development of retinal degeneration, which may help us to elucide the molecular pathway controlling retinal cells death or living. Methods: The retina mRNA of rds mice during the development of retinitis pigmentosa was analyzed by the mRNA differential display. One of the differentially expressed genes (gamma-A-crystallin) was further analyzed by using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay in the retinae of rds, rd and C3B mice. Results: Thirteen differentially expressed fragements were identified by the differential display and Northern blotting in the rds mice during the development of retinitis pigmentosa as compared with normal C3B mice. One of them had an E value of 9e-89 with the mouse gamma-A-crystallin gene. In the normal control, the gamma-A-crystallin was highly expressed at P7 (the postnatal day 7), then gradually declined at P12(one third), P25(one third), P37(one forth), P50 (one third), and P150 (one thirteenth). The gamma-A-crystallin mRNA in the rds mice retina was lower than that in C3B mice at P7, P12, P25, P37 and P50, but higher at P150 than that in C3B mice. In the rd mice, the gamma-A-cystallin expressed similarly to that in the rds mice at P7, P12, P37 and P50, but overexpressed at P25 and lowly expressed at P150. Conclusion: Differential expression of gamma-A-crystallin was found in rds and rd mice which imply that it may participate in the development of retinal degeneration.
Keywords: 562 retinal degenerations: hereditary • 417 gene/expression • 316 animal model