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Retinal gene expression changes related to IOP exposure and axonal loss in DBA/2J mice.

ABSTRACT: To determine the effects of cumulative IOP exposure and axonal damage on retinal gene expression in DBA/2 mice.DBA/2J, DBA/2J(pe) (pearl), and C57BL/6 mice from 3 to 12 months of age were used. IOP was measured with a rebound tonometer, and optic nerve (ON) damage was determined by grading of ON sections. Retinal RNA was subjected to microarray analysis. Comparisons explored the effects of cumulative IOP exposure (cIOPx) as well as ON damage (ONd) in the DBA/2J animals compared with that in the C57BL/6 and pearl mice. RT-PCR was performed to confirm some of the genes and bioinformatic analysis to identify affected gene networks.Microarrays revealed that an increasing number of genes were up- or downregulated in 9- and 12-month DBA/2J mice with various degrees of ONd. A smaller number of genes were expressed differentially between eyes with different cIOPx at the same age, from 6 months on. Expression of 1385 and 1133 genes differed between DBA/2J animals and C57BL/6 or pearl mice, respectively, and some them were confirmed by RT-PCR. Bioinformatics analysis identified functional gene networks, including members of the complement system, that appeared to be related to cIOPx, ONd, or both.Gene expression changes occur in retinas of DBA/2 mice with various amounts of cIOPx as well as ONd. Genes involved, code for proteins with diverse cellular functions and include among others the complement system. cIOPx and ONd affect common as well as unique gene sets.

SUBMITTER: Panagis L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3335131 | biostudies-other | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Retinal gene expression changes related to IOP exposure and axonal loss in DBA/2J mice.

Panagis Lambros L Zhao Xiujun X Ge Yongchao Y Ren Lizhen L Mittag Thomas W TW Danias John J

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 20111003 11

<h4>Purpose</h4>To determine the effects of cumulative IOP exposure and axonal damage on retinal gene expression in DBA/2 mice.<h4>Methods</h4>DBA/2J, DBA/2J(pe) (pearl), and C57BL/6 mice from 3 to 12 months of age were used. IOP was measured with a rebound tonometer, and optic nerve (ON) damage was determined by grading of ON sections. Retinal RNA was subjected to microarray analysis. Comparisons explored the effects of cumulative IOP exposure (cIOPx) as well as ON damage (ONd) in the DBA/2J an ...[more]

PMID: 21908583

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Project description:Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Not all women who consume alcohol during pregnancy have children with FASD and studies have shown that genetic factors can play a role in ethanol teratogenesis. We examined gene expression in embryos and placentae from C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) mice following prenatal alcohol exposure. B6 fetuses are susceptible to morphological malformations following prenatal alcohol exposure while D2 are relatively resistant.Male and female B6 and D2 mice were mated for 2 hours in the morning, producing 4 embryonic genotypes: true-bred B6B6 and D2D2, and reciprocal B6D2 and D2B6. On gestational day 9, dams were intubated with 5.8 g/kg ethanol, an isocaloric amount of maltose dextrin, or nothing. Four hours later, dams were sacrificed and embryos and placentae were harvested. RNA was extracted, labeled and hybridized to Affymetrix Mouse Genome 430 v2 microarray chips. Data were normalized, subjected to analysis of variance and tested for enrichment of gene ontology molecular function and biological process using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID).Several gene classes were differentially expressed in B6 and D2 regardless of treatment, including genes involved in polysaccharide binding and mitosis. Prenatal alcohol exposure altered expression of a subset of genes, including genes involved in methylation, chromatin remodeling, protein synthesis, and mRNA splicing. Very few genes were differentially expressed between maltose-exposed tissues and tissues that received nothing, so we combined these groups for comparisons with ethanol. While we observed many expression changes specific to B6 following prenatal alcohol exposure, none were specific for D2. Gene classes up- or down-regulated in B6 following prenatal alcohol exposure included genes involved in mRNA splicing, transcription, and translation.Our study identified several classes of genes with altered expression following prenatal alcohol exposure, including many specific for B6, a strain susceptible to ethanol teratogenesis. Lack of strain specific effects in D2 suggests there are few gene expression changes that confer resistance. Future studies will begin to analyze functional significance of the expression changes.

Project description:PURPOSE: The DBA/2J (D2) mouse carries mutations in two of its genes, Tyrp1 and Gpnmb. These alterations result in the development of an immune response in the iris, leading to iris atrophy and pigment dispersion. The development of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in this model of glaucoma is considered to be a significant factor leading to the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Changes in gene expression in the retina have already been correlated with the appearance of elevated IOP in the D2 mouse. The purpose of the present study was to determine if any changes in gene expression occur prior to the development of IOP. METHODS: The IOP was measured monthly using a rebound tonometer in D2 and age-matched C57/BL6 (B6) mice (normal controls). D2 animals with normal IOP at 2 and 4 M were used. In addition, mice at the age of 6-7 M were included to look for any trends in gene expression that might develop during the progression of the disease. Separate RNA samples were prepared from each of three individual retinas for each age, and gene expression profiles were determined with the aid of mouse oligonucleotide arrays (Agilent). A subset of genes was examined with the aid of real-time PCR. Immunocytochemistry was used to visualize changes in the retina for some of the gene-products. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirteen oligonucleotide probes were differentially expressed in the retinas of 4 M versus 2 M old D2 mice. The most significantly up-regulated genes (181) were associated with immune responses including interferon signaling, the complement system and the antigen presentation pathway, whereas the down-regulated genes (232) were linked to pathways related to cell death and known neurological diseases/disorders. These particular changes were not revealed in the age-matched B6 mice. By 6 M, when IOP started to increase in many of the D2 mice, more robust changes of these same genes were observed. Changes in the levels of selected genes, representative of different functions/pathways, were validated with RT-PCR, and changes in glial responses were visualized in the retina with immunocytochemistry. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that the expression of genes related to the immune response and acute stress were altered independently of the development of elevated IOP, and indicated early involvement of the immune system in the onset of the disease. The later development of elevated IOP, observed in this animal model, was coincident with continued changes in expression of genes observed at earlier time points. Further studies are warranted to identify the roles of specific genes identified here with respect to the death of the RGCs.

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Retinal gene expression changes related to IOP exposure and axonal loss in DBA/2J mice.

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Retinal gene expression changes related to IOP exposure and axonal loss in DBA/2J mice.

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