C-fos gene expression in rat retinal cells after focal retinal injury.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the expression of c-fos proto-oncogene in the rat retina after focal retinal injury.


METHODS
A penetrating wound was made by pushing a 22-gauge hypodermic needle through the retina into the vitreous. The retinas were analyzed by in situ hybridization using single-stranded RNA probes for c-fos transcripts and by immunocytochemistry using anti-S100 protein antibody.


RESULTS
Thirty minutes after the penetrating wound, c-fos mRNA was expressed in the inner nuclear layer (INL) and the ganglion cell layer (GCL) of the retina. Immunocytochemistry before in situ hybridization demonstrated c-fos mRNA surrounding the S-100 protein immunoreactive cytoplasm in the middle layer of the INL.


CONCLUSIONS
Focal retinal injury of the rat retina induced the expression of c-fos mRNA in retinal cells. In the INL, it is suggested that the major cells that express c-fos mRNA after focal retinal injury were the Müller cells. These results suggest that c-fos may be involved in the transcription in the Müller cells after injury to the retina.
Yoshida
K
K
Department of Ophthalmology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Muraki
Y
Y
Ohki
K
K
Harada
T
T
Ohashi
T
T
Matsuda
H
H
Imaki
J
J
D000818:Animals; D015807:Eye Injuries, Penetrating / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016762:Genes, fos / Q000235:genetics; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012160:Retina / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009418:S100 Proteins