title: Expression of Pax-6 mRNA in the retinal degeneration (rd) mouse.
abstract: The homeobox gene Pax-6 is expressed during eye development in both the retina and lens, and Pax-6 mutations cause ocular abnormalities including retinal defects. We investigated the pattern of Pax-6 gene expression in the rd/rd mouse model of inherited retinal degeneration in comparison with nondegenerative controls, using Northern blot, reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR and in situ hybridization analysis. We observed an increased level of Pax-6 mRNA expression in the degenerative state, which appeared to affect equally the major Pax-6 exon 5a transcriptional splice variants as detected by RT-PCR. By in situ hybridization, Pax-6 mRNA was localized to the inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers of nondegenerative retina, but showed a more diffuse signal pattern in the rd/rd retina. This modulation of Pax-6 mRNA levels and localization is suggestive of activation of expression in retinal glial cells and may reflect reorganization of cellular interactions in response to the degenerative processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jomary
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grist
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Neal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005091:Exons; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; C000605732:Pax6 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins