Altered expression of genes in experimentally induced myopic chick eyes.
OBJECTIVE
To identify a casual pathway between the alteration in visual experience, due to form deprivation and hyperopic defocus, and the increase in eye growth, we searched for candidate genes having regulatory effects on eye growth under myopic conditions.


METHODS
The expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin-3, sonic hedgehog, nerve growth factor, Six-3 and the Lh-2 group of genes in the transcriptional level after experimentally induced myopia (form-deprivation by goggles and by hyperopic defocus using negative spectacle lenses) were evaluated by semiquantitative reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction and Northern blot analysis.


RESULTS
Results showed that only the sonic hedgehog gene was differentially expressed in the experimentally induced myopic retinal samples compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The sonic hedgehog gene may have regulatory functions in the signaling of the cascade of events that leads to axial elongation and vitreous enlargement of the eye under myopic conditions.
Akamatsu
S
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
Fujii
S
S
Escaño
M F
MF
Ishibashi
K
K
Sekiya
Y
Y
Yamamoto
M
M
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics; D002645:Chickens; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000235:genetics; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D017931:DNA Primers; D005136:Eye Proteins; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3