title: Distribution and expression of transforming growth factor-beta and platelet-derived growth factor in the normal and glaucomatous monkey optic nerve heads.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Remodeling of the extracellular matrix occurs in the lamina cribrosa in progressed glaucomatous optic nerve damage including disc cupping. We examined immunohistochemical changes in the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in the optic nerve head in an experimentally induced glaucoma model.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used 3 cynomolgus and 2 Japanese monkey eyes. Glaucoma was induced by repeated argon laser photocoagulation of the chamber angle. Eyes were enucleated after disc cupping had formed 3 to 5 months after photocoagulation. The optic nerve head was examined for expression of TGF-beta1, -beta2 and -beta3 and PDGF-A and -B in frozen sections and by the biotin ExtraAvidin-alkali phosphatase method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Normal monkey eyes showed TGF-beta1, -beta2 and -beta3, and PDGF-A and -B in the optic nerve head including the nerve fibers, glial cells, and vascular cells. Glaucomatous eyes showed stronger expression of TGF-beta1 and -beta2 in the glial cells around the lamina cribrosa. The staining intensities for TGF-beta3, PDGF-A and -B were the same as in normal eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eyes with experimental glaucoma showed higher expression of TGF-beta1 and -beta2 around the lamina cribrosa. These findings may show upregulation of extracellular matrix production as related to remodeling of the lamina cribrosa in glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Niigata University School of Medicine, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuchi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanyu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sawaguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008251:Macaca; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta