NGF and TGF-beta mRNA expression during pregnancy in a rat corneal wound healing model.
BACKGROUND
Growth factors seem to play a major role in corneal wound healing and TGF-beta seems to be associated with abnormal healing after corneal surgical procedures. Few studies have analysed the role of NGF and TGF-beta on corneal wound healing during pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to create an animal model to evaluate the expression of NGF and TGF-betas during corneal wound healing in two groups: control and pregnant rats.


METHODS
Corneal mRNA for NGF and the three isoforms of TGF-beta were analysed by RT-PCR, in a time-course experiment on different days after epithelial wounding (2, 7, 14 days) in pregnant and control groups


RESULTS
The results show high corneal mRNA expression for NGF and TGF-beta1 without any variation throughout the healing process or pregnancy evolution. However, we detected a different expression of corneal mRNAs for TGF-beta2 and TGF-beta3 in the control group. This data was not detected in the pregnant group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggested that pregnancy could have a relevant role on TGF-beta2 and TGF-beta3 mRNA expression during the corneal wound healing process. Additional research should be performed to corroborate these findings.
Nieto
A
A
Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Casas
J
J
Rahhal
S M
SM
Alonso
L
L
Martínez-Soriano
F
F
Sanchis-Gimeno
J A
JA
D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D065306:Corneal Injuries; D005260:Female; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014945:Wound Healing
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor