Screening for differential gene expression during the development of form-deprivation myopia in the chicken.
OBJECTIVE
To use the technique of differential gene display to analyze changes in gene expression that occur during the development of and recovery from form-deprivation myopia.


METHODS
The differential display-reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction technique was used to detect cDNAs that are differentially expressed after 24 h (including 12 h in the light) after fitting with a diffuser to induce form-deprivation myopia. Messenger RNA levels were determined by quantitative Northern blotting in retinas after 11 days of form deprivation or in retinas where the diffusers had been removed the previous day.


RESULTS
Twenty-six differentially expressed genes were processed in our initial screen. Two of these, alphaB-crystallin and retinoic acid receptor-alpha, were studied further. Levels of alphaB-crystallin mRNA were increased on day 11 in retinas from form-deprived eyes relative to eyes of control chickens and were reduced to below those levels within 6 to 12 h after removal of the diffusers. Levels of retinoic acid receptor-alpha mRNA showed similar changes, except that after removal of the diffusers, the levels further increased.


CONCLUSIONS
The technique of differential gene display can be used to detect changes in gene expression during the regulation of eye growth. The response of alphaB-crystallin is particularly interesting because expression increases when eye growth is high and decreases when eye growth slows.
Morgan
Ian
I
Visual Sciences Group, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. ian.morgan@anu.edu.au
Kucharski
Robert
R
Krongkaew
Nispa
N
Firth
Sally I
SI
Megaw
Pam
P
Maleszka
Ryszard
R
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D005556:Form Perception; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005820:Genetic Testing; D009216:Myopia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain / Q000235:genetics
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain