title: betaA3/A1-crystallin in astroglial cells regulates retinal vascular remodeling during development.
abstract: Vascular remodeling is a complex process critical to development of the mature vascular system. Astrocytes are known to be indispensable for initial formation of the retinal vasculature; our studies with the Nuc1 rat provide novel evidence that these cells are also essential in the retinal vascular remodeling process. Nuc1 is a spontaneous mutation in the Sprague-Dawley rat originally characterized by nuclear cataracts in the heterozygote and microphthalmia in the homozygote. We report here that the Nuc1 allele results from mutation of the betaA3/A1-crystallin gene, which in the neural retina is expressed only in astrocytes. We demonstrate striking structural abnormalities in Nuc1 astrocytes with profound effects on the organization of intermediate filaments. While vessels form in the Nuc1 retina, the subsequent remodeling process required to provide a mature vascular network is deficient. Our data implicate betaA3/A1-crystallin as an important regulatory factor mediating vascular patterning and remodeling in the retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Bunting-Blaustein Cancer Research Building II, 1550 Orleans St., Room 146, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA. Debasish@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Debasish
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klise
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sergeev
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hose
authors.forename: Imran A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Bhutto
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hackler
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Malpic-Llanos
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samtani
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grebe
authors.forename: Morton F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: J Fielding
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hejtmancik
authors.forename: Avindra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nath
authors.forename: Donald J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Zack
authors.forename: Robert N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Fariss
authors.forename: D Scott
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: Olof
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sundin
authors.forename: Karl W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Broman
authors.forename: Gerard A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lutty
authors.forename: J Samuel
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Zigler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001081:Apyrase / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D038205:beta-Crystallin A Chain / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D038205:beta-Crystallin A Chain; D001081:Apyrase