[Expressions of collagen , matrix metalloproteases-2, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in the posterior sclera of newborn guinea pigs with negative lens-defocused myopia].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the expressions of the collagen , matrix metalloproteases-2 (MMP-2), and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in the posterior sclera of newborn guinea pigs with negative lens-defocused myopia.


METHODS
Newborn guinea pigs were monocularly defocused by -10D lens. After 4 weeks of defocus, the eyes were removed to provide posterior scleral samples for detection. Expression of collagen was detected by immunohistochemistry on frozen sections of guinea pig sclera, and the protein levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were evaluated by Western blot.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that the expressions of collagen and TIMP-2 were significantly lower and the expression of MMP-2 was significantly higher in the posterior sclera in the defocused eyes than in the contralateral eyes (all P < 0.01). However, all these indicators were not significantly different between the contralateral eyes and normal control eyes (all P > 0.05). In the defocused animals, the refraction of defocused eyes was positively correlated with the expression levels of collagen (r = 0.79, P < 0.01) and TIMP-2 (r = 0.74, P < 0.05) and was negatively correlated with the expression level of MMP-2 (r = -0.78, P < 0.01) in posterior sclera.


CONCLUSIONS
Alteration of extracellular matrix in the posterior sclera, probably participated by MMP-2, may exist during the development of defocus-induced myopia.
Department of Ophthalmology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Shu-ran
SR
Yang
Jun-jie
JJ
Ye
Qin
Q
Long
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009216:Myopia / Q000378:metabolism*; D012590:Sclera / Q000378:metabolism*; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000378:metabolism*
D024042:Collagen Type I; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2