title: Expression profile and regulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase on oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Telomerase is critical for the control of replicative capacity, which plays a major role in proliferative retinal neovascularization. In this study, we investigated the expression profiles of telomerase reverse transcriptase (Tert) in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization and explored the possibility of inhibiting a retinal Tert expression with small interfering RNAs (SiRNA) as a novel potential approach to suppress proliferative retinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mouse oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization model was used to examine expression profiles in different developmental phases and to assess the anti-angiogenic activity of Tert-SiRNA. Recombinant SiRNA plasmids were injected intravitreously into mice with or without pathological retinal neovascularization. Fluorescein angiography, vessel counting, and the expression levels of Tert mRNA and protein were used to evaluate the anti-angiogenic effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Retinal Tert expression, as assessed by both mRNA and protein levels, was significantly up-regulated during the proliferative phase of oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization. Intravitreous injection of Tert-SiRNA effectively suppressed the expression of Tert mRNA and proteins and inhibited retinal neovascularization, as confirmed by retinal flat angiography and vessel counting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of Tert was up-regulated during the development of oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization. Inhibiting Tert expression with SiRNA is effective in suppressing retinal neovascularization, suggesting that telomerase may be a potential therapeutic target for treating proliferative retinopathy.
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Qingjun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiaoguang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Yiqiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010100:Oxygen / Q000633:toxicity; D010957:Plasmids; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D019098:Telomerase; C509187:Tert protein, mouse; D010100:Oxygen