Form-deprivation myopia induces decreased expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2, 5 in guinea pig sclera.

AIM: To identify the presence of various bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and their receptors in normal sclera of human, rat and guinea pigs, and to determine whether their expression changed with form-deprivation myopia (FDM) in guinea pig sclera. METHODS: The expression of BMPs and BMP receptors were detected using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunofluorescence. Two-week-old guinea pigs were monocularly form-deprived with a translucent lens. After fourteen days induction of FDM, total RNA was isolated and subjected to RT-PCR to examine the changes of BMPs and BMP receptors in tissues from the posterior sclera. Western blotting analysis was used to investigate their changes in protein levels. RESULTS: Human sclera expressed mRNAs for BMP-2, -4, -5, -7, -RIA, -RIB and BMP-RII. Conversely, rat sclera only expressed mRNA for BMP-7 and BMP-RIB, while the expression of BMPs and BMP receptors in guinea pigs were similar to that of humans. Human sclera also expresses BMP-2, -4, -5,-7 in protein level. Fourteen days after the induction of myopia, significant decreased expressions for BMP-2 and BMP-5 in the posterior sclera of FDM-affected eyes (P<0.05 vs internal control eyes). CONCLUSION: Various BMPs were expressed in human and guinea pig sclera. In the posterior sclera, expressions of BMP-2 and BMP-5 significantly decreased in FDM eyes. This finding indicates that various BMPs as components of the scleral cytokines regulating tissue homeostasis and provide evidence that alterations in the expression of BMP-2 and BMP-5 are associated with sclera remodeling during myopia induction.

Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor on cat corneal endothelial cell proliferation.

AIM: To investigate the function of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on cat corneal endothelial cells proliferation. METHODS: Cat corneal endothelial cells were primarily cultured, stimulated with bFGF for different period, the proliferation of cells was assayed by modified tertrozalium salt (MTT) method, and the morphologic changes were observed with inverted phase contrast microscope and transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: At 1, 3 and 5 days after bFGF was added to cat corneal endothelial cells, the result of MTT in 490nm showed significant difference than that in control group, and the difference was most significant in 10ng/mL group. CONCLUSION: bFGF can promote proliferation of cat corneal endothelial cells. 10ng/mL is the relatively most effective dose.

[Molecular cloning and expression of human PDGF-B chain peptide gene and its effect on cat corneal endothelial cell proliferation in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To construct pET-PDGF-B plasmid with over expression of PDGF and investigate its effects on cat corneal endothelial cells proliferation in vitro. METHODS: Gene rearrangement technique was used to construct the prokaryotic vector with insertion of pET-PDGF-B. The recombinant PDGF-B was obtained from E. coli BL21 (DE3). The effects of recombinant PDGF-B on proliferation and morphologic changes of cultured cat corneal endothelial cells were assayed by modified tertrozalium salt (MTT), inverted phase contrast microscope and transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: PDGF-B peptide gene was inserted into prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a (+), which was confirmed by sequence analysis; a 27,000 protein band was demonstrated as pET-PDGF-B from extraction of E. coli BL21 (DE3) using western blot; MTT assay showed PDGF-BB promoted the proliferation of cat corneal endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: A constructed pET-PDGF-B plasmid vector over expression of PDGF is produced. Recombinant PDGF-BB promotes cultured cat corneal endothelial cells proliferation.