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Changes in Thy1 gene expression associated with damaged retinal ganglion cells
C L Schlamp1, E C Johnson, Y Li
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Molecular Vision
|August 18, 2001
Summary
Thy1 gene expression decreases before retinal ganglion cell loss in response to various injuries. This early molecular change occurs independently of the cell death pathway.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death is a key event in vision loss.
- The molecular events preceding RGC death are not fully understood.
- Thy1 is a known marker gene expressed in RGCs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the temporal relationship between Thy1 gene expression and RGC loss.
- To determine if changes in Thy1 expression precede cell death kinetics.
- To examine this relationship under different damaging stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Acute optic nerve crush and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) injection in mice.
- Induction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in rats.
- Quantification of Thy1 mRNA using RNase protection and RT-PCR.
- Monitoring Thy1 positive cells via in situ hybridization.
- Histological evaluation of optic nerve damage.
Main Results:
- Thy1 mRNA and cell expression decreased within 24 hours after optic nerve crush, preceding cell loss by 7 days.
- Following NMDA injection, Thy1 levels dropped within 6 hours, preceding cell loss by 24 hours.
- Elevated IOP led to a pressure-dependent decrease in Thy1 expression before significant RGC loss.
Conclusions:
- Thy1 expression changes serve as an early indicator of RGC damage.
- The observed decrease in Thy1 is independent of the cell death commitment step.
- These findings offer insights into early molecular events in RGC degeneration.
