Expression profile of heat shock protein 108 during retinal development in the chick

Jinsong Zhao1, Masahiko Yoneda, Yoko Inoue

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan, and Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China.

Neuroscience Letters
|December 21, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Heat shock protein 108 (HSP108) expression in developing chick retinas shows two peaks, correlating with transferrin levels. This suggests HSP108 may play a role in retinal iron metabolism during development.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Heat shock protein 108 (HSP108) has transferrin binding activity.
  • Transferrin exhibits two expression peaks during chick retinal development.
  • Previous studies demonstrated HSP108 at the mRNA level in developing chick retina.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the protein expression profile of HSP108 in the developing chick retina.
  • To determine the localization and expression levels of HSP108 throughout retinal development.

Main Methods:

  • Immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody specific for chick HSP108.
  • Western blot analysis to measure HSP108 expression levels from embryonic day 12 (E12) to postnatal day 2 (P2) and in adults.

Main Results:

  • HSP108 protein was localized in various retinal layers, including the ganglion cell layer, inner nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer, outer nuclear layer, photoreceptor inner segments, and retinal pigment epithelium.
  • Two distinct peaks of HSP108 expression were observed around E13 and E18.
  • The timing of HSP108 expression peaks correlated with previously observed transferrin expression peaks.

Conclusions:

  • HSP108 is expressed throughout the developing chick retina at the protein level.
  • The dual peaks of HSP108 expression during retinal development suggest a potential role in iron metabolism.
  • HSP108 may be functionally associated with transferrin in regulating iron homeostasis during retinal development.

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