Gene expression changes in steroid-induced IOP elevation in bovine trabecular meshwork

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Molecular Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.
• Steroid-induced ocular hypertension is a relevant model for studying open-angle glaucoma.
• Understanding molecular changes in the trabecular meshwork (TM) is crucial for glaucoma research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gene expression alterations in the bovine trabecular meshwork (TM) following steroid-induced elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP).
• To identify specific genes and molecular pathways affected by corticosteroid treatment in the eye.

Main Methods:

• Adult cows received uniocular prednisolone acetate for 6 weeks, with IOP monitoring.
• Trabecular meshwork tissue was collected for RNA extraction and microarray analysis.
• Differential gene expression was validated using quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting for selected proteins.

Main Results:

• Steroid treatment led to a significant increase in IOP (6 ± 1 mm Hg) in treated eyes.
• Microarray analysis identified 258 upregulated and 187 downregulated genes in the TM of steroid-treated eyes.
• Affected genes included those encoding cytoskeletal proteins, enzymes, growth factors, extracellular matrix proteins, and immune response proteins.

Conclusions:

• Steroid-induced IOP elevation demonstrably alters gene expression patterns within the bovine TM.
• The identified differentially expressed genes provide potential molecular targets for understanding open-angle glaucoma pathogenesis.
• This study highlights the utility of the bovine model for investigating glaucoma at a molecular level.