Expression analysis of ADAM17 during mouse eye development

ADAM17 (a disintegrin and metallopeptidase domain 17) is crucial for eye morphogenesis. In this study we analysed the expression pattern of ADAM17 during mouse eye development. ADAM17 expression in adult retina was examined using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and verification of the RT-PCR products by DNA sequencing. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the ADAM17 expression pattern in mouse eyes at developmental stages of embryonic day (E) 12, E14, E16, E18, postnatal day (P) 0, P1, P4, P7, P14, P 30 and P175 (adult). We detected ADAM17 mRNA in adult retina tissue. ADAM17 protein was expressed in non-pigmented ciliary epithelial cells and in retinal vessels from P7 onwards during eye development. In corneal epithelial cells and endothelium, ADAM17 protein was present from P14 onwards. Although, mice in which the functional ADAM17 gene is significantly reduced develop multiple eye malformations, the expression of ADAM17 is not ubiquitous over the entire eye. Its expression pattern during development suggests that not only TNF-alpha but additional membrane-anchored substrates of ADAM17 play an important role in eye formation.