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Published on: August 4, 2023
Mouse strain variation in SMA(+) myofibroblast development after corneal injury
Vivek Singh1, Andre A M Torricelli, Neema Nayeb-Hashemi
1The Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
Abstract:
The purpose of present study was to investigate differences in myofibroblast development after haze-generating injury in different commonly used strains of mice. The inbred mouse strains used in this study were Balb/c, C57BL/6, C3H/HeJ and DBA/1J. All mice had uniform irregular phototherapeutic keratectomy with an excimer laser according to a previously published method to generate stromal haze. DBA/1J mice generated significantly greater density of alpha smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive myofibroblasts in the anterior stroma compared to Balb/c (p < 0.05), C57BL/6 (p < 0.05) and C3H/HeJ (p < 0.01) mice. The C3H/HeJ strain had significantly lower density of SMA-positive myofibroblasts compared to other three mouse strains. These results indicate that mouse strain must be considered in designing experiments and interpreting the results of experiments in which corneal haze and myofibroblast generation is studied in mice. Further investigation of genetics underlying mouse strain variation could provide insight into the corneal wound healing and haze generation processes.
Insights
Mouse strain significantly impacts myofibroblast development after corneal injury. DBA/1J mice showed higher alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive myofibroblast density, while C3H/HeJ mice had lower density, influencing corneal haze research.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Regenerative Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Corneal haze is a common complication after refractive surgery.
- Myofibroblast development plays a critical role in corneal wound healing and haze formation.
- Understanding strain-specific responses is crucial for preclinical research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in myofibroblast development following laser-induced corneal injury across commonly used mouse strains.
- To determine if mouse strain influences the density of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive myofibroblasts in the cornea.
- To provide data for optimizing experimental design in corneal wound healing studies.
Main Methods:
- Induction of stromal haze using uniform irregular phototherapeutic keratectomy with an excimer laser in Balb/c, C57BL/6, C3H/HeJ, and DBA/1J mice.
- Quantification of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive myofibroblast density in the anterior corneal stroma.
- Statistical analysis to compare myofibroblast density between different mouse strains.
Main Results:
- DBA/1J mice exhibited a significantly greater density of SMA-positive myofibroblasts compared to Balb/c, C57BL/6, and C3H/HeJ strains (p < 0.05).
- C3H/HeJ mice showed a significantly lower density of SMA-positive myofibroblasts than the other three strains (p < 0.01).
- Significant variations in myofibroblast development were observed among the tested mouse strains.
Conclusions:
- Mouse strain is a critical factor to consider when designing experiments and interpreting results related to corneal haze and myofibroblast generation.
- Genetic variations among mouse strains contribute to differential responses in corneal wound healing.
- Further research into the genetic basis of these strain differences may offer insights into corneal wound healing mechanisms.
