[Expression and significance of thrombonspondin-1 in oxygen-induced retinopathy in mice]

To examine the expression and function of thrombonspondin-1 (TSP-1) in oxygeninduced retinopathy in new-born mice, and to investigate its role in retinal neovascularization.

A total of 40 C57BL / 6J newborn mice were divided equally into a model group (n=20) and a normal control group (n=20). Mice in the model group were exposed to 75% oxygen to establish the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model. On the 7th, 9th, and 11th day after the birth of mice, 5 mice were randomly selected each time from the 2 groups to examine the expression of TSP-1 mRNA with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). After that, 5 mice were selected on the 11th day to observe the retinal neovascularization by fluorescein angiography retinal flatmount.

On the 11th day, fluorescein angiography retinal flatmount showed that the retinal blood vessels presented mean network distribution in the normal control group, while in the model group, a lot of dilatated areas in the retinal main vessels surrounded the optic disc. Meanwhile lots of new blood vessels were found surrounding the optic disc with irregular distribution but well distributed peripheral retinal small vessels, which was typical of early stage OIR. There was no significant difference in the retinal TSP-1 mRNA level between the model group and the normal control group in the postnatal 7-day mice (P>0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the expression of TSP-1 mRNA in the model group was significantly lower in postnatal 9-day and 11-day mice (P<0.05, P<0.01) , and the expression of TSP-1 mRNA in postnatal 9-day mice was lower than that in the postnatal 11-day mice(P<0.05).

In the early stage of OIR model (retinal vascular growth and development stage), the expression of TSP-1 mRNA in the retinal tissue is gradually decreased, implying that TSP-1 (as a negative regulatory factor) may be involved in the formation of retinal neovascularization in the early stage.