Conditional knockout of CTGF affects corneal wound healing

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Molecular Biology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a key signaling molecule involved in tissue repair and fibrosis.
• Understanding CTGF's role in ocular tissues is crucial for developing therapeutic strategies for corneal diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression and function of CTGF in healthy ocular tissues and during corneal wound healing in animal models.
• To determine the specific role of CTGF in the process of corneal re-epithelialization.

Main Methods:

• CTGF expression was analyzed using transgenic mice (eGFP reporter), quantitative RT-PCR, and immunofluorescent staining.
• Conditional knockout mice were generated to specifically delete the CTGF gene in an inducible manner.
• Corneal wounds were induced via phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK), and re-epithelialization rates were quantified using fluorescein staining.

Main Results:

• CTGF was detected in various ocular tissues, including corneal endothelium, lens epithelium, iris, and retinal vasculature.
• Corneal injury led to immediate CTGF upregulation in the wound margin epithelium, with sustained induction during healing.
• CTGF gene deletion resulted in a significant 40% reduction in corneal re-epithelialization rate compared to wild-type controls.

Conclusions:

• CTGF is expressed in the healthy cornea, lens, iris, and retina, and its expression is rapidly induced following epithelial injury.
• The study demonstrates that CTGF is essential for efficient corneal wound re-epithelialization.