Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2025
Scleral Cross-linking Using Riboflavin and Ultraviolet-A Radiation for Prevention of Axial Myopia in a Rabbit Model
Published on: April 3, 2016
Calcipotriol Attenuates Form Deprivation Myopia Through a Signaling Pathway Parallel to TGF-β2-Induced Increases in
Shiming Jiao1,2, Peter Sol Reinach1,2, Chengjie Huang1,2
1School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Purpose:
To determine the role of calcipotriol, a vitamin D3 analogue, in myopia development and altering the expression of scleral α1 chain of type I collagen (Col1α1) in mice. We also aimed to identify if the signaling pathway mediating the above changes is different from the one involved in transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2)-mediated increases of COL1A1 in cultured human scleral fibroblasts (HSFs).
Methods:
C57BL/6J mice were either intraperitoneally injected with calcipotriol and subjected to form deprivation (FD) or exposed to normal refractive development for 4 weeks. Scleral vitamin D receptor (Vdr) expression was knocked down using a Sub-Tenon's capsule injection of an adeno-associated virus-packaged short hairpin RNA (AAV8-shRNA). Refraction and biometric measurements evaluated myopia development. A combination of knockdown and induction strategies determined the relative contributions of the vitamin D3 and the TGF-β2 signaling pathways in modulating COL1A1 expression in HSFs.
Results:
Calcipotriol injections suppressed FD-induced myopia (FDM), but it had no significant effect on normal refractive development. AAV8-shRNA injection reduced Vdr mRNA expression by 42% and shifted the refraction toward myopia (-3.15 ± 0.99D, means ± SEM) in normal eyes. In HSFs, VDR knockdown reduced calcipotriol-induced rises in COL1A1 expression, but it did not alter TGF-β2-induced increases in COL1A1 expression. Additionally, TGF-β2 augmented calcipotriol-induced rises in COL1A1 expression. TGF-β receptor (TGFBRI/II) knockdown blunted TGF-β2-induced increases in COL1A1 expression, whereas calcipotriol-induced increases in VDR and COL1A1 expression levels were unaltered.
Conclusions:
Scleral vitamin D3 inhibits myopia development in mice, potentially by activating a VDR-dependent signaling pathway and increasing scleral COL1A1 expression levels.
Insights
Vitamin D3 analogue calcipotriol inhibits myopia development in mice by increasing scleral collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1) expression via a vitamin D receptor (VDR)-dependent pathway.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Molecular Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Myopia, a global health concern, is influenced by scleral structural changes.
- Vitamin D and its analogues are being investigated for their potential roles in ocular development and disease.
- Scleral collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1) is crucial for maintaining scleral rigidity and plays a role in myopia progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of calcipotriol, a vitamin D3 analogue, on myopia development in mice.
- To determine calcipotriol's influence on scleral COL1A1 expression.
- To compare the signaling pathways of vitamin D3 and transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) in modulating COL1A1 expression.
Main Methods:
- Myopia was induced in C57BL/6J mice using form deprivation (FD) and treated with calcipotriol.
- Scleral vitamin D receptor (Vdr) expression was knocked down using adeno-associated virus-packaged short hairpin RNA (AAV8-shRNA).
- Human scleral fibroblasts (HSFs) were used to study the effects of calcipotriol and TGF-β2 on COL1A1 expression, with and without VDR or TGF-β receptor knockdown.
Main Results:
- Calcipotriol injections suppressed form deprivation-induced myopia (FDM) in mice.
- Vitamin D receptor (Vdr) knockdown exacerbated myopia development in normal eyes.
- In HSFs, VDR knockdown reduced calcipotriol-induced COL1A1 expression but did not affect TGF-β2-induced COL1A1 expression, suggesting distinct pathways.
Conclusions:
- Scleral vitamin D3, via calcipotriol, inhibits myopia development in mice.
- This inhibition is potentially mediated by activating a VDR-dependent signaling pathway.
- Increased scleral COL1A1 expression is a key outcome of this vitamin D3-mediated pathway.
More Related Videos
12:25Second Harmonic Generation Signals in Rabbit Sclera As a Tool for Evaluation of Therapeutic Tissue Cross-linking TXL for Myopia
Published on: January 6, 2018
07:29Three Different Protocols of Corneal Collagen Crosslinking in Keratoconus: Conventional, Accelerated and Iontophoresis
Published on: November 12, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:16TGF - β Signaling Pathway
01:16Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...