Retinal dystrophy resulting from ablation of RXR alpha in the mouse retinal pigment epithelium.

Fiche publication


Date publication

février 2004

Journal

The American journal of pathology

Auteurs

Membres identifiés du Cancéropôle Est :
Pr CHAMBON Pierre, Dr METZGER Daniel


Tous les auteurs :
Mori M, Metzger D, Picaud S, Hindelang C, Simonutti M, Sahel J, Chambon P, Mark M

Résumé

Vitamin A (retinol) actions in eye development are mediated by retinoic acid receptors (RARs and RXRs). Using the Cre/loxP system, we have selectively ablated RXR alpha in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a cell monolayer critically involved in visual retinoid renewal and phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments. In the mutant (RXR alpha (rpe-/-)) mice, RPE cells are morphologically and functionally abnormal and display decreased expression of proteins involved in the visual retinoid cycle, namely RPE65, CRALBP, and RGR. RXR alpha (rpe-/-) mice also show alterations of photoreceptor cells including: 1) decrease in their number; 2) outer segment shortening and disorganization, and 3) reduced light responses in electroretinograms. These results indicate that RXR alpha is required for normal maturation of the RPE, which is known to play essential roles in photoreceptor cell function and survival, and point to a possible involvement of RXR alpha signaling pathways in the RPE in human retinal diseases.

Mots clés

Animals, Carrier Proteins, biosynthesis, Electroretinography, Eye, embryology, Eye Proteins, biosynthesis, Immunohistochemistry, In Situ Nick-End Labeling, Mice, Mice, Mutant Strains, Mice, Transgenic, Photoreceptor Cells, pathology, Pigment Epithelium of Eye, pathology, Protein Biosynthesis, Proteins, Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled, biosynthesis, Receptors, Retinoic Acid, deficiency, Retinal Diseases, etiology, Retinoid X Receptors, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Transcription Factors, deficiency, cis-trans-Isomerases

Référence

Am. J. Pathol.. 2004 Feb;164(2):701-10