Journal
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
Volume 9, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
FRONTIERS MEDIA SA
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.596154
Keywords
Smarce1; Tensin 4; ocular compliance; scleral stiffness; corneal stiffness; mechanical properties; glaucoma; myopia
Funding
- National Eye Institute [5R01EY025286, 1R21EY02668]
- Georgia Research Alliance
- Owens Family Glaucoma Research Fund
- [P30EY06360]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study identified genes potentially regulating biomechanical tissue properties of the cornea and sclera by conducting ocular compliance measurements in BXD mice, and highlighted Smarce1 and Tns4 as candidate genes that may influence the development and regulation of tissue material properties. Further research on these genes is encouraged for understanding ocular pathologies and developing novel mouse models of eye diseases like myopia and glaucoma.
The biomechanical properties of the cornea and sclera are important in the onset and progression of multiple ocular pathologies and vary substantially between individuals, yet the source of this variation remains unknown. Here we identify genes putatively regulating corneoscleral biomechanical tissue properties by conducting high-fidelity ocular compliance measurements across the BXD recombinant inbred mouse set and performing quantitative trait analysis. We find seven cis-eQTLs and non-synonymous SNPs associating with ocular compliance, and show by RT-qPCR and immunolabeling that only two of the candidate genes, Smarce1 and Tns4, showed significant expression in corneal and scleral tissues. Both have mechanistic potential to influence the development and/or regulation of tissue material properties. This work motivates further study of Smarce1 and Tns4 for their role(s) in ocular pathology involving the corneoscleral envelope as well as the development of novel mouse models of ocular pathophysiology, such as myopia and glaucoma.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available