• Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases,Tianjin International Joint Research and Development Centre of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin 300384, China;
Dong Lijie, Email: aitaomubang@126.com
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Objective  To study the effects of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) on retinal Müller cells based on transcriptome analysis of RNA-seq technology.Methods Retinal Müller cells were divided into the control group and the CTGF treatment group which was continuously cultured with 10 ng/ml of CTGF for 24 h. The influence of CTGF on the migration of Müller cells were tested by scratching experiments. The RNA transcriptome analysis was applied to complete transcriptome sequencing, differentially expressed genes and functional enrichment analysis of the two groups of cells. HiSeq sequencing technology was used to sequence the whole transcriptome of the two groups of cells to obtain biological big data, and analyze the differentially expressed miRNAs on this basis. The functions and signal pathways of differential miRNAs were analyzed through gene annotation (GO) functional significance enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway significant enrichment analysis. Based on transcriptome data, genes with differential expression multiples in the top ten between the two groups were screened out, and the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) gene was verified by real time fluorescence quantification PCR (qRT-PCR), immunofluorescence and Western blot.Results After CTGF stimulation of Müller cells, cell viability and mobility which compared with the control group were significantly increased, with statistically significant differences (t=3.453, P<0.05). The differential gene expression profile of CTGF induced Müller cells was obtained by RNA transcriptome analysis. Comparing the sequencing results of the two groups, it was found that 325 differentially expressed genes included 152 up-regulated genes and 173 down-regulated genes. The results of GO functional significance enrichment analysis showed that the functions of differential miRNA were mainly divided into three categories: biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. These differentially expressed genes were involved in signaling between nervous systems, adhesion between cells, and the interaction between cytokines and their receptors. These differentially expressed genes were involved in different metabolic pathways and biological processes such as tissue inflammation and fibrosis. BMP4 gene was seected for verification through immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR and western blot. The results showed that the expression of BMP4 was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (t=39.490, 10.110, 5.470; P=0.004, 0.001, 0.006).Conclusion CTGF promotes cell proliferation and migration by up-regulating the expression of BMP4 in Müller cells, leading to tissue fibrosis and inducing inflammation.

Citation: Bu Shaochong, Zhang Zhe, Wang Qiong, Hong Yaru, Li Xiaorong, Dong Lijie. Transcriptome profile analysis and validation of differential gene expression of retinal Müller cells stimulated by connective tissue growth factor. Chinese Journal of Ocular Fundus Diseases, 2020, 36(12): 964-970. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn511434-20200116-00026 Copy

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