Expression of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway and Its Regulatory Role in Type I Collagen with TGF-β1 in Scleral Fibroblasts from an Experimentally Induced Myopia Guinea Pig Model

Background . To investigate Wnt/ β -catenin signaling pathway expression and its regulation of type I collagen by TGF- β 1 in scleral fibroblasts from form-deprivation myopia (FDM) guinea pig model. Methods . Wnt isoforms were examined using genome microarrays. Scleral fibroblasts from FDM group and self-control (SC) group were cultured. Wnt isoforms, β -catenin, TGF- β 1, and type I collagen expression levels were examined in the two groups with or without DKK-1 or TGF- β 1 neutralizing antibody. Results . For genome microarrays, the expression of Wnt3 in FDM group was significantly greater as confirmed in retinal and scleral tissue. The expression of Wnt3 and β -catenin significantly increased in FDM group and decreased significantly with DKK-1. TGF- β 1 expression level decreased significantly in FDM group and increased significantly with DKK-1. Along with morphological misalignment inside and outside cells, the amount of type I collagen decreased in FDM group. Furthermore, type I collagen increased and became regular in DKK-1 intervention group, whereas it decreased and rearranged more disorder in TGF- β 1 neutralizing antibody intervention group. Conclusions . The activation of Wnt3/ β -catenin signaling pathway was demonstrated in primary scleral fibroblasts in FDM. This pathway further reduced the expression of type I collagen by TGF- β 1, which ultimately played a role in scleral remodeling during myopia development.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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