inducement-and-evaluation-of-a-murine-model-of-experimental-myopia

Inducement and Evaluation of a Murine Model of Experimental Myopia

Murine model of myopia can be a powerful tool for myopia research because of the comparatively easy genetic manipulation. One way to induce myopia in ...

Keio University School of Medicine

Prevalence of myopia is increasing worldwide. Outdoor activity is one of the most important environmental factors for myopia control. Here we show that violet light (VL, 360-400nm wavelength) suppresses myopia progression. First, we confirmed that VL suppressed the axial length (AL) elongation in the chick myopia model. Expression microarray analyses revealed that myopia suppressive gene EGR1 was upregulated by VL exposure. VL exposure induced significantly higher upregulation of EGR1 in chick chorioretinal tissues than blue light under the same conditions. Next, we conducted clinical research retrospectively to compare the AL elongation among myopic children who wore eyeglasses (VL blocked) and two types of contact lenses (partially VL blocked and VL transmitting). The data showed the VL transmitting contact lenses suppressed myopia progression most. These results suggest that VL is one of the important outdoor environmental factors for myopia control. Since VL is apt to be excluded from our modern society due to the excessive UV protection, VL exposure can be a preventive strategy against myopia progression.

Violet Light Exposure Can Be a Preventive Strategy Against Myopia Progression.

Despite the global pandemic of myopia, the precise molecular mechanism of the onset of myopia remains largely unknown. This is partially because of the lack of efficient murine myopic models that allow genetic manipulation at low cost. Here we report a highly practical and reproducible lens-induced myopia model by specially designed frames and lenses for mice. A lens power dependent myopic induction in mice was shown until minus 30 diopter lenses. The phenotype was significantly stronger than form-deprivation myopia. We presented the protocol for precise evaluations of the state of myopia, including refraction, corneal curvature and axial length using up-to-date devices. We also found that myopic mouse eyes showed decreased visual acuity on optokinetic response examination. Finally, we confirmed the anti-myopic effect of 1% atropine using this model, which showed its potential in drug screening. The strong phenotype, stable evaluation and the potential for gene manipulation utilizing the presented method in mice will accelerate the translational research of myopia.

A highly efficient murine model of experimental myopia.

During the past 30 years, the prevalence rate of myopia has been increased dramatically. Myopia has become one of the leading causes of vision loss in some countries, whereas the mechanism of the main pathological change in myopia is still largely unknown. Although several studies showed genetic background influences the phenotype of myopia to some extent, the sudden increase of morbidity cannot be explained by genetics only. The change in lifestyle results in tremendous change in the light environment, which can be considered to play an important role in the onset and progression of myopia. The difference between indoor and outdoor light environments such as intensity and wavelength of modern electronic lighting equipment may be a cue for myopia control as environmental factors. In this review, we discuss the relationship between myopia and light environment focusing on the basic and clinical studies.

Article	Year
Violet Light Exposure Can Be a Preventive Strategy Against Myopia Progression. EBioMedicine\| PubMed ID: 28063778	2017
A highly efficient murine model of experimental myopia. Scientific reports\| PubMed ID: 29391484	2018
Progress and Control of Myopia by Light Environments. Eye & contact lens\| PubMed ID: 30048342	2018

Xiaoyan Jiang

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