Premium
Ectopic expression of ret results in microphthalmia and tumors in the retinal pigment epithelium
Author(s) -
Schmidt Andrea,
Tief Kirsten,
Yavuzer Ugur,
Beermann Friedrich
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19990209)80:4<600::aid-ijc19>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - microphthalmia , biology , retinal pigment epithelium , epithelium , genetically modified mouse , microbiology and biotechnology , ectopic expression , transgene , retinal , pathology , cancer research , gene , genetics , medicine , biochemistry
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is essential for eye development by interacting with the overlaying neuroepithelium. Regulatory sequences of the gene encoding for tyrosinase‐related protein 1 (TRP‐1), linked to the lacZ reporter gene, lead to strong and specific β‐galactosidase expression in the RPE. We asked how the oncogene ret would affect this epithelial cell type during mouse development. We used the TRP‐1 promoter to express ret in the developing RPE, and obtained transgenic mouse lines, which showed mild to severe microphthalmia. During development, the RPE changed to a stratified epithelium with reduced or absent pigmentation from E10.5 onward. In addition, proliferation of RPE cells and tumor formation were observed from E12.5 onward. These early events prevent closure of choroid fissure and lead to microphthalmia and secondary malformations after birth. We conclude that ret transgene expression in the RPE prevents normal differentiation of this epithelial layer and induces proliferation and tumor formation. The appearance of the microphthalmic phenotype underlines the requirement of a normally developed RPE for eye development. Int. J. Cancer 80:600–605, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.