Müller glia-derived PRSS56 is required to sustain ocular axial growth and prevent refractive error

Seyyedhassan Paylakhi, Cassandre Labelle-Dumais, Nicholas G Tolman, Michael A. Sellarole, Yusef Seymens, Joseph Saunders, Hesham Lakosha, Wilhelmine N. deVries, Andrew C. Orr, Piotr Topilko, Simon WM. John, K. Saidas Nair (+1 others)
2018 PLoS Genetics  
OPEN ACCESS Citation: Paylakhi S, Labelle-Dumais C, Tolman NG, Sellarole MA, Seymens Y, Saunders J, et al. (2018) Müller glia-derived PRSS56 is required to sustain ocular axial growth and prevent refractive error. PLoS Genet 14(3): e1007244. https://doi. Refractive errors mainly occur when changes in ocular size (ocular axial length) prevent light from focusing directly on the retina. Myopia (nearsightedness) is the most common form of refractive errors in which the focused image falls in front
more » ... of the retina. The recent unprecedented rise in the incidence of myopia has significant implications as individuals with high myopia are at an increased risk of developing irreversible blinding conditions, including retinal detachment, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Ocular axial growth is a key determinant of normal refractive development. Although the retina has been established as a central player involved in the regulation of ocular growth, the specific retinal cell type(s) and molecular pathways involved are poorly defined. Here, we have utilized genetic mouse models to provide significant insight into spatial and temporal requirements of the retinal factor PRSS56 in ocular size determination. Importantly, we have uncovered a previously unrecognized role for retinal Müller glia in ocular growth and demonstrated that Prss56 inactivation has translational potential to rescue axial length elongation in a mouse model of myopia. Collectively, our findings suggest that therapeutic strategies targeting PRSS56 to modulate ocular growth could have important clinical implications to prevent or slowdown the progression of myopia and associated blinding conditions in humans.
doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1007244 pmid:29529029 pmcid:PMC5864079 fatcat:5rf2hwyb7jbjrj2skaagus7ijy