Transcriptome?based insights into gene networks controlling myopia prevention

Myopia (short-sightedness), usually caused by excessive elongation of the eye during development, has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. In animal systems including chicken model, several treatments have been shown to inhibit ocular and experimental myopia. Although diverse in their apparent mechanism action, each one leads a reduction rate growth. We hypothesize that defined set retinal molecular changes may underlie growth inhibition, irrespective treatment agent used. Accordingly, across five well-established but methods inhibiting myopia, significant overlap is seen transcriptome profile (transcript levels alternative splicing events) chicks when analyzed RNA-seq. Within two major pathway networks enriched cell signaling circadian entrainment, transcription factors form largest functional grouping. Importantly, large percentage those genes forming response are downstream targets factor EGR1 which itself shows universal all growth-inhibitory treatments. This supports EGR1's previously implicated role regulation. Finally, contrasting our data with human linkage GWAS studies on refractive error, we confirm applicability study condition. Together, these findings suggest changes, sit within well-defined network cannot be bypassed, fundamental regulation, thus paving way for designing novel myopia therapies.