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Chirinskaite AV, Rotov AY, Ermolaeva ME, Tkachenko LA, Vaganova AN, Danilov LG, Fedoseeva KN, Kostin NA, Sopova JV, Firsov ML, Leonova EI. Does Background Matter? A Comparative Characterization of Mouse Models of Autosomal Retinitis Pigmentosa rd1 and Pde6b-KO. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17180. [PMID: 38139011 PMCID: PMC10742838 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Many retinal degenerative diseases result in vision impairment or permanent blindness due to photoreceptor loss or dysfunction. It has been observed that Pde6brd1 mice (rd1), which carry a spontaneous nonsense mutation in the pde6b gene, have a strong phenotypic similarity to patients suffering from autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa. In this study, we present a novel mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa generated through pde6b gene knockout using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. We compare this Pde6b-KO mouse model to the rd1 mouse model to gain insights into the progression of retinal degeneration. The functional assessment of the mouse retina and the tracking of degeneration dynamics were performed using electrophysiological methods, while retinal morphology was analyzed through histology techniques. Interestingly, the Pde6b-KO mouse model demonstrated a higher amplitude of photoresponse than the rd1 model of the same age. At postnatal day 12, the thickness of the photoreceptor layer in both mouse models did not significantly differ from that of control animals; however, by day 15, a substantial reduction was observed. Notably, the decline in the number of photoreceptors in the rd1 model occurred at a significantly faster rate. These findings suggest that the C3H background may play a significant role in the early stages of retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina V. Chirinskaite
- Center of Transgenesis and Genome Editing, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia (J.V.S.)
| | - Alexander Yu. Rotov
- Laboratory of Evolution of Sense Organs, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Thorez Ave., 44, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia (M.L.F.)
| | - Mariia E. Ermolaeva
- Laboratory of Evolution of Sense Organs, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Thorez Ave., 44, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia (M.L.F.)
| | - Lyubov A. Tkachenko
- Department of Cytology and Histology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anastasia N. Vaganova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Lavrentii G. Danilov
- Department of Genetics and biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ksenia N. Fedoseeva
- Resource Center “Molecular and Cell Technologies”, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Nicolay A. Kostin
- Resource Center “Molecular and Cell Technologies”, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Julia V. Sopova
- Center of Transgenesis and Genome Editing, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia (J.V.S.)
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Michael L. Firsov
- Laboratory of Evolution of Sense Organs, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Thorez Ave., 44, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia (M.L.F.)
| | - Elena I. Leonova
- Center of Transgenesis and Genome Editing, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja Emb., 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia (J.V.S.)
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