Age-related retinal degeneration (arrd2) in a novel mouse model due to a nonsense mutation in the Mdm1 gene

We observed that a naturally occurring mouse strain developed age-related retinal degeneration (arrd2). These mice had normal fundi, electroretinograms (ERGs) and retinal histology at 6 months of age; vessel attenuation, RPE atrophy and pigmentary abnormalities at 14 months, which progressed to complete loss of photoreceptors and extinguished ERG by 22 months. Genetic analysis revealed that the retinal degeneration in arrd2 segregates in an autosomal recessive manner and the disease gene localizes to mouse chromosome 10. A positional candidate cloning approach detected a nonsense mutation in the mouse double minute-1 gene (Mdm1), which results in the truncation of the putative protein from 718 amino acids to 398. We have identified a novel transcript of the Mdm1 gene, which is the predominant transcript in the retina. The Mdm1 transcript is localized to the nuclear layers of neural retina. Expression of Mdm1 in the retina increases steadily from post-natal day 30 to 1 year, and a high level of Mdm1 are subsequently maintained. The Mdm1 transcript was found to be significantly depleted in the retina of arrd2 mice and the transcript was observed to degrade by nonsense-mediated decay. These results indicate that the depletion of the Mdm1 transcript may underlie the mechanism leading to late-onset progressive retinal degeneration in arrd2 mice. Analysis of a cohort of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) wherein the susceptibility locus maps to chromosome 12q, a region bearing the human ortholog to MDM1, did not reveal association between human MDM1 and AMD.

Haploinsufficient Bmp4 ocular phenotypes include anterior segment dysgenesis with elevated intraocular pressure

BACKGROUND

Glaucoma is a blinding disease usually associated with high intraocular pressure (IOP). In some families, abnormal anterior segment development contributes to glaucoma. The genes causing anterior segment dysgenesis and glaucoma in most of these families are not identified and the affected developmental processes are poorly understood. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) participate in various developmental processes. We tested the importance of Bmp4 gene dosage for ocular development and developmental glaucoma.

RESULTS

Bmp4+/- mice have anterior segment abnormalities including malformed, absent or blocked trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal drainage structures. Mice with severe drainage structure abnormalities, over 80% or more of their angle's extent, have elevated IOP. The penetrance and severity of abnormalities is strongly influenced by genetic background, being most severe on the C57BL/6J background and absent on some other backgrounds. On the C57BL/6J background there is also persistence of the hyaloid vasculature, diminished numbers of inner retinal cells, and absence of the optic nerve.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate that heterozygous deficiency of BMP4 results in anterior segment dysgenesis and elevated IOP. The abnormalities are similar to those in human patients with developmental glaucoma. Thus, BMP4 is a strong candidate to contribute to Axenfeld-Rieger anomaly and other developmental conditions associated with human glaucoma. BMP4 also participates in posterior segment development and wild-type levels are usually critical for optic nerve development on the C57BL/6J background. Bmp4+/- mice are useful for studying various components of ocular development, and may allow identification of strain specific modifiers affecting a variety of ocular phenotypes.

Nature and chlorine reactivity of organic constituents from reclaimed water in groundwater, Los Angeles County, California

The nature and chlorine reactivity of organic constituents in reclaimed water (tertiary-treated municipal wastewater) before, during, and after recharge into groundwater at the Montebello Forebay in Los Angeles County, CA, was the focus of this study. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in reclaimed water from this site is primarily a mixture of aromatic sulfonates from anionic surfactant degradation, N-acetyl amino sugars and proteins from bacterial activity, and natural fulvic acid, whereas DOM from native groundwaters in the aquifer to which reclaimed water was recharged consists of natural fulvic acids. The hydrophilic neutral N-acetyl amino sugars that constitute 40% of the DOM in reclaimed water are removed during the first 3 m of vertical infiltration in the recharge basin. Groundwater age dating with 3H and 3He isotopes, and determinations of organic and inorganic C isotopes, enabled clear differentiation of recent recharged water from older native groundwater. Phenol structures in natural fulvic acids in DOM isolated from groundwater produced significant trihalomethanes (THM) and total organic halogen (TOX) yields upon chlorination, and these structures also were responsible for the enhanced SUVA and specific fluorescence characteristics relative to DOM in reclaimed water. Aromatic sulfonates and fulvic acids in reclaimed water DOM produced minimal THM and TOX yields.