Retinal and choroidal expression of BMP-2 in lens-induced myopia and recovery from myopia in guinea pigs

Abstract

The present study investigated the retinal and choroidal expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in myopia and in myopia recovery in a guinea pig model. For this investigation, two groups of guinea pigs, lens‑induced myopia and recovery from myopia, were used, and defocused myopia was induced the guinea pigs wearing ‑4.00 D lenses on the right eyes for 3 weeks, with the left eyes serving as the contralateral. In the following week, the lenses of the guinea pigs in the recovery group were removed, and the refractive power and axial length were measured. The expression of BMP‑2 in the eyeballs was observed using immunohistochemistry and analyzed using Western blot analysis. After 3 weeks, the eyes acquired relative myopia and longer axial lengths in the two groups of guinea pigs. After 1 week without lenses in the recovery group, the myopia and axial lengths regressed. Immunofluorescence staining showed that BMP‑2 was expressed in the posterior retina, RPE, choroid and sclera. The expression of BMP‑2 decreased in the myopic retina of the guinea pigs. Following the regression of myopia in the recovery group, no difference in the expression of BMP‑2 was observed between the recovered treated eyes and the contralateral eyes. The choroidal expression level of BMP‑2 in the treated eyes showed no significant changes in either group. Therefore, BMP‑2 may be involved in the development of myopia, however, it does not have a primary role in the retinal and choroidal signals regulating scleral remodeling.