Relative expression of pro-apoptotic genes involved in S334ter-4 Rho retinas.

<p>Relative gene expression in S334ter-4 Rho retina was measured on P10, P12, P15, P18 and P21 and a fold change was expressed as a ratio of S334ter-4 Rho relative expression to SD relative expression. The expression of BH3-only proteins, BID, Bim, Bik, Noxa and Puma was upregulated with different patterns in S334ter-4 Rho retinas. On P10, the expression of Bik, Bim and Bid genes increased 2.3- (<i>P</i><0.001) 1.7- (<i>P</i><0.05) and 1.6-fold (<i>P</i><0.05), respectively. The expression of Bim was elevated until p15 and dropped 0.6-fold to WT levels (<i>P</i><0.05) on P21. On P12, the Noxa gene was elevated 2.8-fold (<i>P</i><0.0001) and remained upregulated until p15 (2-fold increase, <i>P</i><0.01) and its expression subsequently dropped. On P15, the Puma gene appears to be upregulated 2.2-fold in S334ter-4 Rho retinas when compared to SD retinas (<i>P</i><0.001). The Apaf1 gene expression was increased in P12 and in P15 retinas. A significant 1.9-fold upregulation Apaf1 expression was detected on P12 (<i>P</i><0.01). The relative expression of caspase-3 was significantly upregulated during the progression of ADRP. On P12, P15 and P18, caspase-3 expression in S334ter-4 Rho retinas was elevated 1.9-fold (<i>P</i><0.01), 2.2-fold (<i>P</i><0.01) and 1.8-fold (P<0.05), respectively. compared to SD retinas. The analysis of caspase-7 gene expression demonstrates a 1.7-fold (<i>P</i><0.05) and 2-fold (<i>P</i><0.01) increase in caspase-7 mRNA on P10 and P15, respectively.