Cloning the differentially expressed genes in the retina of rds mouse during the development of retinitis pigmentosa

Objective: To clone the differentially expressed genes in the retina of rds mouse (the animal model of congenital retinitis pigmentosa) during the disease development. Methods: The retinal mRNA of rds mouse during the development of retinitis pigmentosa was analyzed by the mRNA differential display. The differentilly expressed mRNA fragments were cloned and sequenced. Results: There was obvious difference of gene expression between rds mouse and the control during the development of retinitis pigmentosa. Five differentially expressed bands were cloned and sequenced. One of those had 86% identity (132/154) with the sequence of the human cDNA DKFZp434D1227 from adult testis in GenBank, which was submitted lately (15-Oct-1999) and without much information. The other had lower identity with the sequeces in GenBank. A highly expressed clone in the rds mouse on postnatal day 25 had the same length as another clone in the normal on postnatal day 37, which was not expressed in the rds mouse on day 37. The sequences of the two clones were identical in all but two base pairs. Conclusion: These results indicate that there are a lot of novel differentially expressed genes in the chronic processing diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa.