Figure 1. Expression of estrogen receptors
in corneal tissues following ovariohysterectomy. A. Influence of
OVX on ER mRNA levels in corneal tissues of skeletally mature animals:
A cohort of skeletally mature 54 week old female rabbits were either
left unoperated (controls) or were subject to ovariohysterectomy. After
8 weeks, cornea was collected from these animals and separated into
central and peripheral corneal tissue using a 6 mm biopsy punch. mRNA
levels of ER were determined by RT–PCR in these tissues. Values are
plotted as a percentage of ER mRNA levels in normal control animals.
Significant changes compared with normal controls are indicated
(p<=0.05; p=not significant [NS]) B. ER levels in corneal
tissues during maturation: Corneal tissues were collected from
rabbits at 6, 22, and 32 weeks of age and separated into central and
peripheral corneal tissues using a 6 mm biopsy punch. Levels of ER mRNA
were determined by RT–PCR in these tissues. Values are plotted as a
percentage of ER mRNA levels in 6 week old animals. Significant changes
in ER levels compared with 6 week old animals are indicated
(p<=0.05, p=not significant [NS]) C. Influence of
pre-pubertal OVX on ER mRNA levels in corneal tissues: Eight
week old rabbits underwent OVX surgery or were left unoperated to act
as controls until 22 and 32 weeks of age. As described in the Methods
section, corneal tissues were collected from these animals and mRNA
levels for ER were determined by RT–PCR in these tissues. Values are
plotted as a percentage of ER mRNA levels in normal control animals.
Significant changes compared with normal controls are indicated
(p<=0.05, p=not significant [NS]). D. mRNA levels for β-Actin
remain unaffected by OVX: Central and peripheral corneal
tissues were collected from both eyes of control (n=5) and OVX (n=5)
skeletally mature 54-week-old female rabbits and were then examined for
expression of the house keeping gene β-actin. mRNA levels of β-actin
were determined by RT–PCR and then separated on a 2% agarose gel. Lanes
1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8, and 9–10 represents data collected from the pair of
eyes of 5 individual animals. The levels of the house keeping gene
β-Actin remained unaffected by OVX.