The Aquaporin-1 Depletion Downregulates the Sclera Biomechanical Strength

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To evaluate the relation of aquaporin-1 (AQP-1) expression and scleral biomechanical strength.

Method: Guinea pigs with 3 weeks old received intravitreal injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV) containing AQP-1 or si-AQP-1 sequence, by which to up- or downregulate the AQP-1 expression in choroid. Animals were sacrificed 4 weeks after treatment. Then the expression of AQP-1 in the choroid was determined using western blotting, and the sclera stiffness recorded as Young’s modulus was determined using tension test. The relation of AQP-1 expression and sclera stiffness was then analyzed.

Results: Immunostaining revealed that AQP-1 protein expression was mainly observed in choroidal vascular endothelial cells layer. After the upregulation of AQP-1 expression, the scleral stiffness is slightly increased compared with that in control, but without significant difference. After the downregulation of AQP-1 expression, the scleral stiffness is lower than that in control group (p < .001). There is a positive relation between AQP-1 expression and sclera stiffness (p < .001).

Conclusion: The present study revealed that the AQP-1 depletion downregulates the sclera biomechanical strength, which provides information for better understanding the mechanism of myopia development.

KEYWORDS:

• AQP-1
• sclera
• myopia

Data availability statement

Please email author Zhiwei Li through [email protected] to get raw data.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Tian Jin Science Foundation of China under Grant [17JCYBJC26900].