Cigarette Smoke Triggers Loss of Corneal Endothelial Cells and Disruption of Descemet's Membrane Proteins in Mice.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To investigate changes at a molecular level in the mouse corneal endothelium (CE) exposed to chronic cigarette smoke (CS).

Methods

Pregnant mice (gestation days 18-20) were placed in a whole-body exposure smoking chamber, and a few days later pups were born. After 3.5 months of CS exposure, a ConfoScan4 scanning microscope was used to examine the corneal endothelial cells (CECs) of CS-exposed and control (Ct) mice. The CE was peeled under a microscope and maintained as four biological replicates (two male and two female) for CS-exposed and Ct mice; each replicate consisted of 16 CEs. The proteome of the CE was investigated through mass spectrometry.

Results

The CE images of CS-exposed and Ct mice revealed a difference in the shape of CECs accompanied by a near

SUBMITTER: Ali M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7938020 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature