Retinal and choroidal TGF-β in the tree shrew model of myopia: Isoform expression, activation and effects on function

Abstract

A visually evoked signalling cascade, which begins in the retina, transverses the choroid, and mediates scleral remodelling, is considered to control eye growth. The ubiquitous cytokine TGF-β has been associated with alterations in ocular growth, where alterations in scleral TGF-β isoforms mediate the scleral remodelling that results in myopia. However, while the TGF-β isoforms have been implicated in the scleral change during myopia development, it is unclear whether alterations in retinal and choroidal isoforms constitute part of the retinoscleral cascade. This study characterised the retinal and choroidal TGF-β isoform profiles and TGF-β2 activation during different stages of myopia devel..