Exogenous All- Trans Retinoic Acid Induces Similar Longitudinal Changes in Ocular Biometry to Hyperopic Defocus in Mice

  • Curr Eye Res. 2025 Dec 17:1-11. doi: 10.1080/02713683.2025.2596953.
Biyun Zhan  1  2  3  4 ,  Yangyi Huang  1  2  3  4 ,  Xuejun Wang  1  2  3  4 ,  Weijung Ten  1  2  3  4 ,  Yuliang Wang  1  2  3  4 ,  Xingtao Zhou  1  2  3  4
Affiliations
  • 1. Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
  • 2. Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Shanghai, China.
  • 3. Shanghai Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Shanghai, China.
  • 4. Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Laser and Autostereoscopic 3D for Vision Care, Shanghai, China.
PMID: 41408734 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2025.2596953
Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the longitudinal changes in ocular biometry in mice treated with exogenous all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) and make comparisons with the lens-induced myopia (LIM) model.

Materials and methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were administered 10 µl of atRA (1 milligram [mg]/milliliter [mL]) every Other two days via peribulbar injection. The LIM group received monocular -30D lenses. Ocular biometrics were measured on Days 0, 3, 6, 10, and 15 using swept-source optical coherence tomography. Scleral thickness (ST) and retinal arc length (RAL) were measured on histological sections.

Results: Both exogenous atRA and negative lenses induced longer axial length (AL) from Day 3 and thinner retinal thickness (RT) from Day 6 (all p < 0.05). An increase in vitreous chamber depth (VCD) was noted from Day 3 in atRA-Treated (p = 0.001) eyes and from Day 6 in LIM-Treated eyes (p < 0.001). The interocular difference in lens thickness (LT) varied significantly over time (p = 0.004) in the atRA group. The LT to AL ratios (LT/AL) for atRA-Treated eyes were notably higher than those for the LIM eyes on Days 10 and 15 (all p < 0.05). The VCD to AL ratios (VCD/AL) were comparable between the two groups, with notable declines observed in the late stage (all p < 0.01). Additionally, both treatment groups showed similarly reduced ST and larger RAL than untreated eyes.

Conclusions: Mice treated with exogenous atRA demonstrated comparable longitudinal ocular biometric alterations to the LIM model, except for the relatively thicker lenses.

Keywords
C57BL/6J mouse; Myopia; all-trans retinoic acid; lens-induced myopia; ocular biometry.
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