Comparison of clusterin gene expression in normal and dystrophic human retinas.

To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying altered clusterin expression in retinal degeneration, the cellular distribution of clusterin mRNA in normal and in retinitis pigmentosa-affected retinas was compared using in situ hybridization. In contrast to the normal retina, where clusterin mRNA is localized in the inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers, a clustered distribution is observed throughout the dystrophic retina. The results indicate an expression of clusterin gene in normal retinal neurons and suggest that its altered regulation in neurodegeneration is not purely a glial cell phenomenon.