Spatial and Temporal Expression of MFRP and Its Interaction with CTRP5

Abstract

Purpose. Mutations in the membrane frizzled-related protein (MFRP) gene cause nanophthalmos in humans, and a splice site mutation causes recessive retinal degeneration in the rd6 mouse. In human and mouse genomes, the MFRP gene lies adjoining to the complement 1q tumor necrosis factor–related protein 5 (CTRP5/C1QTNF5) gene involved in causing retinal degeneration and abnormal lens zonules in human. The purpose of this study was to characterize the spatial and temporal expression of the mouse Mfrp gene, determine tissue and subcellular localization of MFRP protein, and study its interaction with CTRP5.