Influence of hyperthyroid conditions on gene expression in rat extraocular muscles

Extraocular muscles (EOMs) are a highly specialized type of tissue with a wide range of unique properties, including characteristic innervation, development, and structural proteins. Even though EOMs are frequently and prominently involved in thyroid-associated diseases, little is known about the immediate effects of thyroid hormone on these muscles. In order to create a comprehensive profile of changes in gene expression levels in EOMs induced by thyroid hormone, hyperthyroid conditions were simulated by treating adult Sprague-Dawley rats with intraperitoneal injections of 25 µg T3 per 100 g body weight over the course of six weeks; subsequently, microarray analysis was used to determine changes in mRNA levels in EOMs from T3-treated animals relative to untreated controls.