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Retinal p75 and bax overexpression is associated with retinal ganglion cells apoptosis in a rat model of glaucoma

  • Glaucoma
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

The administration of neurotrophins has been clearly demonstrated to support survival of retina cells during a variety of insults. Increased levels of neurotrophins, such as the nerve growth factor (NGF), have been found in experimental models of glaucoma. Nevertheless, loss of retinal cells does occur in the course of ocular hypertension. Therefore, this study sought to address whether timely changes in NGF and its receptors, trkANGFR and p75NTR, might explain the progression of retinal damage during experimental glaucoma.

Methods

A well-characterized technique to induce glaucoma in rats was utilized. The animals were sacrificed after 10, 20 and 35 days from induction of glaucoma. Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) apoptosis, retinal expression of NGF protein as well as Bcl-2, Bax, trkANGFR and p75NTR transcript expression were detected. The balance between trkANGFR and p75NTR was examined, considering their anti- and pro-apoptotic role in cell death, respectively.

Results

We demonstrated that in our model of experimental glaucoma, the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is accompanied by a timely increase of retinal NGF. Moreover, we found that the trkANGFR/p75NTR mRNA ratio and the Bcl-2/Bax mRNA were both decreased, indicating a p75NGFR and Bax over-expression.

Conclusions

Retinal NGF is over-expressed in experimental glaucoma, but this NGF increase is not sufficient to support survival of RGCs. The failure of NGF trophic support might be associated with the progressive up-regulation of p75NTR in relation to trkANGFR.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIR, Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128, Rome, Italy

    Marco Coassin, Alessandro Lambiase, Alessandra Micera & Stefano Bonini

  2. Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, National Research Council, Rome, Italy

    Valentina Sposato & Luigi Aloe

  3. Bietti Foundation-IRCCS, Rome, Italy

    Alessandra Micera

Authors
  1. Marco Coassin
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  2. Alessandro Lambiase
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  3. Valentina Sposato
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  4. Alessandra Micera
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  5. Stefano Bonini
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  6. Luigi Aloe
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alessandro Lambiase.

Additional information

Marco Coassin and Alessandro Lambiase contributed equally to the work.

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Coassin, M., Lambiase, A., Sposato, V. et al. Retinal p75 and bax overexpression is associated with retinal ganglion cells apoptosis in a rat model of glaucoma. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 246, 1743–1749 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-008-0913-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-008-0913-5

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