Retinal ganglion cell morphology after optic nerve crush and experimental glaucoma.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To study sequential changes in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) morphology in mice after optic nerve crush and after induction of experimental glaucoma.

METHODS:

Nerve crush or experimental glaucoma was induced in mice that selectively express yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) in RGCs. Mice were euthanized 1, 4, and 9 days after crush and 1, 3, and 6 weeks after induction of glaucoma by bead injection. All YFP-RGCs were identified in retinal whole mounts. Then confocal images of randomly selected RGCs were quantified for somal fluorescence brightness, soma size, neurite outgrowth, and dendritic complexity (Sholl analysis).

RESULTS:

By 9 days after crush, 98% of RGC axons died and YFP-RGCs decreased by 64%. After 6 weeks of glaucoma, 31% of axons died, but there was no loss of YFP-RGC bodies. All crush retinas combined had significant decreases in neurite outgrowth parameters (P ≤ 0.036, generalized estimating equation [GEE] model) and dendritic complexity was lower than controls (P = 0.017, GEE model). There was no change in RGC soma area after crush. In combined glaucoma data, the RGC soma area was larger than control (P = 0.04, GEE model). At 3 weeks, glaucoma RGCs had significantly larger values for dendritic structure and complexity than controls (P = 0.044, GEE model), but no statistical difference was found at 6 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS:

After nerve crush, RGCs and axons died rapidly, and dendritic structure decreased moderately in remaining RGCs. Glaucoma caused an increase in RGC dendrite structure and soma size at 3 weeks.

• Authors: Giedrius Kalesnykas, Ericka N Oglesby, Donald J Zack, Frances E Cone, Matthew R Steinhart, Jing Tian, Mary E Pease, Harry A Quigley
• Journal: Investigative ophthalmology & visual science (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci) Vol. 53 Issue 7 Pg. 3847-57 (Jun 22 2012) ISSN: 1552-5783 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22589442 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Bacterial Proteins
• Fluorescent Dyes
• Luminescent Proteins
• yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria

Topics

• Animals
• Apoptosis
• Axons (pathology)
• Bacterial Proteins (metabolism)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Female
• Fluorescent Dyes (metabolism)
• Glaucoma (metabolism, pathology)
• Intraocular Pressure
• Luminescent Proteins (metabolism)
• Male
• Mice
• Microscopy, Confocal
• Nerve Crush
• Optic Nerve Injuries (metabolism, pathology)
• Retinal Ganglion Cells (metabolism, pathology)