Browsing by Subject "Neuronal degeneration"

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    Effects of different neurotrophic factors on the survival of retinal ganglion cells after a complete intraorbital nerve crush injury: a quantitative in vivo study
    (Elsevier, 2009-06-15) Parrilla Reverter, Guillermo; Agudo, Marta; Sobrado Calvo, Paloma; Villegas Pérez, María P.; Vidal Sanz, Manuel; Salinas Navarro, Manuel Ángel; Anatomía Humana y Psicobiología
    We examined in adult Sprague Dawley rats the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) induced by complete intraorbital optic nerve crush (IONC) as well as the effects of several neurotrophic factors to prevent IONC-induced RGC loss. Completeness of the IONC lesion was assessed by investigating the orthograde and retrograde transport of neuronal tracers applied to the origin and termination of the retinotectal pathway. RGC survival after IONC alone or combined with intraocular injection of the neurotrophic factors NT-4, BDNF or CNTF was quantified at survival intervals ranging from 5 to 12 days post-lesion (dpl) by identifying RGCs that had been pre-labelled with fluorogold (FG). RGC loss first appeared at 7 dpl and by 12 dpl only 32% of the RGC population remained in the retina. Intraocular administration of NT-4, BDNF or CNTF resulted in almost a complete protection against IONC-induced RGC loss by 7 dpl, and the protection remained significant by 12 dpl only for NT-4 and BDNF. We have analyzed these results taking into account our previous studies on the loss of RGCs induced by intraorbital optic nerve transection (IONT) and concluded that RGC loss induced by IONC is slower and less severe than that following IONT. Moreover, as for IONT-induced RGC loss, IONC-induced RGC loss may also be prevented with administration of NT-4, BDNF or CNTF, though for NT-4 and CNTF their neuroprotective effects differ depending on the injury type. Overall this data underscore the importance of the type of ON injury on the pattern of RGC degeneration as well as in their response to neuroprotective treatments.
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    Laser-induced ocular hypertension in adult rats does not affect non-RGC neurons in the ganglion cell layer but results in protracted severe loss of cone-photoreceptors
    (Elsevier, 2015-01-07) Ortín Martínez, Arturo; Jiménez López, Manuel; Valiente Soriano, Francisco Javier; García Ayuso, Diego; Bernal Garro, José Manuel; Avilés Trigueros, Marcelino; Agudo Barriuso, Marta; Villegas Pérez, María Paz; Vidal Sanz, Manuel; Salinas Navarro, Manuel Ángel; Nadal-Nicolás, Francisco Manuel; Oftalmología, Optometría, Otorrinolaringología y Anatomía Patológica
    To investigate the long-term effects of laser-photocoagulation (LP)-induced ocular hypertension (OHT) in the innermost and outermost (outer-nuclear and outer segment)-retinal layers (ORL). OHT was induced in the left eye of adult rats. To investigate the ganglion cell layer (GCL) wholemounts were examined at 1, 3 or 6 months using Brn3a-immunodetection to identify retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and DAPI-staining to detect all nuclei in this layer. To study the effects of LP on the ORL up to 6 months, retinas were: i) fresh extracted to quantify the levels of rod-, S- and L-opsin; ii) cut in cross-sections for morphometric analysis, or; iii) prepared as wholemounts to quantify and study retinal distributions of entire populations of RGCs (retrogradely labeled with fluorogold, FG), S- and L-cones (immunolabeled). OHT resulted in wedge-like sectors with their apex on the optic disc devoid of Brn3a+RGCs but with large numbers of DAPI+nuclei. The levels of all opsins diminished by 2 weeks and further decreased to 20% of basal-levels by 3 months. Cross-sections revealed focal areas of ORL degeneration. RGC survival at 15 days represented approximately 28% and did not change with time, whereas the S- and L-cone populations diminished to 65% and 80%, or to 20 and 35% at 1 or 6 months, respectively. In conclusion, LP induces in the GCL selective RGCs loss that does not progress after 1 month, and S- and L-cone loss that progresses for up to 6 months. Thus, OHT results in severe damage to both the innermost and the ORL.
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    Potential role of P2X7 receptor in neurodegenerative processes in a murine model of glaucoma
    (Elsevier, 2019) Pérez de Lara, María J.; Avilés Trigueros, Marcelino; Guzmán-Aránguez, Ana; Valiente Soriano, Francisco Javier; de la Villa, Pedro; Vidal-Sanz, Manuel; Pintor, Jesús; Oftalmología, Optometría, Otorrinolaringología y Anatomía Patológica
    Glaucoma is a common cause of visual impairment and blindness, characterized by retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death. The mechanisms that trigger the development of glaucoma remain unknown and have gained significant relevance in the study of this neurodegenerative disease. P2X7 purinergic receptors (P2X7R) could be involved in the regulation of the synaptic transmission and neuronal death in the retina through different pathways. The aim of this study was to characterize the molecular signals underlying glaucomatous retinal injury. The time-course of functional, morphological, and molecular changes in the glaucomatous retina of the DBA/2J mice were investigated. The expression and localization of P2X7R was analysed in relation with retinal markers. Caspase-3, JNK, and p38 were evaluated in control and glaucomatous mice by immunohistochemical and western-blot analysis. Furthermore, electroretinogram recordings (ERG) were performed to assess inner retina dysfunction. Glaucomatous mice exhibited changes in P2X7R expression as long as the pathology progressed. There was P2X7R overexpression in RGCs, the primary injured neurons, which correlated with the loss of function through ERG measurements. All analyzed MAPK and caspase-3 proteins were upregulated in the DBA/2J retinas suggesting a pro-apoptotic cell death. The increase in P2X7Rs presence may contribute, together with other factors, to the changes in retinal functionality and the concomitant death of RGCs. These findings provide evidence of possible intracellular pathways responsible for apoptosis regulation during glaucomatous degeneration.
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    Retinal ganglion cell death after acute retinal ischemia is an ongoing process whose severity and duration depends on the duration of the insult
    (Elsevier, 2002-01-18) Lafuente, M.P.; Villegas-Pérez, M.P.; Sellés-Navarro, I.; Mayor-Torroglosa, S.; Miralles de Imperial, J.; Vidal-Sanz, M.; Oftalmología, Optometría, Otorrinolaringología y Anatomía Patológica
    In adult Sprague–Dawley rats we have investigated retinal ganglion cell survival after transient intervals of retinal ischemia of 30, 45, 60, 90 or 120 min duration, induced by ligature of the ophthalmic vessels. Animals were killed 5, 7, 14, 21, 30, 60, 90 or 180 days later and densities of surviving retinal ganglion cells were estimated in retinal whole mounts by counting cells labelled with diAsp. This dye was applied, 3 days prior to death, to the ocular stump of the intraorbitally transected optic nerve. We found that retinal ganglion cell loss after retinal ischemia proceeds for different lengths of time. All the ischemic intervals induced loss of retinal ganglion cells whose severity and duration was related to the length of the ischemic interval. Following 30 or 45 min of ischemia, cell loss lasted 14 days and caused the death of 46 or 50%, respectively, of the population of retinal ganglion cells. Sixty, 90 or 120 min of retinal ischemia were followed by a period of cell loss that lasted up to 90 days and caused the death of 75%, 87% or 99%, respectively, of the population of retinal ganglion cells. We conclude that retinal ganglion cell loss after retinal ischemia is an ongoing process that may last up to 3 months after the injury and that its severity and duration are determined by the ischemic interval.
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    Retinal neurodegeneration in experimental glaucoma
    (Elsevier, 2015-07-02) Vidal Sanz, Manuel; Valiente Soriano, Francisco Javier; Ortín Martínez, Arturo; Nadal-Nicolás, Francisco Manuel; Jiménez López, Manuel; Salinas Navarro, Manuel Ángel; García Ayuso, Diego; Avilés Trigueros, Marcelino; Agudo Barriuso, Marta; Villegas Pérez, Maria Paz; Alarcón Martínez, Luis; Oftalmología, Optometría, Otorrinolaringología y Anatomía Patológica; Bagetta, Giacinto; Nucci, Carlo; Facultades de la UMU::Facultad de Medicina
    In rats and mice, limbar tissues of the left eye were laser-photocoagulated (LP) and ocular hypertension (OHT) effects were investigated 1 week to 6 months later. To investigate the innermost layers, retinas were examined in wholemounts using tracing from the superior colliculi to identify retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with intact retrograde axonal transport, melanopsin immunodetection to identify intrinsically photosensitive RGCs (m(+)RGC), Brn3a immunodetection to identify most RGCs but not m(+)RGCs, RECA1 immunodetection to examine the inner retinal vessels, and DAPI staining to detect all nuclei in the GC layer. The outer retinal layers (ORLs) were examined in cross sections analyzed morphometrically or in wholemounts to study S- and L-cones. Innervation of the superior colliculi was examined 10 days to 14 weeks after LP with orthogradely transported cholera toxin subunit B. By 2 weeks, OHT resulted in pie-shaped sectors devoid of FG(+)RGCs or Brn3a(+)RGCs but with large numbers of DAPI(+)nuclei. Brn3a(+)RGCs were significantly greater than FG(+)RGCs, indicating the survival of large numbers of RGCs with their axonal transport impaired. The inner retinal vasculature showed no abnormalities that could account for the sectorial loss of RGCs. m(+)RGCs decreased to approximately 50-51% in a diffuse loss across the retina. Cross sections showed focal areas of degeneration in the ORLs. RGC loss at 1m diminished to 20-25% and did not progress further with time, whereas the S- and L-cone populations diminished progressively up to 6m. The retinotectal projection was reduced by 10 days and did not progress further. LP-induced OHT results in retrograde degeneration of RGCs and m(+)RGCs, severe damage to the ORL, and loss of retinotectal terminals.
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    Time-course of the retinal nerve fibre layer degeneration after complete intra-orbital optic nerve transection or crush: a comparative study
    (Elsevier, 2009-11-23) Parrilla Reverter, Guillermo; Agudo Barriuso, Marta; Nadal-Nicolás, Francisco Manuel; Jiménez López, Manuel; Salinas Navarro, Manuel Ángel; Sobrado Calvo, Paloma; Bernal Garro, José M.; Villegas Pérez, Maria Paz; Vidal Sanz, Manuel; Alarcón Martínez, Luis; Oftalmología, Optometría, Otorrinolaringología y Anatomía Patológica; Facultades de la UMU::Facultad de Medicina
    We examined qualitatively and quantitatively in adult rat retinas the temporal degeneration of the nerve fibre layer after intra-orbital optic nerve transection (IONT) or crush (IONC). Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons were identified by their heavy neurofilament subunit phosphorylated isoform (pNFH) expression. Optic nerve injury induces a progressive axonal degeneration which after IONT proceeds mainly with abnormal pNFH-accumulations in RCG axons and after IONC in RGCs somas and dendrites. Importantly, this aberrant pNFH-expression pattern starts earlier and is more dramatic after IONT than after IONC, highlighting the importance that the type of injury has on the time-course of RGC degeneration.