Effect of the Notch signaling pathway on retinal ganglion cells and its neuroprotection in rats with acute ocular hypertension

Journal Title: International Journal of Ophthalmology - Year 2018, Vol 11, Issue 2

Abstract

"AIM: To explore the effect of the Notch signaling pathway on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and optic nerve in rats with acute ocular hypertension (OH). METHODS: Totally 48 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were included, among which 36 rats were selected to establish acute OH models. OH rats received a single intravitreal injection of 2 μL phosphate buffered solution (PBS) and another group of OH rats received a single intravitreal injection of 10 μmol/L γ-secretase inhibitor (DAPT). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot assay were adopted to determine the mRNA level of Notch and the protein levels of Notch, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, and growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43). The RGC apoptosis conditions were assessed by TUNEL staining. RESULTS: The OH rats and PBS-injected rats had increased expression levels of Notch1, Bax, caspase-3, and GAP-43, decreased expression levels of Bcl-2, and increased RGC apoptosis, with severer macular edema and RGCs more loosely aligned, when compared with the normal rats. The DAPT-treated rats displayed increased expression levels of Notch1, Bax, caspase-3, and GAP-43, decreased expression levels of Bcl-2, and increased RGC apoptosis, in comparison with the OH rats and PBS-injected rats. RGCs were hardly observed and macular edema became severe in the DAPT-treated rat. CONCLUSION: The Notch signaling pathway may suppress the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells and enhances the regeneration of the damaged optic nerves in rats with acute OH."

Authors and Affiliations

Qing-Huai Liu

Keywords

Related Articles

Visual problems: a review of prevalence studies on visual impairment in school-age children

Childhood visual impairment (VI) have a significant impact on the educational achievement, career choices and social life of affected individual, and in children, is mainly due to either preventable or treatable causes....

Reduction in interhemispheric functional connectivity in the dorsal visual pathway in unilateral acute open globe injury patients: a resting-state fMRI study

This study investigated the changes in interhemispheric functional connectivity (FC) of the whole brain in open globe injury (OGI) patients, using voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC), and their relationships wit...

Bimodal imaging of proliferative diabetic retinopathy vascular features using swept source optical coherence tomography angiography

"AIM: To categorize neovessels morphology and to detect response to anti-angiogenic therapy by using structural and angiographic modes of swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). METHODS: Thirty-two eyes with...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP493240
  • DOI 10.18240/ijo.2018.02.05
  • Views 39
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Qing-Huai Liu (2018). Effect of the Notch signaling pathway on retinal ganglion cells and its neuroprotection in rats with acute ocular hypertension. International Journal of Ophthalmology, 11(2), -. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-493240