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Abstract #48351 Published in IGR 13-4
A preliminary study of reduced expression of aquaporin-9 in the optic nerve of primate and human eyes with glaucoma
Mizokami J; Kanamori A; Negi A; Nakamura MCurrent Eye Research 2011; 36: 1064-1067
PURPOSE: To preliminarily test whether aquaporin (AQP)-9 is expressed in the primate and human optic nerve and whether glaucoma reduces its expression. METHODS: The expression of AQP-4 and AQP-9 was immunohistochemically studied in the optic nerves of monkey eyes (an angle-laser-induced ocular hypertensive (OH) eye and a control fellow eye) and of human donor eyes (one control eye and one glaucomatous eye). RESULTS: AQP-9 was immunoreactive throughout the entire region of the optic nerve in the monkey and human control eyes and was co-labeled with glial fibrillary acidic protein. In both the monkey OH and human glaucomatous optic nerves, the level of AQP-9 immunoreactivity was substantially reduced. AQP-4 was immunoreactive only in the retrobulbar region in both the monkey and human control optic nerves, whereas neither OH nor glaucoma affected the AQP-4 expression pattern. CONCLUSIONS: As has been shown in rats, the optic nerve head in monkeys and humans expresses AQP-9 but not AQP-4. Elevated intraocular pressure or glaucoma reduces AQP-9 expression in the optic nerve. The decrease in the astrocytic expression of AQP-9 in the optic nerve could be implicated in the development of glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
Classification:
3.3 Immunohistochemistry (Part of: 3 Laboratory methods)
5.2 Primates (Part of: 5 Experimental glaucoma; animal models)
2.13 Retina and retinal nerve fibre layer (Part of: 2 Anatomical structures in glaucoma)
3.6 Cellular biology (Part of: 3 Laboratory methods)
