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Abstract #51769 Published in IGR 14-4
Taurine provides neuroprotection against retinal ganglion cell degeneration
Froger N; Cadetti L; Lorach H; Martins J; Bemelmans AP; Dubus E; Degardin J; Pain D; Forster V; Chicaud L; Ivkovic I; Simonutti M; Fouquet S; Jammoul F; Léveillard T; Benosman R; Sahel JA; Picaud SPLoS ONE 2012; 7: e42017
Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration occurs in numerous retinal diseases leading to blindness, either as a primary process like in glaucoma, or secondary to photoreceptor loss. However, no commercial drug is yet directly targeting RGCs for their neuroprotection. In the 70s, taurine, a small sulfonic acid provided by nutrition, was found to be essential for the survival of photoreceptors, but this dependence was not related to any retinal disease. More recently, taurine deprivation was incriminated in the retinal toxicity of an antiepileptic drug. We demonstrate here that taurine can improve RGC survival in culture or in different animal models of RGC degeneration. Taurine effect on RGC survival was assessed in vitro on primary pure RCG cultures under serum-deprivation conditions, and on NMDA-treated retinal explants from adult rats. In vivo, taurine was administered through the drinking water in two glaucomatous animal models (DBA/2J mice and rats with vein occlusion) and in a model of Retinitis pigmentosa with secondary RGC degeneration (P23H rats). After a 6-day incubation, 1 mM taurine significantly enhanced RGCs survival (+68%), whereas control RGCs were cultured in a taurine-free medium, containing all natural amino-acids. This effect was found to rely on taurine-uptake by RGCs. Furthermore taurine (1 mM) partly prevented NMDA-induced RGC excitotoxicity. Finally, taurine supplementation increased RGC densities both in DBA/2J mice, in rats with vein occlusion and in P23H rats by contrast to controls drinking taurine-free water. This study indicates that enriched taurine nutrition can directly promote RGC survival through RGC intracellular pathways. It provides evidence that taurine can positively interfere with retinal degenerative diseases.
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR 968, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France. nicolas.froger@inserm.fr
Full articleClassification:
5.1 Rodent (Part of: 5 Experimental glaucoma; animal models)
11.8 Neuroprotection (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)
3.8 Pharmacology (Part of: 3 Laboratory methods)
3.6 Cellular biology (Part of: 3 Laboratory methods)
