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PURPOSE: Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury induces apoptosis in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Resveratrol (Res) is a potent natural antioxidant with beneficial effects in many ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. Because caspase-3 expression is highly correlated with activation of the apoptotic pathway, the present study aimed to determine whether Res regulates the expression of caspase-3 using an I/R retinal injury mouse model. METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice were injected with Res for 2 consecutive days before I/R retinal injury. I/R retinal injury was induced by increasing the intraocular pressure for 1 h. Res was then injected for 3 consecutive days. Changes in retinal morphology were monitored for 3 days after injury by histochemistry using hematoxylin and eosin staining. mRNAs and proteins were extracted 2 days after injury. The expression levels of caspase-8 and caspase-3 mRNA and protein were determined using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses. RESULTS: I/R injury induced declines in retinal thickness and number of RGCs during 5 days after injury. Caspase-8 and caspase-3 mRNA and protein activation increased. Res treatment reduced the significant loss of retinal morphology and downregulated the expression of mRNA and activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3 protein. CONCLUSIONS: The observed changes in retinal morphology suggest that I/R injury promotes retinal degeneration. Increased expression of caspase-8 and caspase-3 mRNA indicates apoptosis activation. Res, however, suppresses apoptosis via downregulation of caspase-8 and caspase-3 expression.
a Department of Anatomy and Convergence Medical Science, College of Medicine , Gyeongsang National University , Jinju , Gyeongnam , Republic of Korea.
Full article11.14 Investigational drugs; pharmacological experiments (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)
5.1 Rodent (Part of: 5 Experimental glaucoma; animal models)
3.6 Cellular biology (Part of: 3 Laboratory methods)