title: L-deprenyl protects injured retinal precursor cells in vitro.
abstract: We evaluated the ability of L-deprenyl, a monoamine oxidase B-inhibitor (MAO-B), to preserve the viability of serum-deprived immortalized retinal precursor cells in vitro. We serum-deprived rat neural retinal ganglion cells immortalized by an incompetent retro virus. We instilled L-deprenyl in concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 100 microM. After 72 hours we performed a cell count of the L-deprenyl cultures and the control (no L-deprenyl instilled) with a hemocytometer and flow cytometry. We used transmission electron microscopy, DNA gel electrophoresis, and flow cytometry to determine the mechanism of cell death. This study showed that all five concentrations of L-deprenyl statistically increased the survival rate of immortalized retinal precursor cells at 72 hours in the serum-deprived medium (P = 0.01, ANOVA test). Ten microM and higher appeared to provide the greatest immortalized retinal precursor cell survival (12.7 x 10(-4) cells) compared to the control (5.8 x 10(-4) cells). Flow cytometry also demonstrated a higher percentage of surviving cells at 10 microM (80%) and 100 microM (76%) than with the control (58%) (P = 0.0017, chi2 test). Transmission electron microscopy, DNA electrophoresis, and flow cytometry showed that the mode of cell death was by apoptosis. This study suggests that L-deprenyl may be worthy of further investigation as a neuroprotective agent to treat chronic open-angle glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ragaiey
authors.forename: J X
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Seigel
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D012642:Selegiline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012642:Selegiline