Superoxide dismutases in retinal degeneration of WBN/Kob rat.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between retinal degeneration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the degenerative retina of the WBN/Kob rat.


METHODS
The retinas of 4-week-old and 10-month-old WBN/ Kob rats were examined with immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. Wistar Kyoto rats were used as controls.


RESULTS
Retinal degeneration began 4 weeks after birth. Four-week-old WBN/Kob rats showed no manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) immunoreactivity in the photoreceptor inner segments or copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) immunoreactivity in the outer nuclear layer or photoreceptor inner segments. Control 4-week-old Wistar Kyoto rats showed positive immunoreactivities at these sites.


CONCLUSIONS
The retinal degeneration of WBN/Kob rats begins in the outer retina. The lack of SODs in the outer retina may contribute to retinal degeneration in the WBN/Kob rats.
Ogawa
T
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Sakamoto, Japan.
Ohira
A
A
Amemiya
T
T
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D012160:Retina / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*
D013482:Superoxide Dismutase