title: Apoptotic versus necrotic characteristics of retinal ganglion cell death after partial optic nerve injury.
abstract: We have investigated time course and characteristics of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death after partial optic nerve injury. In situ end labeling of DNA fragments with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine (dUTP)-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method revealed the presence of apoptotic cells on as early as 5 days postcrush with a very high number of TUNEL-positive cells 1 week postinjury. At the ultrastructural level, features of apoptosis were clearly present in the ganglion cell layer at this time point. Moreover, TUNEL-positive cells could be identified as retinal ganglion cells by retrograde labeling with fluorogold. In addition, DNA laddering characteristic for apoptosis was found 1 week postinjury. A considerable number of TUNEL-labeled cells was still found after 2 weeks postinjury. Retinal whole mounts prepared at postlesion days 2-5, however, revealed that many cell bodies with ruptured membranes as evidenced by nucleosomal Sytox staining were present. These cells were also identified as retinal ganglion cells by retrograde labeling with fluorogold. Moreover, at this early stages of RGC degeneration necrotic cellular profiles could be detected by electron microscopic analysis. Thus, evidence is provided that necrosis and apoptosis follow a distinctly different time course after partial optic nerve injury.
authors: AG Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Institute of Medical Psychology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bien
authors: C I
authors: CI
authors: Seidenbecher
authors: T M
authors: TM
authors: Böckers
authors: B A
authors: BA
authors: Sabel
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Kreutz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors