CuZn superoxide dismutase transgenic retinal transplants.
BACKGROUND
The morphology of retinal transplants is believed to depend on the extent of mechanical disruption of the donor tissue during the surgical procedure and on local factors of the host environment. We hypothesized that oxidative stress during donor tissue preparation and implantation further affects transplant development and investigated the effects of CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD) overexpression on the survival and morphological development of mouse embryonic retinal transplants.


METHODS
Retinae and livers from embryonic day 14-15 SOD overexpressing transgenic mice and CBA control mice were harvested under sterile conditions. In order to identify transgenic mouse embryos, the embryonic livers were analyzed via nondenaturing gel-electrophoresis for the presence of the human SOD protein. Neural retinae were transplanted as fragmented tissue into the subretinal space of albino BALB/c mice. At 4-8 weeks following transplantation, the grafted eyes were fixed in Bouin's solution and processed for histological analysis.


RESULTS
Both SOD transgenic and control retinal transplants had developed all retinal layers except for a ganglion cell layer and exhibited a similar extent of rosette formation. Computer-assisted, quantitative assessment of retinal graft volumes revealed a significant, around 58% increase in size of SOD transgenic transplants compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Enhanced intracellular SOD levels do not seem to influence retinal transplant morphology as detected by light microscopy. However, volumes of the SOD transgenic transplants were found to be increased compared to control grafts.
Grasbon
T
T
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lund, University Hospital of Lund, Sweden. Thomas.Grasbon@ak-i.med.uni.muenchen.de
Grasbon-Frodl
E M
EM
Juliusson
B
B
Epstein
C
C
Brundin
P
P
Kampik
A
A
Ehinger
B
B
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012160:Retina / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase