Activation of caspase-3 in axotomized rat retinal ganglion cells in vivo.
Recently, we have shown that inhibition of caspase-3-like caspases is the most effective treatment strategy to protect adult rat retinal ganglion cells from secondary death following optic nerve transection. In the present study, we localized active caspase-3 in axotomized retinal ganglion cells in vivo and demonstrated a co-localization of the active p20 fragment and TUNEL-staining in some of these cells. In line with this, we detected an enhanced cleavage and activity of caspase-3 protein in retinal tissue after lesion, while caspase-3 mRNA expression remained unchanged. These data suggest caspase-3 as an important mediator of secondary retinal ganglion cell death following axotomy in vivo.
Kermer
P
P
Dept. of Neurology, Medical School, University of Tübingen, Germany. kermer@uni-tuebingen.de
Klöcker
N
N
Labes
M
M
Thomsen
S
S
Srinivasan
A
A
Bähr
M
M
D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases