Retrograde axonal transport impairment of large- and medium-sized retinal ganglion cells in diabetic rat.
OBJECTIVE
Several abnormalities in visual pathway functions in diabetic humans and animals have been reported. We demonstrated retrograde axonal transport impairment in retinal ganglion cells of streptozotocin-diabetic rats.


METHODS
Diabetes was induced in male Wistar albino rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Three months after the induction of diabetes, fluoro-gold was injected into the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Percentages of fluoro-gold-labeled large-, medium- and small-sized retinal ganglion cells per total population were calculated in wholemount retinas of diabetic and control rats. The same sections were stained with cresyl violet and each retinal ganglion cell type evaluated by light microscopy.


RESULTS
Although a quantitative decrease in the population of each retinal ganglion cell type was not observed, mean percentages of fluoro-gold-labeled large- and medium-sized retinal ganglion cells per total population were significantly decreased in diabetic rats compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that diabetes affects the retrograde axonal transport in large- and medium-sized retinal ganglion cells despite the absence of morphological changes in the perikaryon and decrease in total cell population. Diabetes-induced impairment of retrograde axonal transport in large- and medium-sized retinal ganglion cells precede optic nerve involvement. However, this may merely be a consequence of metabolic changes in diabetic states.
Zhang
L
L
Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
Ino-ue
M
M
Dong
K
K
Yamamoto
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013266:Stilbamidines
C049774:2-hydroxy-4,4'-diamidinostilbene, methanesulfonate salt; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013266:Stilbamidines