title: Nitric oxide, microglial activities and neuronal cell death in the lateral geniculate nucleus of glaucomatous rats.
abstract: The present study was initiated to investigate neuronal degeneration, microglial reactivity and possible roles of NO in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of glaucomatous rats. An experimental one-eye glaucoma model was created by cauterization of the limbal-derived veins. Neuronal cell viability was studied by immunostaining with antibody against neuronal nuclei. Changes of expressions of nitric oxide synthase I (NOS I), NOS II, ED 1, OX6 and OX42 in the LGN were studied by immunohistochemistry. NADPH-d histochemistry was also employed. In the experimental glaucomatous rats, the number of NeuN labelled neurons was significantly decreased in both the ipsi- and contra-lateral sides of the ventral LGN (vLGN) but not the dorsal LGN (dLGN) at 1 month post-operation and beyond. Expressions of NOS I and NADPH-d were notably increased from 1 week post-operation in the ipsilateral vLGN. In the contralateral side of the vLGN, however, this change was only observed from 1 month post-operation. No NOS II immunoreaction was observed in LGN of both the normal control and glaucomatous rats. Increased microglial reactivity as indicated by OX-42 immunoreactivity was first observed in both sides of the LGN at 1 week post-operation, and this was most significant especially at 1 and 2 months post-operation. The present results suggest that NO and microglial cells may play some important roles in the pathologic processes of neuronal degeneration in the LGN of glaucomatous rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore, MD10, 4 Medical Drive, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 117597, Singapore.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sam-Wah Tay
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D017628:Microglia / Q000502:physiology*; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase