title: Activation of caspase-3 during degeneration of the outer nuclear layer in the rd mouse retina.
abstract: Caspase activation has been implicated in apoptosis, and the nature of the apoptotic stimulus determines the specific caspase activation during apoptosis. In this study, we examined the activation of caspase-3 during photoreceptor degeneration in the rd mouse, which has a mutation on a gene encoding cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase. The outer nuclear layer of the rd mouse retina was observed using light and electron microscopy. The progress of degeneration was determined chronologically and correlated with the activation of caspase-3 and the fragmentation of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase. Additionally, the active form of caspase-3 was detected during photoreceptor degeneration in the outer nuclear layer of the rd mouse. The chronological observation of the caspase-3 activation pattern correlates with the pattern of photoreceptor degeneration. As a result of this study, we present here our findings that caspase-3 was activated in photoreceptor cells of the rd mouse.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea and Catholic Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong-a
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jun-Sub
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Choun-Ki
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Joo
mesh_terms: D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases / Q000235:genetics; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases