Expression of clusterin in Müller cells of the rat retina after pressure-induced ischemia.
We have investigated the expression and cellular localization of clusterin in the rat retina following ischemia induced by transiently increasing the intraocular pressure. In the normal retina, weak clusterin immunoreactivity was visible in Müller cell profiles located in the inner nuclear layer. Following ischemia and reperfusion, strong immunoreactivity appeared in Müller cell somata and processes up to 3 days postlesion. Quantitative evaluation by immunoblotting confirmed that clusterin expression continuously increased and showed a peak value at 3 days after ischemic injury (to 1300% of control levels), and then decreased again to 400% of controls at 4 weeks postlesion. Immunocytochemistry using antisera against clusterin or glutamine synthase combined with the TUNEL method or immunocytochemistry using antisera activated caspase 3 and electron microscopy revealed that some clusterin-labeled Müller cells underwent apoptotic cell death. Our findings demonstrate that some Müller cells die by apoptosis, and suggest that clusterin produced and released by Müller cell may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic injury in the rat retina.
Gwon
Jae-Sung
JS
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
In-Beom
IB
Lee
Mun-Yong
MY
Oh
Su-Ja
SJ
Chun
Myung-Hoon
MH
D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D051152:Clusterin; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007511:Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation
C498500:Clu protein, rat; D051152:Clusterin; D006023:Glycoproteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase