title: Neuroprotective effect of citicoline on retinal cell damage induced by kainic acid in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether citicoline has a neuroprotective effect on kainic acid (KA)-induced retinal damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  KA (6 nmol) was injected into the vitreous of rat eyes. Citicoline (500mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to the rats once before and twice a day after KA-injection for 3- and 7-day intervals. The neuroprotective effects of citicoline were estimated by measuring the thickness of the various retinal layers using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. In addition, immunohistochemistry was conducted to elucidate the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Morphometric analysis of retinal damage in KA-injected eyes showed significant cell loss in the inner nuclear layer (INL) and inner plexiform layer (IPL) of the retinas at 3 and 7 days after KA injection, but not in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). At 3 days after citicoline treatment, no significant changes were detected in the retinal thickness and immunoreactivities of eNOS and nNOS. The immunoreactivities of eNOS and nNOS increased in the retina at 7 days after the KA injection. However, prolonged treatment for 7 days significantly attenuated the immunoreactivities and the reduction of thickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that citicoline has a neuroprotective effect on KA-induced neurotoxicity in the retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Seop
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: In Young
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jong Moon
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ji Myeong
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline; D007608:Kainic Acid