Retinal oxygenation and oxygen metabolism in Abyssinian cats with a hereditary retinal degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of a hereditary retinal degeneration on retinal oxygenation and determine whether it is responsible for the severe attenuation of retinal circulation in hereditary photoreceptor degenerations.


METHODS
Seven adult Abyssinian cats affected by hereditary retinal degeneration were studied. Oxygen microelectrodes were used to collect spatial profiles of retinal oxygenation in anesthetized animals. A one-dimensional model of oxygen diffusion was fitted to the data to quantify photoreceptor oxygen utilization (Qo(2)).


RESULTS
Photoreceptor Qo(2) progressively decreased until it reached zero in the end stage of the disease. Average inner retinal oxygen tension remained within normal limits at all disease stages, despite the observed progressive retinal vessel attenuation. Light affected photoreceptors normally, decreasing Qo(2) by approximately 50% at all stages of the disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Loss of photoreceptor metabolism allows choroidal oxygen to reach the inner retina, attenuating the retinal circulation in this animal model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and probably also in human RP. As the degeneration progresses, there is a strong relationship between changes in the a-wave of the ERG and changes in rod oxidative metabolism, indicating that these two functional measures change together.
Padnick-Silver
Lissa
L
Department of Biomedical Engineering , Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
Kang Derwent
Jennifer J
JJ
Giuliano
Elizabeth
E
Narfström
Kristina
K
Linsenmeier
Robert A
RA
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002415:Cats; D003623:Dark Adaptation; D015785:Eye Diseases, Hereditary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D017736:Ion-Selective Electrodes / Q000662:veterinary; D008839:Microelectrodes / Q000662:veterinary; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010313:Partial Pressure; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*
D010100:Oxygen