Retinal degenerative and hypoxic ischemic disease.
A broad spectrum of retinal diseases affects both the retinal vasculature and the neural retina, including photoreceptor and postreceptor layers. The accepted clinical hallmarks of acute retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are dilation and tortuosity of the retinal vasculature. Additionally, significant early and persistent effects on photoreceptor and postreceptor neural structures and function are demonstrated in ROP. In this paper, we focus on the results of longitudinal studies of electroretinographic (ERG) and vascular features in rats with induced retinopathies that model the gamut of human ROP, mild to severe. Two potential targets for pharmaceutical interventions emerge from the observations. The first target is immature photoreceptors because the status of the photoreceptors at an early age predicts later vascular outcome; this approach is appealing as it holds promise to prevent ROP. The second target is the interplay of the neural and vascular retinal networks, which develop cooperatively. Beneficial pharmaceutical interventions may be measured in improved visual outcome as well as lessening of the vascular abnormalities.
Fulton
Anne B
AB
Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. Anne.Fulton@childrens.harvard.edu
Akula
James D
JD
Mocko
Julie A
JA
Hansen
Ronald M
RM
Benador
Ilan Y
IY
Beck
Susanne C
SC
Fahl
Edda
E
Seeliger
Mathias W
MW
Moskowitz
Anne
A
Harris
Maureen E
ME
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004596:Electroretinography; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007511:Ischemia; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000502:physiology
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A