title: [The effect of theanine on oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization in the neonatal rat].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed to investigate the preventive effects of theanine treatment on a rat model of oxygen-induced ischemic retinopathy (OIR).
  
  
  METHODS
  OIR was induced by maintaining the Sprague-Dawley neonatal rats in 80% oxygen. The rats were treated once daily with gastric gavage of theanine (5 or 50 mg/kg) or distilled water (DW) from postnatal days 6 to 17. The retinal neovascularization (NV) was scored and avascular areas(AVAs) were measured as a % of total retinal area (% AVAs) at day 18.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The % AVAs in 5 mg/kg theanine (13.2 +/- 2.8%) and 50 mg/kg theanine (9.4 +/- 2.2%, p < 0.05) treatment were lower than those in DW (18.9 +/- 2.9 %). The NV scores with 5 mg/kg theanine(4.2 +/- 0.5) or 50 mg/kg theanine (3.4 +/- 0.6) treatment were lower than those with DW (4.7 +/- 0.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Theanine treatment suppresses the neovascularization in a rat model of OIR. These results suggest that theanine may prevent retinopathy of prematurity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hiramatsu
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakanishi-Ueda
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomoyasu
authors.forename: Yukinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iketani
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aburada
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasuhara
authors.forename: Ryohei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koide