Sclerochorioretinal abnormalities in hypercholesterolemic rabbits treated with rosiglitazone.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate early retinal, choroidal, and scleral abnormalities induced by a hypercholesterolemic diet and the prevention of these abnormalities after oral administration of rosiglitazone in rabbits.


METHODS
Fifty-four New Zealand rabbits were divided into four study groups: control group, normal diet; group 1, hypercholesterolemic diet; group 2, hypercholesterolemic diet associated with daily administration of 3 mg of rosiglitazone from day 14 after beginning the diet; and group 3, hypercholesterolemic diet associated with daily administration of 3 mg of rosiglitazone since the beginning of the experiment. Sclera and choroid underwent histologic and histomorphometric analyses. Retina underwent immunohistochemical analysis with anti-calretinin and anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibodies.


RESULTS
No abnormalities were observed in the control group. Group 1 had significant increases in scleral and choroidal thicknesses compared with the control group (P < .01) and group 3 (P < .05). Group 1 presented significant increases in immunoreactivity (P < .001) to the anti-calretinin antibody compared with the other groups. Groups 2 and 3 had significant (P < .002) increases in calretinin immunoreactivity compared with the control group. GFAP was negative in all groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The hypercholesterolemic diet induced early retinal, choroidal, and scleral abnormalities. Rosiglitazone preserved the structural anatomy.
Torres
Rogil José de Almeida
RJ
Ophthalmology Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-SP Hospital Angelina Caron, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. rjat@terra.com.br
Muccioli
Cristina
C
Maia
Maurício
M
Noronha
Lucia
L
Luchini
Andréa
A
Alessi
Alexandre
A
Olandoski
Márcia
M
Farah
Michel Eid
ME
Précoma
Dalton Bertolin
DB
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D015422:Scleral Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone