title: Carnitine reduces the lipoperoxidative damage of the membrane and apoptosis after induction of cell stress in experimental glaucoma.
abstract: The pathological damage caused by glaucoma is associated to a high intraocular pressure. The ocular hypertone is most likely due to a defective efflux of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of the eye. Ocular hypertension causes apoptotic death of retinal ganglion cells and overexpression of molecular markers typical of cell stress response and apoptosis. In this work, we report on the neuroprotective, antiapoptotic and antioxidant action of a natural substance, -carnitine. This compound is known for its ability to improve the mitochondrial performance. We analyze a number of cellular and molecular markers, typical of ocular hypertension and, in general, of the cell stress response. In particular, L-carnitine reduces the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein, inducible nitric oxide synthase, ubiquitin and caspase 3 typical markers of cell stress. In addition, the morphological analysis of the optic nerve evidenced a reduction of the pathological excavation of the optic disk. This experimental hypertone protocol induces a severe lipoperoxidation, which is significantly reduced by L-carnitine. The overall interpretation is that mortality of the retinal cells is due to membrane damage.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Calandrella
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Seta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scarsella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Risuleo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002331:Carnitine