title: Effect of eye NGF administration on two animal models of retinal ganglion cells degeneration.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) administration on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in experimentally induced glaucoma (GL) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). GL was induced in adult rats by injection of hypertonic saline into the episcleral vein of the eye and diabetes (DT) was induced by administration of streptozoticin. Control and experimental rats were treated daily with either ocular application of NGF or vehicle solution. We found that both animal models present a progressive degeneration of RGCs and changing NGF and VEGF levels in the retina and optic nerve. We then proved that NGF eye drop administration exerts a protective effect on these models of retinal degeneration. In brief, our findings indicate that NGF can play a protective role against RGC degeneration occurring in GL and DR and suggest that ocular NGF administration might be an effective pharmacological approach.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Neurobiologia e Medicina Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Colafrancesco
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coassin
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aloe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor