title: Taurine is a crucial factor to preserve retinal ganglion cell survival.
abstract: Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are spiking neurons, which send visual information to the brain, through the optic nerve. RGC degeneration occurs in retinal diseases, either as a primary process or secondary to photoreceptor loss. Mechanisms involved in this neuronal degeneration are still unclear and no drugs directly targeting RGC neuroprotection are yet available. Here, we show that taurine is one factor involved in preserving the RGC survival. Indeed, a taurine depletion induced by the antiepileptic drug, vigabatrin, was incriminated in its retinal toxicity leading to the RGC loss. Similarly, we showed that RGC degeneration can be induced by pharmacologically blocking the taurine-transporter with the chronic administration of a selective inhibitor, which results in a decrease in the taurine levels both in the plasma and in the retinal tissue. Finally, we found that taurine can directly prevent RGC degeneration, occurring either in serum-deprived pure RGC cultures or in animal models presenting an RGC loss (glaucomatous rats and the P23H rats, a model for retinitis pigmentosa). These data suggest that the retinal taurine level is a crucial marker to prevent RGC damage in major retinal diseases.
authors: INSERM, U968, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France. nicolas.froger@inserm.fr
authors: Nicolas
authors: N
authors: Froger
authors: Firas
authors: F
authors: Jammoul
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Gaucher
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: Cadetti
authors: Henri
authors: H
authors: Lorach
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Degardin
authors: Dorothée
authors: D
authors: Pain
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Dubus
authors: Valérie
authors: V
authors: Forster
authors: Ivana
authors: I
authors: Ivkovic
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Simonutti
authors: José-Alain
authors: JA
authors: Sahel
authors: Serge
authors: S
authors: Picaud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D020888:Vigabatrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000099247:Taurine Transporters
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D013654:Taurine; D020888:Vigabatrin; D000099247:Taurine Transporters; C009558:taurocyamine