title: Regeneration of optic nerve fibers with unoprostone, a prostaglandin-related antiglaucoma drug, in adult cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effects of unoprostone on neurite extension of cultured retinal pieces and axonal regeneration of retinal ganglion cells in the crushed optic nerve of adult cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retinal pieces were cultured with unoprostone or its primary metabolite, M1, dissolved in DMSO or polysorbate for 14 days, and the number and length of Tau-1-positive neurites and glial processes labeled with anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein antibodies were examined. After the optic nerve was crushed, unoprostone was injected into the vitreous body and the crushed site. On day 12, wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase was injected into the vitreous body to anterogradely label the regenerated axons. On day 14, the optic nerve was excised and longitudinally sectioned. After peroxidase reaction, the number of axons regenerating beyond the crush site was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The greatest number of neurites protruded from the cultured retinal pieces in 3 μM unoprostone and 3 μM M1. The neurite length was also the longest at 3 μM unoprostone and 3 μM M1, in which no glial processes were detected. After injections of 3 μM unoprostone, the final concentration in the vitreous humor, into the vitreous body and the crush site, the optic nerve fibers regenerated and extended beyond the crush site. In contrast, almost no fibers extended beyond the crush site after injection of phosphate-buffered saline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that intravitreal injection of unoprostone promotes regeneration of crushed optic nerve fibers in adult cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sagawa
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terasaki
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Yoshihito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokita
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D002415:Cats; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D009409:Nerve Crush; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; C085348:tau-1 monoclonal antibody; C072630:isopropyl unoprostone; D015237:Dinoprost