title: Oxygen-induced retinopathy in mice with retinal photoreceptor cell degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is reported that retinal neovascularization seems to rarely co-exist with retinitis pigmentosa in patients and in some mouse models; however, it is not widely acknowledged as a universal phenomenon in all strains of all animal species. We aimed to further explore this phenomenon with an oxygen-induced retinopathy model in mice with retinal photoreceptor cell degeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oxygen-induced retinopathy of colored and albino mice with rapid retinal degeneration were compared to homologous wild-type mice. The retinas were analyzed using high-molecular-weight FITC-dextran stained flat-mount preparation, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained cross-sections, an immunohistochemical test for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) distribution and Western blotting for VEGF expression after exposure to hyperoxia between postnatal days 17 (P17) and 21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Leakage and areas of non-perfusion of the retinal blood vessels were alleviated in the retinal degeneration mice. The number of preretinal vascular endothelial cell nuclei in the retinal degeneration mice was smaller than that in the homologous wild-type mice after exposure to hyperoxia (P<0.01). The degree of oxygen-induced retinopathy was positively correlated with the VEGF expression level. However, the VEGF expression level was lower in the retinal degeneration mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proliferative retinopathy occurred in mice with rapid retinal degeneration, but retinal photoreceptor cell degeneration could partially restrain the retinal neovascularization in this rapid retinal degeneration mouse model.
authors.affiliation: Department Of Clinical Aerospace Medicine, School of Aerospace Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, 169(#) ChangLe West Road, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department Of Clinical Aerospace Medicine, School of Aerospace Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, 169(#) ChangLe West Road, Xi'an 710032, China. Electronic address: zhangzm@fmmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zuo-Ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010100:Oxygen / Q000633:toxicity*; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000473:pathology*; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000473:pathology*; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology*; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000473:pathology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Oxygen-induced retinopathy; Proliferative retinopathy; Retinal degeneration; Retinal neovascularization; Vascular endothelial growth factor