title: Endogenous α-crystallin inhibits expression of caspase-3 induced by hypoxia in retinal neurons.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of endogenous, hypoxic stress-induced α-crystallin and caspase-3 in rat retinal neurons in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retinal neurons were cultured from Long-Evans rats. The expression of endogenous α-crystallin was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Furthermore, hypoxic exposure was performed in cultured cells, and the expression of endogenous α-crystallin and caspase-3 was assayed by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive α-crystallin staining was observed in cultured retinal neurons, and expression of endogenous α-crystallin mRNA peaked 3-5d after inoculation (P<0.05). Moreover, endogenous, hypoxic stress-induced α-crystallin expression increased gradually, peaking 6h after hypoxia. The expression was more abundant compared to the control (P<0. 01) and was associated with a decrease in caspase-3 expression (P<0. 05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates that the expression of endogenous α-crystallin in retinal neurons, especially over-expression induced by hypoxic stress, results in the down regulation of caspase-3. The data suggest that endogenous α-crystallin may act as an endogenous neuroprotective factor in retinal neurons.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing 400038, China.
authors: Xi
authors: X
authors: Ying
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing 400038, China; The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400030, China.
authors: Yanli
authors: Y
authors: Peng
authors: State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Institute of Burns, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors: Jiaping
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing 400038, China.
authors: Xingli
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing 400038, China.
authors: Nan
authors: N
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing 400038, China.
authors: Yuxiao
authors: Y
authors: Zeng
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: wangyieye@aliyun.com.
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012160:Retina / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D038201:alpha-Crystallins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D038201:alpha-Crystallins; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Caspase-3; Endogenous α-crystallin; Hypoxia; Retinal neurons