title: Expression and function of Delta-like ligand 4 in a rat model of retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: The Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling pathway was shown to participate in the process of retinal development and angiogenesis. However, the function of the Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling pathway in retinopathy of prematurity requires further study. Retinopathy of prematurity was induced in 5-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to hyperoxia for 7 days, and then returned to room air. Reverse transcription-PCR and western blot revealed that Delta-like ligand 4 levels decreased at postnatal day 12 and increased at postnatal day 17 in retinopathy of prematurity rats. Flat-mounted adenosine diphosphatase stained retina and hematoxylin-eosin stained retinal tissue slices showed that the clock hour scores and the nuclei counts in retinopathy of prematurity rats were significantly different compared to normal control rats. After retinopathy of prematurity rats were intravitreally injected with Delta-like ligand 4 monoclonal antibody to inhibit the Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling pathway, there was a significant increase in the severity of retinal neovascularization (clock hours) in the intravitreally injected eyes. The nuclei count was highly correlated with the clock hour score. These results suggest that Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling plays an essential role in the process of physiological and pathological angiogenesis in the retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China ; Department of Ophthalmology, the 230 Hospital of Chinese PLA, Dandong 118000, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Shaoyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: You
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Cunwen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiaolong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Delta-like ligand 4; Notch signaling pathway; neural regeneration; neuroregeneration; optic nerve disease; oxygen-induced retinopathy; peripheral nerve injury; photographs-containing paper; retinal neovascularization; retinopathy of prematurity; vascular endothelial cells; vascular endothelial growth factor