title: Deferiprone Protects against Photoreceptor Degeneration Induced by Tunicamycin in the Rat Retina.
abstract: Endoplasmic reticulum stress has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. In the present study, we examined the effects of deferiprone, an iron chelator, on photoreceptor degeneration induced by tunicamycin (300 nmol/eye), an endoplasmic reticulum stress inducer, in the rat retina. Scotopic electroretinogram measurement and morphometric evaluation were done 7 d after the injection of tunicamycin. In the scotopic electroretinogram, intravitreal deferiprone (5 nmol/eye) injected simultaneously with tunicamycin significantly reduced the decreases in a- and b-wave amplitudes induced by tunicamycin. Morphometric evaluation showed that deferiprone significantly reduced thinning of the outer nuclear layer, the inner segment and the outer segment. These results suggest that iron chelation therapy may be a good candidate for the treatment of eye diseases related to endoplasmic reticulum stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Kitasato University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
authors.forename: Yousuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: Asami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakahara
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000077543:Deferiprone; D004596:Electroretinography; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011728:Pyridones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014415:Tunicamycin
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D020011:Protective Agents; D011728:Pyridones; D014415:Tunicamycin; D000077543:Deferiprone