title: Retinal development impairment and degenerative alterations in adult rats subjected to post-natal malnutrition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The early stages of central nervous system (CNS) development are extremely important. Key events such as neurogenesis, gliogenesis, synaptogenesis, and ontogenesis occur. Malnutrition promotes alterations in CNS development, including the retinal development. During retinal development, malnutrition can induce a delay in some important events, such as neurotransmitter expression and neurogenesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postpartum Wistar rats were fed either a commercial diet or a multideficient diet. Pups were breastfed by these rats, and from PND21 were kept with the same diet until PND45. We investigated the effects of malnutrition on adult retinal tissue with regard to (1) endogenous gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) release induced by excitatory amino acids (EAAs) and (2) the expression of cellular markers related to degenerative events, such as reactive gliosis, microglial activation, cell proliferation and cell death. Endogenous GABA release induced by EAAs was higher in the retina of malnourished rats. The Müller cell population was reduced and displayed alterations in their phenotype profile compatible with reactive gliosis. The expression of glutamine synthetase and markers of cellular proliferation were higher in the retina of malnourished rats. Additionally, retinal dysplasia-like structures were present, indicating disturbance in the cell cycle machinery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study provides evidence that the adult retina shows degenerative processes induced by long-term malnutrition during the postnatal development. These findings have high clinical significance with regard to the identification of possible targets for interventions in malnourished patients.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Brasil, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 21941-902, Brazil; Instituto de Psiquiatria, UFRJ, Laboratório de Pânico e Respiração. Avenida Venceslau Brás - 71-fundos, Praia Vermelha, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) -Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 22290-140, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário Cesar do Nascimento
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bevilaqua
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE CEP 50670-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: Belmira Lara
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Andrade-da-Costa
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Brasil, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 21941-902, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Lopez
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Brasil, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 21941-902, Brazil; Instituto de Psiquiatria, UFRJ, Laboratório de Pânico e Respiração. Avenida Venceslau Brás - 71-fundos, Praia Vermelha, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) -Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 22290-140, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gisele Pereira
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Psiquiatria, UFRJ, Laboratório de Pânico e Respiração. Avenida Venceslau Brás - 71-fundos, Praia Vermelha, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) -Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 22290-140, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anna Claudia Domingos
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: da Silveirada Luz
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Psiquiatria, UFRJ, Laboratório de Pânico e Respiração. Avenida Venceslau Brás - 71-fundos, Praia Vermelha, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) -Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 22290-140, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonio Egidio
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Nardi
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Brasil, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 21941-902, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando Garcia
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: de Mello
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Brasil, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 21941-902, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia Franca
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Gardino
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Brasil, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ CEP 21941-902, Brazil; Departamento de Neurobiologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brasil - Laboratório de Neurobiologia da Retina. Outeiro de São João Batista, s/n, Campus do Valonguinho, Centro, Niterói, RJ CEP 24020-140, Brazil. Electronic address: karincalaza@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Karin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Calaza
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002452:Cell Count; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D063928:Ependymoglial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018683:Excitatory Amino Acid Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005911:Gliosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000209:etiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018683:Excitatory Amino Acid Agents; D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
keywords: Development; GABA; Malnutrition; Müller cell; Reactive gliosis; Retina