title: Imipramine protects retinal ganglion cells from oxidative stress through the tyrosine kinase receptor B signaling pathway.
abstract: Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration is irreversible in glaucoma and tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB)-associated signaling pathways have been implicated in the process. In this study, we attempted to examine whether imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, may protect hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced RGC degeneration through the activation of the TrkB pathway in RGC-5 cell lines. RGC-5 cell lines were pre-treated with imipramine 30 minutes before exposure to H2O2. Western blot assay showed that in H2O2 -damaged RGC-5 cells, imipramine activated TrkB pathways through extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase/TrkB phosphorylation. TUNEL staining assay also demonstrated that imipramine ameliorated H2O2 -induced apoptosis in RGC-5 cells. Finally, TrkB-IgG intervention was able to reverse the protective effect of imipramine on H2O2 -induced RGC-5 apoptosis. Imipramine therefore protects RGCs from oxidative stress-induced apoptosis through the TrkB signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Children Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Lei
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0020-0825
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Children Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Children Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Children Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Juan
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Children Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
keywords: apoptosis; imipramine; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; oxidative stress; retinal ganglion cell; tyrosine kinase receptor B