High-throughput gene expression profiling of NMDA-treated retinas
The retina contains various excitatory types of retinal neurons whose main neurotransmitter is glutamate. Therefore, it is not surprising that damage to the retina as a result of many diseases, including glaucoma and ischemic optic neuropathy, leads to the release of significant amounts of glutamate into the extracellular space. However, extracellular glutamate is not a passive witness to the developing pathology in the retina but plays an active role. Glutamate neurotransmission is tightly regulated by an array of receptors and transporters to minimize the presence of excess glutamate in the extracellular space. Meanwhile, high levels of extracellular glutamate lead to excitotoxicity, an important factor of many neurodegenerative diseases. Within the retina, glutamate excitotoxicity can lead to a significant deterioration in vision and even blindness. One of the mechanisms leading to glutamate excitotoxicity is NMDA receptor overactivation, which is known as NMDA excitotoxicity. The objective of this study was to investigate mechanisms of NMDA excitotoxicity in the retina.