TY - JOUR
T1 - BDNF impairment is associated with age-related changes in the inner retina and exacerbates experimental glaucoma
AU - Gupta, Vivek
AU - You, Yuyi
AU - Li, Jonathan
AU - Gupta, Veer
AU - Golzan, Mojtaba
AU - Klistorner, Alexander
AU - van den Buuse, Maarten
AU - Graham, Stuart
PY - 2014/9
Y1 - 2014/9
N2 - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) stimulation of its high-affinity receptor TrkB results in activation of pro-survival cell-signalling pathways that can afford neuroprotection to the retina. Reduction in retrograde axonal transport of neurotrophic factors such as BDNF from the brain to the neuronal cell bodies in the retina has been suggested as a critical factor underlying progressive and selective degeneration of ganglion cell layer and optic nerve in glaucoma. We investigated the role of BDNF in preserving inner retinal homeostasis in normal and glaucoma states using BDNF+/- mice and compared it with wild type controls. This study demonstrated that BDNF+/- animals were more susceptible to functional, morphological and molecular degenerative changes in the inner retina caused by age as well as upon exposure to experimental glaucoma caused by increased intraocular pressure. Glaucoma induced a down regulation of BDNF/TrkB signalling and an increase in levels of neurotoxic amyloid β 1-42 in the optic nerve head which were exacerbated in BDNF+/- mice. Similar results were obtained upon analysing the human optic nerve head tissues. Our data highlighted the role of BDNF in maintaining the inner retinal integrity under normal conditions and the detrimental effects of its insufficiency on the retina and optic nerve in glaucoma.
AB - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) stimulation of its high-affinity receptor TrkB results in activation of pro-survival cell-signalling pathways that can afford neuroprotection to the retina. Reduction in retrograde axonal transport of neurotrophic factors such as BDNF from the brain to the neuronal cell bodies in the retina has been suggested as a critical factor underlying progressive and selective degeneration of ganglion cell layer and optic nerve in glaucoma. We investigated the role of BDNF in preserving inner retinal homeostasis in normal and glaucoma states using BDNF+/- mice and compared it with wild type controls. This study demonstrated that BDNF+/- animals were more susceptible to functional, morphological and molecular degenerative changes in the inner retina caused by age as well as upon exposure to experimental glaucoma caused by increased intraocular pressure. Glaucoma induced a down regulation of BDNF/TrkB signalling and an increase in levels of neurotoxic amyloid β 1-42 in the optic nerve head which were exacerbated in BDNF+/- mice. Similar results were obtained upon analysing the human optic nerve head tissues. Our data highlighted the role of BDNF in maintaining the inner retinal integrity under normal conditions and the detrimental effects of its insufficiency on the retina and optic nerve in glaucoma.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84903750561&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbadis.2014.05.026
DO - 10.1016/j.bbadis.2014.05.026
M3 - Article
C2 - 24942931
AN - SCOPUS:84903750561
SN - 0925-4439
VL - 1842
SP - 1567
EP - 1578
JO - Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Basis of Disease
JF - Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Basis of Disease
IS - 9
ER -