Pigment Epithelium Derived Factor As A Neuroprotective Agent Against Ischemic-reperfusion Induced Retinal Gonglion Cell Injury

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine whether PEDF is neuroprotective for retinal neurons that are exposed to transient pressure induced ischemia-reperfusion.METHODS Paracentisis was performed with BSS infusion in the rats anterior chamber, maintained the intraocular pressure at 110mmHg to block the retinal perfusion. Infusion canular was removed after 60 minutes and the retinal blood vessels were re-perfused so as to set up the Retina ischemia-reperfusion model. The rats were divided into control and experimental group and the experimental group into vehicle injection group and PEDF injection group. Immediately after reperfusion, PEDF (2μg/8μl)was injected intravitreally into the experimental eyes. 2 and 7 days after the reperfusion, the rats eyes were enucleated and slided, HE stain and Fas In situ Hybridization immunology stain were performed to evaluate the injury and PEDF protective effect of the RGCs. Same quantity of 0.9%balance saline was intravitreally injected in the control group.RESULTS Morphologically, in the retina ischemia-reperfusion eyes, RGCs appears turbulence and edema, the whole RGC layer appears swelling with decreased density, the number of the Fas positive stained cells were increased. 2 and 7 days after reperfusion, the number of RGCs was significantly reduced in both vehicle and PEDF injected eyes compare with the normal eyes (P<0.01) and (P<0.05), but the number of the RGCs were significantly decreased in vehicle injected eyes compare with PEDF injected eyes (P<0.05); 2 days after reperfusion, the number and the rate of Fas positive stained RGCs were significantly less in PEDF injected eyes than the vehicle injected eyes...