Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud

(1) Background: the aim of this work was to study microglia and autophagy alterations in a one retinitis pigmentosa (RP) model at different stages of the disease (when rods are dying and later, when there are almost no rods, and cones are the cells that die. (2) Methods: rd1 mice were used and retinas obtained at postnatal days (PN) 11, 17, 28, 35, and 42. Iba1 (ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1) was the protein selected to study microglial changes. The macroautophagy markers Beclin-1, Atg5, Atg7, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), and lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2) (involved in chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA)) were determined. (3) Results: the expression of Iba1 was increased in rd1 retinas compared to the control group at PN17 (after the period of maximum rod death), PN28 (at the beginning of the period of cone death), and PN42. The number of activated (ameboid) microglial cells increased in the early ages of the retinal degeneration and the deactivated forms (branched cells) in more advanced ages. The macroautophagy markers Atg5 at PN11, Atg7 and LC3II at PN17, and Atg7 again at PN28 were decreased in rd1 retinas. At PN35 and PN42, the results reveal alterations in LAMP2A, a marker of CMA in the retina of rd1 mice. (4) Conclusions: we can conclude that during the early phases of retinal degeneration in the rd1 mouse, there is an alteration in microglia and a decrease in the macroautophagy cycle. Subsequently, the CMA is decreased and later on appears activated as a compensatory mechanism.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited ocular disorder with no effective treatment. RP onset and progression trigger a cascade of retinal disorders that lead to the death of photoreceptors. After photoreceptors death, neuronal, glial and vascular remodeling can be observed in the retina. The purpose of this study was to study if thioredoxin (TRX) administration is able to decrease photoreceptor death in an animal model of RP (rd1 mouse), but also if it is able to modulate the retinal oxidative stress, glial and vascular changes that can be observed as the disease progresses. Wild type and rd1 mice received several doses of TRX. After treatment, animals were euthanized at postnatals days 11, 17, or 28. Glutathione (GSH) and other thiol compounds were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Glial fibrilary acidic protein (GFAP) and anti-ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) were studied by immunohistochemistry. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hepatic growth factor (HGF) expression were determined by western blot. TRX administration significantly diminished cell death in rd1 mouse retinas and increased GSH retinal concentrations at postnatal day 11 (PN11). TRX was also able to reverse glial alterations at PN11 and PN17. No alterations were observed in retinal VEGF and HGF expression in rd1 mice. In conclusion, TRX treatment decreases photoreceptor death in the first stages of RP and this protective effect may be due in part to the GSH system activation and to a partially decrease in inflammation.

The interactions between steroid gonadal hormones and the retina (a part of the visual system and the central nervous system (CNS)) have received limited attention and beneficial effects of these hormones in retinal diseases is controversial. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common cause of retinal hereditary blindness and to date no treatment is available. However, results regarding the effects of progesterone on the progression of RP are promising. With the idea of demonstrating if the progesterone retinal protection in RP is related to its possible anti-inflammatory properties, we have administered orally progesterone to rd10 mice, an animal model of RP. We observed that progesterone decreased photoreceptors cell death, reactive gliosis and the increase in microglial cells caused by RP. We also examined the expression of neuronal and inducible nitric oxide synthase (nNOS and iNOS), the enzyme responsible for NO production. The results demonstrated a decrease in nNOS expression only in control mice treated with progesterone. Inflammation has been related with an increase in lipid peroxidation. Noticeably progesterone administration was able to diminish retinal malondialdehyde (MDA, a lipid peroxidation product) concentrations in rd10 mice. Altogether, we can conclude that progesterone could be a good therapeutic option not only in RP but also for other retinal diseases that have been associated with inflammation and lipid peroxidation.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinopathy that leads to photoreceptor loss. RP has been related to oxidative stress, autophagy, and inflammation. This study aimed to identify changes in the levels of oxidative stress and autophagy markers in the retina of control and rd10 mice during different phases of retinal development. Changes in the retinal oxidation system were investigated by measuring the levels of oxidized and reduced glutathione (GSH/GSSG), retinal avidin-positive cells, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) staining intensity. Autophagy characterization was explored by measuring the levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), beclin, autophagy-related proteins 5 and 7 (Atg5 and Atg7), and lysosomal associated membrane protein-2A (LAMP-2A). At P28 retinal GSH concentrations decreased in rd10 mice compared to the controls. No differences were found in retinal GSSG concentrations between the control and rd10 mice. There was an increase in retinal GSSG concentrations and a decrease in the GSH/GSSG ratio in the control and rd10 mice at P21 and P28 compared to P13. We observed an increase in avidin-positive cells in rd10 retinas. 4-HNE was increased in rd10 retinas at P13, and it also increased in control mice with age. We did not observe any differences in the retinal levels of LC3II/I ratio, Beclin, Atg5, or Atg7 in the rd10 mice compared to the controls. There was an increase in the LAMP-2A concentrations in the control and rd10 mice with development age (P28 concentrations vs. P13). Although only slight differences were found in the oxidative stress and autophagy markers between the control and rd10 mice, there were increases in the GSSG, 4-HNE, and LAMP-2A with age. This increase in the oxidative stress and chaperone-mediated autophagy has not been described before and occurred just after the mice opened their eyes, potentially indicating a retinal response to light exposure.