Does GDNF exert its neuroprotective effects on photoreceptors in the rd1 retina through the glial glutamate transporter GLAST?

PURPOSE: We previously demonstrated that exogenous glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) induces histological and functional protection of photoreceptors in the retinal degeneration (rd1) mouse model. The mechanisms underlying such neuroprotection remain elusive. In parallel to this work, we provided evidence for the occurrence of glutamate-mediated excitotoxic phenomena contributing to rod photoreceptor death in the rd1 retina in the companion paper. In the present study, we investigated whether, as demonstrated in other models, GDNF could exert its neuroprotective effect on photoreceptors through Muller glial cells (MGC) by promoting the expression of the glial L-glutamate/L-aspartate transporter (GLAST), an endogenous neuroprotective mechanism against glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. METHODS: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to compare the mRNA expression levels of GDNF receptors between rd1 and wild-type mouse retinas as well as between MGC and mixed retinal cell cultures. Recombinant GDNF was applied to pure MGC cultures, to rd1 retinal organ cultures and injected subretinally into rd1 mouse eyes. GLAST expression following GDNF treatment was measured by RT-PCR, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Free glutamate and glutamine levels were quantified in rd1 retinas after GDNF or control treatment using an amino acid analyzer. RESULTS: mRNA expression studies of GDNF receptors, GFRalpha-1 and Ret, demonstrated that GDNF receptors were not exclusively expressed by the degenerating photoreceptor cells but mainly by MGC. Exogenous GDNF application to MGC cultures, rd1 mouse retinal explants and in vivo rd1 mouse retinas increased the expression of GLAST by 48% in retinal explants (p<0.005) and by 25% in vivo (p<0.0005). GLAST protein expression in MGC was particularly increased around degenerative photoreceptors. Free glutamate and glutamine levels in the rd1 retina were not significantly modified by exogenous GDNF. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that, in the rd1 mouse retina, GDNF neuroprotective effect on photoreceptors can be mediated indirectly through the activation of MGC. We demonstrate that injection of recombinant GDNF enhances the expression of GLAST and more particularly around the degenerating photoreceptors. Since we failed to demonstrate that GDNF decreases free glutamate levels, we could not ascertain whether GDNF promoted photoreceptor-survival via an increase of glutamate uptake and, therefore, a change in glutamate distributio

Evidence for glutamate-mediated excitotoxic mechanisms during photoreceptor degeneration in the rd1 mouse retina

PURPOSE: Kinetic studies of photoreceptor cell death in the retinal degeneration (rd1) mouse model suggest that photoreceptor degeneration could result from cumulative damage. Since alterations in glutamate metabolism have been described in different models of retinitis pigmentosa, we investigated in the present work whether changes in glutamate turnover occur in the degenerating rd1 retina and whether glutamate-mediated excitotoxic mechanisms may contribute to rod photoreceptor death in this model. METHODS: Free amino acid levels were quantified in rd1 and wild-type retinas using an amino acid analyzer selecting times corresponding to early, intermediate, and terminal phases of rod photoreceptor degeneration. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to compare the mRNA expression levels of the glial L-glutamate/L-aspartate transporter GLAST, glutamine synthetase (GS), and vimentin, a marker for retinal glia, between rd1 and wild-type mouse retinas. 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), an antagonist of both AMPA and kainate subtypes of ionotropic glutamate receptors, was then daily administered from postnatal day 3 (PN3) to PN21 to rd1 mice while control rd1 mice received only physiological saline solution (7 per treatment). At PN22, the respective numbers of surviving rods i

℮-conome: an automated tissue counting platform of cone photoreceptors for rodent models of retinitis pigmentosa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Retinitis pigmentosa is characterized by the sequential loss of rod and cone photoreceptors. The preservation of cones would prevent blindness due to their essential role in human vision. Rod-derived Cone Viability Factor is a thioredoxin-like protein that is secreted by rods and is involved in cone survival. To validate the activity of Rod-derived Cone Viability Factors (RdCVFs) as therapeutic agents for treating retinitis Pigmentosa, we have developed e-conome, an automated cell counting platform for retinal flat mounts of rodent models of cone degeneration. This automated quantification method allows for faster data analysis thereby accelerating translational research.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An inverted fluorescent microscope, motorized and coupled to a CCD camera records images of cones labeled with fluorescent peanut agglutinin lectin on flat-mounted retinas. In an average of 300 fields per retina, nine Z-planes at magnification X40 are acquired after two-stage autofocus individually for each field. The projection of the stack of 9 images is subject to a threshold, filtered to exclude aberrant images based on preset variables. The cones are identified by treating the resulting image using 13 variables empirically determined. The cone density is calculated over the 300 fields.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The method was validated by comparison to the conventional stereological counting. The decrease in cone density in <it>rd1 </it>mouse was found to be equivalent to the decrease determined by stereological counting. We also studied the spatiotemporal pattern of the degeneration of cones in the <it>rd1 </it>mouse and show that while the reduction in cone density starts in the central part of the retina, cone degeneration progresses at the same speed over the whole retinal surface. We finally show that for mice with an inactivation of the Nucleoredoxin-like genes <it>Nxnl1 </it>or <it>Nxnl2 </it>encoding RdCVFs, the loss of cones is more pronounced in the ventral retina.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The automated platform ℮-conome used here for retinal disease is a tool that can broadly accelerate translational research for neurodegenerative diseases.</p

Oncostatin M Protects Rod and Cone Photoreceptors and Promotes Regeneration of Cone Outer Segment in a Rat Model of Retinal Degeneration

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of photoreceptor degenerative disorders that lead to loss of vision. Typically, rod photoreceptors degenerate first, resulting in loss of night and peripheral vision. Secondary cone degeneration eventually affects central vision, leading to total blindness. Previous studies have shown that photoreceptors could be protected from degeneration by exogenous neurotrophic factors, including ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines. Using a transgenic rat model of retinal degeneration (the S334-ter rat), we investigated the effects of Oncostatin M (OSM), another member of the IL-6 family of cytokines, on photoreceptor protection. We found that exogenous OSM protects both rod and cone photoreceptors. In addition, OSM promotes regeneration of cone outer segments in early stages of cone degeneration. Further investigation showed that OSM treatment induces STAT3 phosphorylation in Müller cells but not in photoreceptors, suggesting that OSM not directly acts on photoreceptors and that the protective effects of OSM on photoreceptors are mediated by Müller cells. These findings support the therapeutic strategy using members of IL-6 family of cytokines for retinal degenerative disorders. They also provide evidence that activation of the STAT3 pathway in Müller cells promotes photoreceptor survival. Our work highlights the importance of Müller cell-photoreceptor interaction in the retina, which may serve as a model of glia-neuron interaction in general