1. Melatonin Prevents Non-image-Forming Visual System Alterations Induced by Experimental Glaucoma in Rats
- Author
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María F, González Fleitas, Julián, Devouassoux, Marcos L, Aranda, Hernán H, Dieguez, Juan S, Calanni, Agustina, Iaquinandi, Pablo H, Sande, Damián, Dorfman, and Ruth E, Rosenstein
- Subjects
Male ,Retinal Ganglion Cells ,Light ,Rod Opsins ,Animals ,Glaucoma ,Suprachiasmatic Nucleus ,Rats, Wistar ,Antioxidants ,Vision, Ocular ,Melatonin ,Rats - Abstract
Glaucoma is a blindness-causing disease that involves selective damage to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. A subset of RGCs expressing the photopigment melanopsin regulates non-image-forming visual system functions, such as pupillary light reflex and circadian rhythms. We analyzed the effect of melatonin on the non-image-forming visual system alterations induced by experimental glaucoma. For this purpose, male Wistar rats were weekly injected with vehicle or chondroitin sulfate into the eye anterior chamber. The non-image-forming visual system was analyzed in terms of (1) melanopsin-expressing RGC number, (2) anterograde transport from the retina to the olivary pretectal nucleus and the suprachiasmatic nuclei, (3) blue- and white light-induced pupillary light reflex, (4) light-induced c-Fos expression in the suprachiasmatic nuclei, (5) daily rhythm of locomotor activity, and (6) mitochondria in melanopsin-expressing RGC cells. Melatonin prevented the effect of experimental glaucoma on melanopsin-expressing RGC number, blue- and white light-induced pupil constriction, retina-olivary pretectal nucleus, and retina- suprachiasmatic nuclei communication, light-induced c-Fos expression in the suprachiasmatic nuclei, and alterations in the locomotor activity daily rhythm. In addition, melatonin prevented the effect of glaucoma on melanopsin-expressing RGC mitochondrial alterations. These results support that melatonin protected the non-image-forming visual system against glaucoma, probably through a mitochondrial protective mechanism.
- Published
- 2020