Hypothermia protects from perinatal asphyxia-induced retinopathy, when applied either during or after asphyxia

ALFREDO MARTINEZ1 , MANUEL REY-FUNES2 , IGNACIO LARRAYOZ1 , DANIELA S. CONTARTESE2 , VERÓNICA B. DORFMAN3 , FEDERICO ROLÓN2 , ANIBAL SAROTTO2 , CÉSAR F. LOIDL

Congreso; ARVO Annual Meeting; 2016

Purpose:Perinatal asphyxia (PA) occurs in 2-4 cases per 1,000 births and 30% of affectedneonates die as a result. Among the survivors, 50% present neurological sequelae, includingretinopathy. We have previously shown that hypothermia during PA can prevent all manifestationsof PA-induced retinopathy. Here we investigate whether hypothermia given after the asphyctic eventis also effective.Methods:Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed after vaginal delivery of their first pup.Full-term fetuses, still inside the uterus, were subjected to asphyxia performed by transientimmersion in a water bath for 20 minutes at either 37°C (PA group) or at 15°C (HYP group). Afterthis, pups were given to surrogate mothers. Half of the asphyctic neonates were subjected tohypothermia at 8°C for 15 min (HYP-PA group). Pups delivered by normal birth were used ascontrols (CTL group). Young rats were sacrificed at different times and eyes were processed forRNA and protein extraction or for morphological studies.Results:Animals in the PA group had a significant thickening of the inner retina compared to theCTL group (p