Mitochondrial function in the brain cortex of rats in an experimental glaucoma model

HVOZDA ARANA, AILEN GALA; LASAGNI VITAR, ROMINA; REIDES, CLAUDIA; CALABRÓ,VALERIA; GARCES, MARIANA; LERNER, FABIAN; EVELSON, PABLO; LLESUY, SUSANA; FERREIRA, SANDRA

Mar del Plata

Congreso; Reunión de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones Clínicas (SAIC); 2018

Glaucoma is a disease characterized by a specific pattern of optic nerve head damage, retinal ganglion cells death and traditionally associated with high intraocular pressure. The understanding of the role of mitochondria in the onset and progression of glaucomatous damage is important to the comprehension of this pathology since the function of the mitochondria exerts an important impact in the neuronal life or death pathway and is essential for neurotransmission.The aims were to evaluate the alterations of mitochondrial function and antioxidant defenses in an experimental glaucoma model.Three-month female Wistar rats were divided in two groups (n=4): glaucoma group in which rats were operated under a microscope by cauterized two of the episcleral veins (GG) and control group which received a sham procedure (CG). Seven days after surgery rats were euthanized, brain cortex was separated, and mitochondria were isolated. The local committee for animal care (CICUAL-FFyB) approved the experimental model. The following markers were evaluated: oxygen consumption (OC), ATP production, hydrogen peroxide production, protein carbonylation (PC), and the activities of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). In GG the ATP production decreased 38% compared to CG (C 52.0 ± 4.4 nmol ATP/ min mg prot p