Purinergic signaling is involved in the regeneration of the zebrafish retina

ARIADNA BATTISTA; JIMENA RICATTI; PAULA FAILLACE

Huerta Grande- Cordoba

Congreso; II RCN: XXV Reunión anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias y XII Taller Argentino de Neurociencias; 2010

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias - SAN

In the adult fish, damage of the mature retina activates tissue regeneration from different pools of intrinsic germinal and precursor cells. Extracellular purinergic signaling in the injured milieu is crucial for inducing cell proliferation and repair processes. We have previously demonstrated that cell proliferation is regulated by extracellular ADP via P2Y1 membrane receptors, because a P2Y1 receptor antagonist completely blocked lesion-induced increase in mitotic division. Injury-induced cell proliferation was not modified by antagonists for other ADP-, adenosine- or ATP-activated receptors. Here, we report for the first time the presence of mRNA (RT-PCR) and protein (immunofluorescence) for P2Y1 receptor in the zebrafish retina. We also described that zebrafish retina expresses mRNA for P2Y2, P2X2, P2X1, P2X7 and P2Y12 receptors. Additionally, we evaluated the localization of P2Y1 receptor in the zebrafish retinal layers in non-lesioned and lesioned retinas by using specific markers of retinal cells. We found that this receptor is localized in the inner layers mainly at synaptic level. Colabeling with SV2 suggests that P2Y1 receptor is principally on postsynapsis.  Quantification of P2Y1 receptor mRNA levels by realtime RT-PCR in the retinal tissue following damage is under investigation. Together these results add supporting evidence for an important role of extracellular ADP, which by acting via P2Y1 receptors regulates cell proliferative activity necessary for retinal regeneration.