Effect of experimental glaucoma on the non-image forming visual system

DE ZAVALÍA NURIA; PLANO, SANTIAGO; FERNANDEZ, DIEGO; LANZANI, MF; SALIDO, EZEQUIEL ; BELFORTE NA; KELLER SARMIENTO MI; GOLOMBEK, DIEGO; ROSENSTEIN RE

JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: London; Año: 2011 vol. 117 p. 904 - 914

0022-3042

J Neurochem. 2011 Jun;117(5):904-14. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2011.07260.x. Epub 2011 Apr 26. Effect of experimental glaucoma on the non-image forming visual system. de Zavalía N, Plano SA, Fernandez DC, Lanzani MF, Salido E, Belforte N, Sarmiento MI, Golombek DA, Rosenstein RE. Source Laboratorio de Neuroquímica Retiniana y Oftalmología Experimental, Departamento de Bioquímica Humana, Facultad de Medicina/CEFyBO, Universidad de Buenos Aires/CONICET, Paraguay, Buenos Aires, Argentina Laboratorio de Cronobiología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, Roque Sáenz Peña, Bernal, Pcia. de Buenos Aires, Argentina Laboratorio de Histología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Morón, Machado, Pcia. de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Abstract J. Neurochem. (2011) 117, 904-914. ABSTRACT: Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, characterized by retinal ganglion cell degeneration and damage to the optic nerve. We investigated the non-image forming visual system in an experimental model of glaucoma in rats induced by weekly injections of chondroitin sulphate (CS) in the eye anterior chamber. Animals were unilaterally or bilaterally injected with CS or vehicle for 6 or 10 weeks. In the retinas from eyes injected with CS, a similar decrease in melanopsin and Thy-1 levels was observed. CS injections induced a similar decrease in the number of melanopsin-containing cells and superior collicular retinal ganglion cells. Experimental glaucoma induced a significant decrease in the afferent pupil light reflex. White light significantly decreased nocturnal pineal melatonin content in control and glaucomatous animals, whereas blue light decreased this parameter in vehicle- but not in CS-injected animals. A significant decrease in light-induced c-Fos expression in the suprachiasmatic nuclei was observed in glaucomatous animals. General rhythmicity and gross entrainment appear to be conserved, but glaucomatous animals exhibited a delayed phase angle with respect to lights off and a significant increase in the percentage of diurnal activity. These results indicate the glaucoma induced significant alterations in the non-image forming visual system.