Meyer R, Weissert R, Diem R, Storch M K, de Graaf K L, Kramer B, Bahr M
Neurologische Universitätsklinik, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
J Neurosci. 2001 Aug 15;21(16):6214-20. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-16-06214.2001.
Demyelination caused by inflammation of the CNS has been considered to be a major hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS). Using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a model of MS, we demonstrate that an immune-mediated attack of the optic nerve is accompanied by an early degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The decrease of neuronal cell density was correlated with functional disabilities as assessed by visual evoked cortical potentials and electroretinogram. Visual acuity was significantly reduced. DNA degradation and activation of caspase-3 in RGCs indicate that cell death of RGCs is apoptotic. These findings show for the first time that an inflammatory attack against myelin components can lead to acute neuronal cell loss by apoptosis.
中枢神经系统炎症引起的脱髓鞘被认为是多发性硬化症（MS）的主要标志。利用实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎（一种MS模型），我们证明视神经的免疫介导攻击伴随着视网膜神经节细胞（RGCs）的早期退化。神经元细胞密度的降低与通过视觉诱发电位和视网膜电图评估的功能障碍相关。视力显著下降。RGCs中的DNA降解和caspase-3的激活表明RGCs的细胞死亡是凋亡性的。这些发现首次表明，针对髓鞘成分的炎症攻击可导致凋亡引起的急性神经元细胞丢失。
