Biomedical Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.
Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Nov 19;22(22):12500. doi: 10.3390/ijms222212500.
Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy in which the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) results in irreversible vison loss. Therefore, neuroprotection of RGCs from glaucomatous afflictions is crucial for glaucoma treatment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of statins in the protection of RGCs using a rat model. Glaucomatous injury was induced in rats by chronic ocular hypertension (OHT) achieved after performing a circumlimbal suture. The rats were given either statins such as simvastatin and atorvastatin or a solvent weekly for 6 weeks. Retina sections underwent hematoxylin and eosin, Brn3a, or cleaved casepase-3 staining to evaluate RGC survival. In addition, modulation of glial activation was assessed. While the retinas without statin treatment exhibited increased RGC death due to chronic OHT, statins promoted the survival of RGCs and reduced apoptosis. Statins also suppressed chronic OHT-mediated glial activation in the retina. Our results demonstrate that statins exert neuroprotective effects in rat retinas exposed to chronic OHT, which may support the prospect of statins being a glaucoma treatment.
青光眼是一种视神经病变，其中视网膜神经节细胞（RGCs）的退化导致不可逆转的视力丧失。因此，从青光眼的影响中保护 RGCs 对青光眼的治疗至关重要。在这项研究中，我们旨在使用大鼠模型研究他汀类药物在保护 RGCs 中的有益作用。通过在圆周缝线后进行慢性眼压升高（OHT），在大鼠中诱导青光眼损伤。每周给大鼠给予他汀类药物，如辛伐他汀和阿托伐他汀，或溶剂，持续 6 周。对视网膜切片进行苏木精和伊红、Brn3a 或裂解 Caspase-3 染色，以评估 RGC 的存活情况。此外，还评估了神经胶质细胞激活的调节情况。虽然未经他汀类药物治疗的视网膜因慢性 OHT 导致 RGC 死亡增加，但他汀类药物促进了 RGC 的存活并减少了细胞凋亡。他汀类药物还抑制了慢性 OHT 介导的视网膜中神经胶质细胞的激活。我们的结果表明，他汀类药物在暴露于慢性 OHT 的大鼠视网膜中发挥神经保护作用，这可能支持他汀类药物成为治疗青光眼的一种方法。
