Pathological changes in human retinal ganglion cells associated with diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pathological changes in human retinal ganglion cells associated with diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy

AU - Stemplewitz, Birthe

AU - Pavlidis, Mitrofanis

AU - Stupp, Tobias

AU - Thanos, Solon

AU - Stemplewitz, Birthe

PY - 2007/7/1

Y1 - 2007/7/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: To examine whether systemic diseases like diabetes and arterial hypertension, which frequently cause retinopathies leading to blindness effect the morphology of retinal ganglion cells (RGC).METHODS: Histological retina material with a history of being untreated, or laser-coagulated (LC) diabetic retinopathy (DR), or arterial hypertensive retinopathy (AHR) was used. The RGC were labeled by introducing crystals of the fluorescent carbocyanine dye DiI into the nerve fiber layer, which contains ganglion cell axons.RESULTS: The typical silhouettes of both major types of RGC, parasol and midget cells, were identified. The axons in DR and AHR retinas showed morphology changes such as irregular swelling and beading. Dendritic field sizes were significantly reduced in RGC of both the hypertonic and diabetic retinas. A significant reduction in branching frequency was evident in both the diabetic and hypertonic retinas, in both the midget and the parasol cells. In LC retinas, both parasol and midget RGC were observed within the LC spots, although their numbers were dramatically decreased compared with normal retinas.CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that diabetes and arterial hypertonia have similar effects on the morphology of RGC, in addition to causing microvascular alterations and bleeding. Therefore, therapeutic measures and prognostic outcomes in diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy should also consider regressive changes in retinal neurons.

AB - BACKGROUND: To examine whether systemic diseases like diabetes and arterial hypertension, which frequently cause retinopathies leading to blindness effect the morphology of retinal ganglion cells (RGC).METHODS: Histological retina material with a history of being untreated, or laser-coagulated (LC) diabetic retinopathy (DR), or arterial hypertensive retinopathy (AHR) was used. The RGC were labeled by introducing crystals of the fluorescent carbocyanine dye DiI into the nerve fiber layer, which contains ganglion cell axons.RESULTS: The typical silhouettes of both major types of RGC, parasol and midget cells, were identified. The axons in DR and AHR retinas showed morphology changes such as irregular swelling and beading. Dendritic field sizes were significantly reduced in RGC of both the hypertonic and diabetic retinas. A significant reduction in branching frequency was evident in both the diabetic and hypertonic retinas, in both the midget and the parasol cells. In LC retinas, both parasol and midget RGC were observed within the LC spots, although their numbers were dramatically decreased compared with normal retinas.CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that diabetes and arterial hypertonia have similar effects on the morphology of RGC, in addition to causing microvascular alterations and bleeding. Therefore, therapeutic measures and prognostic outcomes in diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy should also consider regressive changes in retinal neurons.

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Axons

KW - Carbocyanines

KW - Diabetic Retinopathy

KW - Fluorescent Dyes

KW - Humans

KW - Hypertension

KW - Laser Coagulation

KW - Microscopy, Fluorescence

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Nerve Fibers

KW - Retinal Diseases

KW - Retinal Ganglion Cells

U2 - 10.1007/s00417-006-0489-x

DO - 10.1007/s00417-006-0489-x

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 17186260

VL - 245

SP - 1009

EP - 1018

JO - GRAEF ARCH CLIN EXP

JF - GRAEF ARCH CLIN EXP

SN - 0721-832X

IS - 7

ER -