@article{ref1,
title="Cone photoreceptor neuroprotection conferred by CNTF in a novel in vivo model of battlefield retinal laser injury",
journal="Investigative ophthalmology and visual science",
year="2013",
author="Aslam, Sher A. and Davies, Wayne I. L. and Singh, Mandeep S. and Charbel Issa, Peter and Barnard, Alun R. and Scott, Robert A. H. and Maclaren, Robert E.",
volume="54",
number="8",
pages="5456-5465",
abstract="PURPOSE: To develop a reproducible laboratory model to simulate a battlefield foveal laser injury and to test potential neuroprotective effects of a single injection treatment which might be administered in a military setting. METHODS: Frequency-doubled 532 nm Nd:YAG laser was used to induce a threshold retinal injury bilaterally in transgenic reporter mice which have fluorescent cones. Intravitreal injection of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) was then administered to lasered eye and compared to a contralateral sham injection of saline. The effect on fluorescent cone cell survival was quantified using a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assays, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). RESULTS: At three weeks post-laser, cSLO imaging showed that the proportion of surviving GFP cones expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive cones was greater in CNTF-treated (54.1 ± 5.15% of baseline count) than in sham injected eyes (28.7 ± 4.4%), which was accompanied by a reduction in TUNEL positive cells. This difference in cone survival persisted at the 6 week point (treated, 39.6 ± 3.2% vs. sham, 18.0 ± 3.8%). These changes were accompanied by a reduction in TUNEL positive cells. The Bcl-2/Bax ratio was increased in CNTF-treated eyes at one week post laser exposure relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS: A single intravitreal injection of CNTF protein was shown to improve cone survival when administered immediately after laser exposure . Similar treatments with CNTF might also have a role in attenuating retinal laser damage sustained by combat personnel in the military setting.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0146-0404",
doi="10.1167/iovs.13-11623",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1167/iovs.13-11623"
}