Optometry and Vision Sciences - Research Publications

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    Susceptibility of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rat Retinal Function and Ocular Blood Flow to Acute Intraocular Pressure Challenge
    Wong, VHY ; Vingrys, AJ ; Jobling, AI ; Bui, BV (ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC, 2013-03)
    PURPOSE: To consider the hypothesis that streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hyperglycemia renders rat retinal function and ocular blood flow more susceptible to acute IOP challenge. METHODS: Retinal function (electroretinogram [ERG]) was measured during acute IOP challenge (10100 mm Hg, increments of 5 mm Hg, 3 minutes per step, vitreal cannulation) in adult Long-Evans rats (6 weeks old; citrate: n = 6, STZ: n = 10) 4 weeks after citrate buffer or STZ (65 mg/kg, blood glucose >15 mM) injection. At each IOP, dim and bright flash (-4.56, -1.72 log cd x s x m(-2)) ERG responses were recorded to measure inner retinal and ON-bipolar cell function, respectively. Ocular blood flow (laser Doppler flowmetry; citrate: n = 6, STZ: n = 10) was also measured during acute IOP challenge. Retinas were isolated for quantitative PCR analysis of nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression (endothelial, eNos; inducible, iNos; neuronal, nNos). RESULTS: STZ-induced diabetes increased the susceptibility of inner retinal (IOP at 50% response, 60.1, CI: 57.0-62.0 mm Hg versus citrate: 67.5, CI: 62.1-72.4 mm Hg) and ON-bipolar cell function (STZ: 60.3, CI: 58.0-62.8 mm Hg versus citrate: 65.1, CI: 61.9-68.6 mm Hg) and ocular blood flow (43.9, CI: 40.8-46.8 versus citrate: 53.4, CI: 50.7-56.1 mm Hg) to IOP challenge. Citrate eyes showed elevated eNos mRNA (+49.7%) after IOP stress, an effect not found in STZ-diabetic eyes (-5.7%, P < 0.03). No difference was observed for iNos or nNos (P > 0.05) following IOP elevation. CONCLUSIONS: STZ-induced diabetes increased functional susceptibility during acute IOP challenge. This functional vulnerability is associated with a reduced capacity for diabetic eyes to upregulate eNos expression and to autoregulate blood flow in response to stress.
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    Glial and neuronal dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
    Wong, VHY ; Vingrys, AJ ; Bui, BV (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2011-06)
    Neuronal dysfunction has been noted very soon after the induction of diabetes by streptozotocin injection in rats. It is not clear from anatomical evidence whether glial cell dysfunction accompanies the well-documented neuronal deficit. Here, we isolate the Müller cell driven slow-P3 component of the full-field electroretinogram and show that it is attenuated at 4 weeks following the onset of streptozotocin-hyperglycaemia. We also found a concurrent reduction in the sensitivity of the phototransduction cascade, as well as in the components of the electroretinogram known to indicate retinal ganglion cell and amacrine cell integrity. Our data support the idea that neuronal and Müller cell dysfunction occurs at the same time in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycaemia.