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Lack of Causal Relationship Between Clusterin Expression and Photoreceptor Apoptosis in Light‐Induced Retinal Degeneration
Author(s) -
Jomary Catherine,
Darrow Ruth M.,
Wong Paul,
Organisciak Daniel T.,
Neal Michael J.,
Jones Stephen E.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.1999.0721923.x
Subject(s) - clusterin , retina , retinal pigment epithelium , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , outer nuclear layer , apoptosis , retinal , inner nuclear layer , programmed cell death , retinal degeneration , ganglion cell layer , photoreceptor cell , neuroscience , genetics , biochemistry
Induction of apoptosis in the retina leads to cellular death by molecular mechanisms that are not well understood. Clusterin expression is increased in tissues undergoing apoptosis, including retinal neurodegenerative states, but the causal relationships remain to be clarified. To gain insight into clusterin's role in photoreceptor apoptosis, the cellular distribution of clusterin mRNA was compared with the pattern of apoptotic nuclear labelling in a rat model of light‐induced retinal degeneration. In control retinal sections, clusterin mRNA was localized to the retinal pigment epithelium cells, photoreceptor inner segments, inner nuclear layer, and ganglion cell layer. Clusterin expression decreased in photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium cells, which progressively degenerated, and increased in preserved inner nuclear layer, in proportion to the duration of light exposure in both cyclic light‐ and dark‐reared animals. These results suggest that clusterin is not causally involved in apoptotic mechanisms of photoreceptor death, but may relate to cytoprotective functions.