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Retinal functional alterations in mice lacking intermediate filament proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin
Author(s) -
Wunderlich Kirsten A.,
Tanimoto Naoyuki,
Grosche Antje,
Zrenner Eberhart,
Pekny Milos,
Reichenbach Andreas,
Seeliger Mathias W.,
Pannicke Thomas,
Perez MariaThereza
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.15-272963
Subject(s) - glial fibrillary acidic protein , vimentin , retinal , intermediate filament , gfap stain , retina , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , intermediate filament protein , photoreceptor cell , muller glia , gliosis , electroretinography , chemistry , cell , neuroscience , cytoskeleton , immunology , biochemistry , progenitor cell , stem cell , immunohistochemistry
Vimentin (Vim) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) are important components of the intermediate filament (IF) (or nanofilament) system of astroglial cells. We conducted full‐field electroretinogram (ERG) recordings and found that whereas photoreceptor responses (a‐wave) were normal in uninjured GFAP –/– Vim –/– mice, b‐wave amplitudes were increased. Moreover, we found that Kir (inward rectifier K + ) channel protein expression was reduced in the retinas of GFAP –/– Vim –/– mice and that Kir‐mediated current amplitudes were lower in Müller glial cells isolated from these mice. Studies have shown that the IF system, in addition, is involved in the retinal response to injury and that attenuated Müller cell reactivity and reduced photoreceptor cell loss are observed in IF‐deficient mice after experimental retinal detachment. We investigated whether the lack of IF proteins would affect cell survival in a retinal ischemia‐reperfusion model. We found that although cell loss was induced in both genotypes, the number of surviving cells in the inner retina was lower in IF‐deficient mice. Our findings thus show that the inability to produce GFAP and Vim affects normal retinal physiology and that the effect of IF deficiency on retinal cell survival differs, depending on the underlying pathologic condition.—Wunderlich, K. A., Tanimoto, N., Grosche, A., Zrenner, E., Pekny, M., Reichenbach, A., Seeliger, M. W., Pannicke, T., Perez, M.‐T. Retinal functional alterations in mice lacking intermediate filament proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin. FASEB J. 29, 4815–4828 (2015). www.fasebj.org