HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yamazaki, H. Articles by Dezawa, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yamazaki, H. Articles by Dezawa, M.

Preservation of Retinal Morphology and Functions in Royal College Surgeons Rat by Nilvadipine, a Ca²⁺ Antagonist

¹ From the Department of Ophthalmology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan; ² Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; and ³ Department of Anatomy, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama City, Japan.

PURPOSE. The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat is the most extensively studied animal model for understanding the molecular pathology in inherited retinal degeneration, such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the pharmacologic effects of several Ca²⁺ antagonists on the retinal degeneration of RCS rats.

METHODS. Several Ca²⁺ antagonists, diltiazem, nicardipine, nilvadipine, and nifedipine, were intraperitoneally administered and retinal morphology and functions analyzed.

RESULTS. Among the Ca²⁺ antagonists, only intraperitoneally administered nilvadipine preserved retinal morphology and electroretinogram responses in RCS rats during the initial stage of retinal degeneration. Studies using immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, and Western blot analysis revealed significant enhancement of rhodopsin kinase and A-crystallin expression and suppression of caspase 1 and 2 expression in the retina of nilvadipine-treated rats.

CONCLUSIONS. These data suggest that nilvadipine is beneficial for the preservation of photoreceptor cells in RCS rats and can be used to treat some patients with RP.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. Stearns, M. Evangelista, J. M. Fadool, and S. E. Brockerhoff A Mutation in the Cone-Specific pde6 Gene Causes Rapid Cone Photoreceptor Degeneration in Zebrafish J. Neurosci., December 12, 2007; 27(50): 13866 - 13874. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Samardzija, A. Wenzel, M. Thiersch, R. Frigg, C. Reme, and C. Grimm Caspase-1 Ablation Protects Photoreceptors in a Model of Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., December 1, 2006; 47(12): 5181 - 5190. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Ishikawa, H. Ohguro, I. Ohguro, H. Yamazaki, K. Mamiya, T. Metoki, T. Ito, Y. Yokoi, and M. Nakazawa Prolonged Rhodopsin Phosphorylation in Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration in Rat Models Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., December 1, 2006; 47(12): 5204 - 5211. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Cia, A. Bordais, C. Varela, V. Forster, J. A. Sahel, A. Rendon, and S. Picaud Voltage-Gated Channels and Calcium Homeostasis in Mammalian Rod Photoreceptors J Neurophysiol, March 1, 2005; 93(3): 1468 - 1475. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Sanvicens, V. Gomez-Vicente, I. Masip, A. Messeguer, and T. G. Cotter Oxidative Stress-induced Apoptosis in Retinal Photoreceptor Cells Is Mediated by Calpains and Caspases and Blocked by the Oxygen Radical Scavenger CR-6 J. Biol. Chem., September 17, 2004; 279(38): 39268 - 39278. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]