›› 2011, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (12): 1697-.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2011.12.008

• Original article (Basic research) • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Relationship between cell apoptosis and expression of hypoxia-induced factor-1alpha in retinal cells after ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

YUAN Hai-hong1, ZHOU Wei2, BAO Hui-ying1, TAN Pan-pan2, ZHU Zhao-rong3, WU Guo-zhong1   

  1. 1.Laboratory of Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Health Sciences, Shanghai 201318, China;2.Laboratory of Pharmacology, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China;3.Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
  • Online:2011-12-28 Published:2012-01-04
  • Supported by:

    Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai, 11ZR1419300;Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 09XJ21079;Innovation Program of Shanghai Education Committee, 10YZ241

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the changes of cell apoptosis and expression of hypoxia-induced factor-1α (HIF-1α) in retinal cells after ischemiareperfusion injury in rats, and explore the relationship between them. Methods Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, 1 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group, 3 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group and 5 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group (n=6). Retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury model was induced by perfusing saline into anterior chamber of eye to generate the intraocular pressure of 110 mmHg for 50 min. Retinal sections were prepared, the thickness of inner plexiform layer (IPL) and inner nuclear layer (INL) and the number of cells in ganglion cell layer (GCL) were measured, the retinal cell apoptosis was determined by TUNEL, the expression of HIF-1α in retinal cells was observed with immunohistochemical staining, and the expression of HIF-1α mRNA at different time points after injury was detected by RTPCR. Results Compared with normal control group, the thickness of IPL and INL was significantly lower (P<0.01), and the number of cells in GCL was significantly smaller in 1 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group, 3 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group and 5 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group (P<0.05). Apoptosis of retinal cells occurred in GCL, and the apoptosis rates in 1 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group, 3 d after ischemiareperfusion injury group and 5 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group were significantly higher than that in normal control group (P<0.01). The rates of positive expression of HIF-1α in GCL of retina in 1 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group, 3 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group and 5 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group were (47.88±14.71)%,(50.28±13.11)% and (43.09±10.04)% respectively, which were in line with the tendency of apoptosis of retinal cells (r=0.953). The expression of HIF-1α mRNA in 3 d after ischemia-reperfusion injury group was significantly higher than that in normal control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Both cell apoptosis and expression of HIF-1α in retinal cells increase after ischemiareperfusion injury in rats, and there is a positive correlation between them. The expression of HIF-1α may play an important role in retinal cell apoptosis.

Key words: ischemia reperfusion, retina, hypoxia-induced factor-1α, apoptosis