Benzodiazepine and Kainate Receptor Binding Sites in the RCS Rat Retina

Overview

Journal Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol

Specialty Ophthalmology

Date 2003 Feb 28

PMID 12605271

Citations 1

Authors

Kalliopi Stasi

Rita Naskar

Solon Thanos

Elias D Kouvelas

Ada Mitsacos

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The effect of age and photoreceptor degeneration on the kainate subtype of glutamate receptors and on the benzodiazepine-sensitive gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptors (GABA(A)) in normal and RCS (Royal College of Surgeons) rats were investigated.

Methods: [(3)H]Kainate and [(3)H]flunitrazepam were used as radioligands for kainate and GABA(A)/benzodiazepine()receptors, respectively, using the quantitative receptor autoradiography technique.

Results: In both normal and RCS rat retina we observed that [(3)Eta]flunitrazepam and [(3)Eta]kainate binding levels were several times higher in inner plexiform layer (IPL) than in outer plexiform layer (OPL) at all four ages studied (P17, P35, P60 and P180). Age-related changes in receptor binding were observed in normal rat retina: [(3)Eta]flunitrazepam binding showed a significant decrease of 25% between P17 and P60 in IPL,and [(3)Eta]kainate binding showed significant decreases between P17 and P35 in both synaptic layers (71% in IPL and 63% in OPL). Degeneration-related changes in benzodiazepine and kainate receptor binding were observed in RCS rat retina. In IPL, [(3)Eta]flunitrazepam and [(3)Eta]kainate binding levels were higher than in normal retina at P35 (by 24% and 86%, respectively). In OPL, [(3)Eta]flunitrazepam binding was higher in RCS than in normal retina on P35 (74%) and also on P60 (62%).

Conclusions: The results indicate that postnatal changes occur in kainate and benzodiazepine receptor binding sites in OPL and IPL of the rat retina up to 6 months of age. The data also suggest that the receptor binding changes observed in the RCS retina could be a consequence of the primary photoreceptor degeneration.

Citing Articles

Ionic dysregulatory phenotyping of pathologic retinal thinning with manganese-enhanced MRI.

Berkowitz B, Gradianu M, Schafer S, Jin Y, Porchia A, Iezzi R Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008; 49(7):3178-84.

PMID: 18362105 PMC: 2517149. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.08-1720.

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