New diagnostic strategy for glaucoma optic neuropathy using the visualization for mitochondrial transport in the optic nerve

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390395
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Inatani Masaru 福井大学, 医学部, 教授 (40335245)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAMURA Yoshihiro 福井大学, 医学部, 准教授 (00283193) ; TOMOMATSU Takeshi 福井大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (10401994) ; TANIHARA Hidenobu 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(医), 教授 (60217148)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 軸索流 / ミトコンドリア / 緑内障 / 二光子レーザー顕微鏡 / 網膜 / 視神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined whether live imaging for optic nerve axonal flow was useful for predicting the progression of glaucoma optic neuropathy. Our experiments using transgenic mice revealed the movement of mitochondria in the axons of retinal ganglion cells anterogradely and retrogradely. In glaucoma axons, the number of mitochondrial transport was decreased; mitochondria-free axonal regions were increased; mitochondrial sizes were shortened. In aged axons, the number of mitochondrial transport was unchanged; mitochondria-free axonal regions were increased; mitochondrial sizes were shortened. The aged glaucoma axons showed more decreased number of mitochondrial transport than the young glaucoma axons did. These results are the first data about live imaging of axonal transport in a physiologic condition, demonstrating the deterioration of axonal transport before glaucoma optic neuropathy.

Free Research Field

緑内障