Neuroprotective effect of PACAP against retinal damage in Glaucoma via immunomoduration

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24592681
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: Seki Tamotsu 昭和大学, 医学部, 客員教授 (10245855)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKAMACHI Tomoya 富山大学, 大学院理工学研究部(理学), 助教 (30433840) ; WATANABE Jun 昭和大学, 遺伝子組換え実験室, 助教 (50649069)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: PACAP / 緑内障

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we examined the effect of ｐituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in Glaucoma model mice.
When PACAP was co-administered with NMDA, significantly increased RGC survival at day 7, and a decrease in the number of TUNEL-positive RGCs at day 3 were observed.
The injection of PACAP significantly increased the number of retinal microglia/macrophage (MG/MΦ). PACAP significantly elevated the messenger RNA levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as transforming growth factor beta 1 and IL-10 in the injured retina, with the immunoreactivities seen to overlap with markers of MG/MΦ. These results suggest that PACAP enhances the proliferation and/or infiltration of retinal MG/MΦ and modulates their status into an acquired deactivation subtype to favor conditions for neuroprotection.

Free Research Field

眼科学