Rod and cone degeneration in the rd mouse is p53 independent

[摘要] Purpose: To determine whether p53 is required for the death of rodand cone photoreceptors in rd mice, a model of human retinitispigmentosa, and/or for the natural degeneration of inner nuclear layer(INL) cells in the developing retina.Methods: Rod photoreceptor and INL apoptosis was assessed by TUNELstaining of mouse sagittal sections from post natal day (P) 10, 13, 15,17, and 20 day p53+/+ and p53-/- rd retinas. Conephotoreceptor survival was measured by counting the total number ofpeanut agglutinin (PNA) positive cells in eighty four 0.25 mm x 0.25 mmbins in each eye, distributed equally across the four quadrants of wholemount retinas from 3 month old p53+/+ and p53-/- rdretinas.Results: Both the kinetics of rod and INL cell death as well as thesurvival of cones were essentially unaffected by the absence of p53.Conclusions: Despite established links with retinal apoptosis, p53is not essential for rod or cone cell degeneration in the rd mouseor for the elimination of bipolar and Muller cells during late retinaldevelopment.

[学科分类] 生物化学/生物物理