Limiting photoreceptor death and decontruction during experimental retinal detachment: the value of oxygen upplementation Original Reearch Article

PURPOE: To ae the role of hypoxia in cauing the death and decontruction of photoreceptor in detached retina and the effectivene of upplemental oxygen in limiting uch damage. METHOD: Retinal detachment wa induced urgically in the right eye of each of 10 cat. The cat were allowed to urvive urgery for 3 day. Two were kept for thee 3 day in normoxia (room air, 21% oxygen) and eight in hyperoxia (70% oxygen). The retina were examined for cell death by ue of label for normal and fragmenting DNA, with antibodie and a cone heath-pecific lectin to demontrate the tatu of their inner and outer egment, the ynaptic tructure of the outer plexiform layer, and the ditribution of baic fibroblat growth factor (bFGF) and with in itu hybridization to demontrate bFGF mRNA. REULT: Retinal detachment without oxygen upplementation caued the death of ome photoreceptor; the lo of cytochrome oxidae from the inner egment and the collape of the outer egment of urviving photoreceptor; the lo of ynaptophyin profile from the outer plexiform layer; and the lo of bFGF protein from retinal neuron and neuroglia but not from retinal veel. Oxygen upplementation (hyperoxia) during detachment mitigated all thee change, reducing photoreceptor death, maintaining the pecialized tructure of urviving photoreceptor, and tabilizing the bFGF within the retina. CONCLUION: In experimental retinal detachment, hypoxia caued by the eparation of outer retina from it normal ource of nutrient i a factor in inducing the death and decontruction of photoreceptor a well a in the lo of bFGF from the detached retina. Hyperoxia offered to human patient between diagnoi of retinal detachment and urgery may enhance the function of the reattached retina.