April 2009
Volume 50, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   April 2009
Heme Oxygenase Pathway in Retinal Degenerations
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • J. U. Sung
    Ophthalmology,
    Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Inst, Baltimore, Maryland
  • B. Oveson
    Ophthalmology,
    Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Inst, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Y.-J. Jo
    Ophthalmology,
    Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Inst, Baltimore, Maryland
  • J. Shen
    Ophthalmology,
    Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Inst, Baltimore, Maryland
  • T. Sedlak
    Neuroscience,
    Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Inst, Baltimore, Maryland
  • S. Blackshaw
    Ophthalmology,
    Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Inst, Baltimore, Maryland
  • S. H. Snyder
    Neuroscience,
    Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Inst, Baltimore, Maryland
  • P. A. Campochiaro
    Ophthalmology,
    Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Inst, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  J.U. Sung, None; B. Oveson, None; Y.-J. Jo, None; J. Shen, None; T. Sedlak, None; S. Blackshaw, None; S.H. Snyder, None; P.A. Campochiaro, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  NIH Grant EY015025-03, FFB Grant C-NP-0707-0419-JHU05, Knights Templar Eye Foundation
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science April 2009, Vol.50, 4488. doi:
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      J. U. Sung, B. Oveson, Y.-J. Jo, J. Shen, T. Sedlak, S. Blackshaw, S. H. Snyder, P. A. Campochiaro; Heme Oxygenase Pathway in Retinal Degenerations. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2009;50(13):4488.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract

Purpose: : To evaluate the role of the heme oxygenase degradation pathway and its end product, bilirubin in retinal degenerations.

Methods: : Localization in ocular tissues of heme oxygenase-1, heme oxygenase-2, and biliverdin reductase expression were performed using in situ hybridization. Heme oxygenase-2 knockout mice and two murine models of oxidative damage were employed to evaluate the role of the heme oxygenase pathway - paraquat-induced retinal degeneration and light-induced retinal degeneration. Intravitreal injections of bilirubin were performed to evaluate its effect on these models of retinal degeneration.

Results: : Heme oxygenase-1, heme oxygenase-2, and biliverdin reductase expression were found in the outer nuclear layer of the retina, retinal pigmented epithelium, cornea, and extraocular muscles. Heme oygenase-1 was also found in lens tissue. In heme oxygenase-2 knockout mice, a-wave amplitudes of electroretinograms were markedly decreased compared to wild-type mice in paraquat-induced oxidative damage models. In both the paraquat-induced and light-damage retinal degeneration models, mice injected with intravitreal bilirubin showed less of a decrease in the a- and b-wave amplitudes compared with control eyes.

Conclusions: : There is expression of the heme degradation pathway in ocular tissues including the retina and retinal pigmented epithelium. In the heme oxygenase-2 knockout mouse, the retinal cones may be more susceptible to oxidative damage due to paraquat. Bilirubin may provide a neuroprotective effect against oxidative damage in the paraquat-induced and light-induced retinal degeneration models.

Keywords: retina • oxidation/oxidative or free radical damage 
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