Abstract
Purpose: :
The hydrophillic bile acid tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is neuroprotective in mouse models of retinal degeneration and vision loss. It is not clear whether this protective effect is unique to mice. The purpose of these experiments was to determine whether TUDCA is neuroprotective against light-induced visual function loss in albino rats.
Methods: :
Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to dim (50 lux) or bright (10,000 lux) white light for 2 hours. Rats were injected with TUDCA dissolved in vehicle (sodium bicarbonate, pH 7.4-7.5) or vehicle alone. Intraperitoneal injections were given daily for twelve days. Electroretinograms (ERGs) were taken 2, 7, and 12 days following light exposure.
Results: :
Rats injected with vehicle and exposed to bright light exhibited significantly diminished ERG a-wave and b-wave amplitudes compared to rats exposed to bright light but treated with TUDCA.
Conclusions: :
Similar to mouse models of retinal degeneration, treatment with TUDCA prevented loss of retinal function in rats exposed to otherwise vision-damaging levels of light. The protective effect of TUDCA treatment in models of visual function loss is not restricted to mice.
Keywords: neuroprotection • apoptosis/cell death • retinal degenerations: cell biology