Ceruloplasmin is upregulated in the retina in murine and primate glaucoma

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: To determine whether ceruloplasmin participates in the retinal pathophysiology associated with murine glaucoma. Method: Young pre–pathologic (3 month old) and aged glaucomatous (15 month old) DBA2 mice and non–pathologic C57/BL6 mice were used. Retinas were removed and subjected to Western blot analysis. Additionally eyes were fixed and subjected to immunohistochemical analysis. Ceruloplasmin immunoreactivity was compared between eyes of young (pre–pathologic) and aged animals. Results: Aged glaucomatous DBA2 mice exhibited a marked increase in ceruloplasmin immunoreactivity in the retinas analyzed by Western blotting compared to young DBA2 mice. Such upregulation was not detected in similarly aged C57 animals. Most of the immunoreactivity observed in aged DBA2 retinas was localized by immunohistochemistry in the inner retina in a pattern consistent with presence of the protein in the Müller cell layer. Conclusion: Ceruloplasmin is upregulated in murine experimental glaucoma. Upregulation of ceruloplasmin may indicate its participation in the retinal pathophysiology of this disease and reconfirms the relevance of the DBA2 strain as a model of the human disease, where increased retinal ceruloplasmin has also been found.

Keywords: retinal degenerations: cell biology