Abstract
Purpose :
We previously established that Ossabaw mini pigs exposed to the western diet develop the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and acquire type 2 diabetes (T2DM), resembling the human phenotype. In this study, we sought to elucidate the structural and histological characteristics of the Ossabaw pig retina.
Methods :
Six-month-old Ossabaw pigs were fed on a western diet for six weeks. At the end of the study, blood profiling was performed to confirm type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The retina was dissected and cryosectioned for light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Retinal sections were immunostained using specific antibodies for ganglion cells, synapses, bipolar cells, and retinal photoreceptors and imaged on a confocal microscope.
Results :
The Ossabaw mini pigs had elevated fasting blood glucose concentrations and dyslipidemia. Ossabaw pig retinas showed disrupted cellular architecture across neural layers, with numerous large vacuoles seen in the inner nuclear layer's cell bodies and the ganglion cell layer. The immunostained retina showed degenerative neuronal cells and loss of synapses that are vital to retinal function.
Conclusions :
The present study described the early degenerative and neuronal changes in the retina caused by the western diet-induced metabolic abnormalities in the Ossabaw mini pigs.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.