Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the longitudinal development of retinal changes in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice.
Methods :
Thirteen STZ induced diabetic mice (n=7 males, n=6 females) were imaged longitudinally from 4 months of age (baseline) and continued through 18 months of age. Confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) images and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were taken at baseline (4 months), 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 18 month time points. Fluorescein angiography was conducted after intra-peritoneal injection of Na-fluorescein (1%) and images were taken at ~6 minutes for the venous (late) phase of blood circulation. Analyses was performed with an ImageJ software-based protocol for FA leakage quantification. OCT automated mouse retina segmentation software (Diver 1.4, Bioptigen Inc.) was used to generate heat (thickness) maps and evaluate thickness measurement of the distinct “8 layers” of the retina. Blood glucose levels were also measured after each imaging session.
Results :
Male mice showed significantly higher blood glucose levels compared with female mice following similar STZ delivery regimens based on body weight. Increased FA leakage was observed only in male mice at months 8, 9, and 18. Female STZ mice show no changes in FA leakage at any time point. Total retinal thickness of the male STZ mice shows significant decreases in thickness at various time points while these changes in female mice were variable. Both the middle (OPL-ONL) and outer (IS-RPE) layer thickness had more profound changes in the males than the females.
Conclusions :
Blood retinal barrier disruption and structural changes in the retina of diabetic mice were more prominent in male mice compared with females.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.