New Study: Amacrine and photoreceptor cells treated with PEDF in culture. PEDF stimulated extensive amacrine axonal outgrowth and protected photoreceptors from cell death, simultaneously promoting their differentiation. Cell nuclei are labeled in red, and cellular skeleton in green. [Patricia Becerra, NEI]
Scientists at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the NIH, say they have determined how peptides can protect neuronal cells found in the light-sensing retina layer at the back of the eye. The peptides might someday be used to treat degenerative retinal diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The study (“Pigment Epithelium-derived Factor (PEDF) and Derived Peptides Promote Survival and Differentiation of Photoreceptors and Induce Neurite-outgrowth in Amacrine Neurons“) appears in the Journal of Neurochemistry.
“Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a cytoprotective protein for the retina. We hypothesize that this protein acts on neuronal survival and differentiation of photoreceptor cells in culture. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the neurotrophic effects of PEDF and its fragments in an in vitro model of cultured primary retinal neurons that die spontaneously in the absence of trophic factors,” write the investigators.“We used Wistar albino rats. Cell death was assayed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry through TUNEL assay, Propidium iodide, mitotracker, and Annexin V. Immunofluorescence of cells for visualizing rhodopsin, CRX, antisyntaxin under confocal microscopy was performed……
Read more: https://www.genengnews.com/news/pigment-epithelium-derived-factor-may-have-role-in-treating-eye-disease/
Source: GEN