Effects of progesterone on the expression of MAP-1B in retinal ganglion cells of ar ts with optic nerve injury

BAI Yu; DU Limin; ZHAO Ping

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1002-7386.2016.08.002

Abstract：Objective To observe the effects of progesterone on the expression of microtubule associated protein-1B ( MAP-1B) in retinal ganglion cells of rats with optic nerve injury in order to provide experimental evidence of progesterone’ s protective effects on optic nerve.Methods Sixty rats were randomly divided into 3 groups,with 20 rats in each group.The rats in control group were not treated,however,the optic nerve injury models in right eye of rats were established in injury group 1, with 0.9%sodium chloride solution intraperitoneal injection,and the animal models were also established in injury group 2, with progesterone intraperitoneal injection.On 3d,7d,14d and 28d after injury, the right eyeballs of rats were excised, and retinal tissues were taken out, the morphological changes of retina were observed by HE staining, and the survival numbers of retinal ganglion cell were calculated, furthermore,the expression levels of MAP-1B in retinal ganglion cell were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results After optic nerve injury, the retinal nerve fiber layer appeared obvious edema, and the numbers of retinal ganglion cells were quickly decreased in injury group 1,however, the retinal morphological changes were alleviated,retinal nerve fiber layer appeared slight edema and the numbers of retinal ganglion cells were decreased slowly after treatment with progesterone in injury group 2.There was a significant difference in the optical density value at different time points between injury group 1 and injury group 2 ( P <0.05).Conclusion Progesterone can relieve the damage of retinal ganglion cells at early period of optic nerve injury through increasing the expression levels of cytoskeleton protein-MAP-1b, thus,which has protective effects on optic nerve and retina.