Bcl-2 is not required in retinal ganglion cells surviving optic nerve axotomy. |
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Authors: | G P Dietz E Kilic M B?hr S Isenmann |
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Affiliation: | Department of Neurology, Auf der Morgenstelle 15, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. |
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Abstract: | Axotomy of the optic nerve in rodents induces the majority of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) to undergo apoptosis: Only 10-15% survive 14 days past lesion. The molecular mechanism allowing this survival is not known. To test whether expression of the anti-apoptotic proto-oncogene bcl-2 gene is required in those RGCs, we examined the effect of optic nerve axotomy in bcl-2-/- mice. 7 days and 14 days post-lesion, the same number of surviving RGCs was detected in mutant and wild type retinas. Thus, the bcl-2 gene is not necessary for the survival of the subpopulation of retinal ganglion cells resisting axotomy-induced apoptosis in adult mice, nor does its normal expression delay retinal ganglion cell degeneration. |
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