Abstract:AIM: To research the neuroprotective effects of lomerizine(LOM)on retinal ganglion cells(RGCs)in the diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice.
METHODS: Fifty-four mice were randomly divided into two groups which were fed a high-fat diet for 19wk. One group mice were lavaged LOM by the dosage of 80mg/kg daily at the same time. The obese mice were selected and divided into diet-induced obesity(DIO)group, diet-induced obesity and lomerizine(DIO+LOM)group. The mice in the control(CON)group were fed a basal diet. The ultrastructural changes of RGCs were detected by transmission electron microscope. The cellular apoptosis was detected by TUNEL. The laser scanning confocal microscope was used to measure intracellular calcium ion concentration.
RESULTS: Compared with the CON group, the RGCs in DIO group showed smaller and condensation of nuclear chromatin and increased electron density of the cytoplasm, whereas the changes in DIO+LOM mice were obviously diminished. TUNEL staining showed that the number of apoptosis cells in the ganglion cell layer(GCL)increased in DIO group and the percentage of apoptotic cells was much higher than that in the CON groups(P<0.01). The DIO+LOM group mice showed fewer apoptosis cells and the percentage of apoptotic cells in this group were significantly decreased than the DIO mice(P<0.05). The Laser scanning confocal microscope detection showed Ca2+ staining intensity of RGCs in DIO group increased and its staining intensity ratio was significantly higher than in CON group(P<0.01), the Ca2+ staining intensity and its staining intensity ratio in DIO+LOM group were significantly decreased than the DIO group(P<0.01).
CONCLUSION: Lomerizine has neuroprotective effects on damage of retinal ganglion cells in diet-induced obesity mice, which may be related to the attenuation of intracellular Ca2+ overload.
