%0 Journal Article
%T The Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor and Effects of Its Agonist, Pioglitazone, on a Rat Model of Optic Nerve Crush: PPAR¦Ã in Retinal Neuroprotection
%A Juming Zhu
%A Junfang Zhang
%A Min Ji
%A Hongwei Gu
%A Yue Xu
%A Chen Chen
%A Nan Hu
%J PLOS ONE
%D 2013
%I Public Library of Science (PLoS)
%R 10.1371/journal.pone.0068935
%X It has been shown that peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPAR¦Ã) is beneficial for central nervous system injury. However its role on optic nerve injury remains unknown. In the present study, we examined the change of PPAR¦Ã expression in rat retina following optic nerve injury and investigated the effect of pioglitazone (Pio), a PPAR¦Ã agonist, on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) neuroprotection using a rat optic nerve crush (ONC) model. Our results showed that PPAR¦Ã mRNA and protein levels were increased after ONC, and most of PPAR¦Ã-immunoreactive cells colocalized with M¨¹ller cells. Pio treatment significantly enhanced the number of surviving RGCs and inhibited RGCs apoptosis induced by ONC. However, when PPAR¦Ã antagonist GW9662 was used, these neuroprotective effects were abolished. In addition, pio attenuated M¨¹ller cell activation after ONC. These results indicate that PPAR¦Ã appears to protect RGCs from ONC possibly via the reduction of M¨¹ller glial activation. It provides evidence that activation of PPAR¦Ã may be a potential alternative treatment for RGCs neuroprotection.
%U http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0068935