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Superoxide dismutases in retinal degeneration of WBN/Kob rat
1Department of Ophthalmology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Sakamoto, Japan.
Purpose:
To examine the relationship between retinal degeneration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the degenerative retina of the WBN/Kob rat.
Methods:
The retinas of 4-week-old and 10-month-old WBN/ Kob rats were examined with immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. Wistar Kyoto rats were used as controls.
Results:
Retinal degeneration began 4 weeks after birth. Four-week-old WBN/Kob rats showed no manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) immunoreactivity in the photoreceptor inner segments or copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) immunoreactivity in the outer nuclear layer or photoreceptor inner segments. Control 4-week-old Wistar Kyoto rats showed positive immunoreactivities at these sites.
Conclusions:
The retinal degeneration of WBN/Kob rats begins in the outer retina. The lack of SODs in the outer retina may contribute to retinal degeneration in the WBN/Kob rats.