Dendrites of rod bipolar cells sprout in normal aging retina

LKB1 and AMPK regulate synaptic remodeling in old age

Age-related decreases in neural function result in part from alterations in synapses. To identify molecular defects that lead to such changes, we focused on the outer retina, in which synapses are markedly altered in old rodents and humans. We found that the serine/threonine kinase LKB1 and one of its substrates, AMPK, regulate this process. In old mice, synaptic remodeling was accompanied by specific decreases in the levels of total LKB1 and active (phosphorylated) AMPK. In the absence of either kinase, young adult mice developed retinal defects similar to those that occurred in old wild-type animals. LKB1 and AMPK function in rod photoreceptors where their loss leads to aberrant axonal retraction, the extension of postsynaptic dendrites and the formation of ectopic synapses. Conversely, increasing AMPK activity genetically or pharmacologically attenuates and may reverse age-related synaptic alterations. Together, these results identify molecular determinants of age-related synaptic remodeling and suggest strategies for attenuating these changes.

A dam for retrograde axonal degeneration in multiple sclerosis?

OBJECTIVE

Trans-synaptic axonal degeneration is a mechanism by which neurodegeneration can spread from a sick to a healthy neuron in the central nervous system. This study investigated to what extent trans-synaptic axonal degeneration takes place within the visual pathway in multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHODS

A single-centre study, including patients with long-standing MS and healthy controls. Structural imaging of the brain (MRI) and retina (spectral-domain optical coherence tomography) were used to quantify the extent of atrophy of individual retinal layers and the primary and secondary visual cortex. Generalised estimation equations and multivariable regression analyses were used for comparisons.

RESULTS

Following rigorous quality control (OSCAR-IB), data from 549 eyes of 293 subjects (230 MS, 63 healthy controls) were included. Compared with control data, there was a significant amount of atrophy of the inner retinal layers in MS following optic neuritis (ON) and also in absence of ON. For both scenarios, atrophy stopped at the level of the inner nuclear layer. In contrast, there was significant localised atrophy of the primary visual cortex and secondary visual cortex in MS following ON, but not in MS in absence of ON.

INTERPRETATION

These data suggest that retrograde (trans-synaptic) axonal degeneration stops at the inner nuclear layer, a neuronal network capable of plasticity. In contrast, there seems to be no neuroplasticity of the primary visual cortex, rendering the structure vulnerable to anterograde (trans-synaptic) degeneration.

Confirming a prediction of the calcium hypothesis of photoreceptor aging in mice

Prior work in healthy rats supported a calcium hypothesis of photoreceptor aging, wherein progressive age-related declines in photopic vision are explainable by the extent of earlier escalating d-cis-diltiazem-insensitive increases in photoreceptor L-type calcium channel (LTCC) activity in vivo. Unlike rats, healthy mice have relatively stable photopic vision until after 18 months of age. We therefore hypothesized that photoreceptor LTCC activity in mice would not progressively increase until after 18 months. In 2-5, 10, 18, and 26 months male C57Bl/6J mice, photoreceptor LTCC activity and retinal thickness were evaluated in vivo (manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging) with some groups also treated with d-cis-diltiazem; visual performance was evaluated (optokinetic tracking). Data were calibrated for cone-only responses using mice without rod transducin (GNAT1-/-). Photopic vision was stable until after 18 months without retinal thinning or progressive increases in retinal manganese uptake. We measured an uptake spike at 10 months. This spike, unlike that in the rat, was diltiazem sensitive in the dark and diltiazem insensitive in the light. Between dark and light, uptake in inner retina of older mice was unequal (unlike that in 2-5 months mice); outer retinal uptake was similar to that in 2-5 months mice. Stable murine photopic visual performance and nonescalating photoreceptor LTCC activity before 18 months of age were consistent with a prediction of the calcium hypothesis. Stark differences in the temporal evolution of mouse and rat photoreceptor LTCC activity suggest the need for personalized identification of the retinal mechanisms contributing to declines in photopic vision to ensure success of future treatment efforts.

Communication breakdown: the impact of ageing on synapse structure

Impaired synaptic plasticity is implicated in the functional decline of the nervous system associated with ageing. Understanding the structure of ageing synapses is essential to understanding the functions of these synapses and their role in the ageing nervous system. In this review, we summarize studies on ageing synapses in vertebrates and invertebrates, focusing on changes in morphology and ultrastructure. We cover different parts of the nervous system, including the brain, the retina, the cochlea, and the neuromuscular junction. The morphological characteristics of aged synapses could shed light on the underlying molecular changes and their functional consequences.

Aging of non-visual spectral sensitivity to light in humans: compensatory mechanisms?

The deterioration of sleep in the older population is a prevalent feature that contributes to a decrease in quality of life. Inappropriate entrainment of the circadian clock by light is considered to contribute to the alteration of sleep structure and circadian rhythms in the elderly. The present study investigates the effects of aging on non-visual spectral sensitivity to light and tests the hypothesis that circadian disturbances are related to a decreased light transmittance. In a within-subject design, eight aged and five young subjects were exposed at night to 60 minute monochromatic light stimulations at 9 different wavelengths (420-620 nm). Individual sensitivity spectra were derived from measures of melatonin suppression. Lens density was assessed using a validated psychophysical technique. Although lens transmittance was decreased for short wavelength light in the older participants, melatonin suppression was not reduced. Peak of non-visual sensitivity was, however, shifted to longer wavelengths in the aged participants (494 nm) compared to young (484 nm). Our results indicate that increased lens filtering does not necessarily lead to a decreased non-visual sensitivity to light. The lack of age-related decrease in non-visual sensitivity to light may involve as yet undefined adaptive mechanisms.

Immuno-histochemical analysis of rod and cone reaction to RPE65 deficiency in the inferior and superior canine retina

Mutations in the RPE65 gene are associated with autosomal recessive early onset severe retinal dystrophy. Morphological and functional studies indicate early and dramatic loss of rod photoreceptors and early loss of S-cone function, while L and M cones remain initially functional. The Swedish Briard dog is a naturally occurring animal model for this disease. Detailed information about rod and cone reaction to RPE65 deficiency in this model with regard to their location within the retina remains limited. The aim of this study was to analyze morphological parameters of cone and rod viability in young adult RPE65 deficient dogs in different parts of the retina in order to shed light on local disparities in this disease. In retinae of affected dogs, sprouting of rod bipolar cell dendrites and horizontal cell processes was dramatically increased in the inferior peripheral part of affected retinae, while central inferior and both superior parts did not display significantly increased sprouting. This observation was correlated with photoreceptor cell layer thickness. Interestingly, while L/M cone opsin expression was uniformly reduced both in the superior and inferior part of the retina, S-cone opsin expression loss was less severe in the inferior part of the retina. In summary, in retinae of young adult RPE65 deficient dogs, the degree of rod bipolar and horizontal cell sprouting as well as of S-cone opsin expression depends on the location. As the human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is pigmented similar to the RPE in the inferior part of the canine retina, and the kinetics of photoreceptor degeneration in humans seems to be similar to what has been observed in the inferior peripheral retina in dogs, this area should be studied in future gene therapy experiments in this model.

Development and plasticity of outer retinal circuitry following genetic removal of horizontal cells

The present study examined the consequences of eliminating horizontal cells from the outer retina during embryogenesis upon the organization and assembly of the outer plexiform layer (OPL). Retinal horizontal cells exhibit a migration defect in Lim1-conditional knock-out (Lim1-CKO) mice and become mispositioned in the inner retina before birth, redirecting their dendrites into the inner plexiform layer. The resultant (mature) OPL, developing in the absence of horizontal cells, shows a retraction of rod spherules into the outer nuclear layer and a sprouting of rod bipolar cell dendrites to reach ectopic ribbon-protein puncta. Cone pedicles and the dendrites of type 7 cone bipolar cells retain their characteristic stratification and colocalization within the collapsed OPL, although both are atrophic and the spatial distribution of the pedicles is disrupted. Developmental analysis of Lim1-CKO retina reveals that components of the rod and cone pathways initially co-assemble within their normal strata in the OPL, indicating that horizontal cells are not required for the correct targeting of photoreceptor terminals or bipolar cell dendrites. As the rod spherules begin to retract during the second postnatal week, rod bipolar cells initially show no signs of ectopic growth, sprouting only subsequently and continuing to do so well after the eighth postnatal week. These results demonstrate the critical yet distinctive roles for horizontal cells on the rod and cone pathways and highlight a unique and as-yet-unrecognized maintenance function of an inhibitory interneuron that is not required for the initial targeting and co-stratification of other components in the circuit.

Increased susceptibility to injury in older eyes

PURPOSE

To determine whether there is an age-dependent susceptibility in retinal function in response to repeated anterior chamber cannulation with or without intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation.

METHODS

Baseline electroretinograms were measured in 3- and 18-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 16 each group). Following baseline assessment, eyes were randomly assigned to undergo a 60-min anterior chamber cannulation with IOP either left at baseline (sham, 15 mm Hg) or elevated to 60 mm Hg. This was repeated three additional times, with each episode separated by 1 week. At weeks 1 to 3, dark-adapted retinal function was assessed immediately before cannulation, with final functional assessment at week 4.

RESULTS

Both sham and IOP elevated eyes of older rats showed retinal dysfunction, which became more pronounced with the number of repeated insults. This effect was largest for responses arising from the inner retina. Repeated insult in younger eyes did not produce a change in amplitude but an increase in the sensitivity to light of photoreceptoral and bipolar cell components of the electroretinogram.

CONCLUSIONS

Repeated trauma, not IOP, produces permanent retinal dysfunction in older eyes. Younger eyes appear to be able to withstand this type of injury by upregulating sensitivity of outer and middle retinal responses to maintain normal inner retinal function.

Early degeneration of photoreceptor synapse in Ccl2/Cx3cr1-deficient mice on Crb1(rd8) background

Photoreceptor ribbon synapse releases glutamate to postsynaptic targets. The synaptic ribbon may play multiple roles in ribbon synapse development, synaptic vesicle recycling, and synaptic transmission. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients appear to have fewer or no detectable synaptic ribbons as well as abnormal swelling in the photoreceptor terminals in the macula. However, reports on changes of photoreceptor synapses in AMD are scarce and photoreceptor type and quantity affected in early AMD is still unclear. Here, we employed multiple anatomical techniques to investigate these questions in Ccl2⁻/⁻/Cx3cr1⁻/⁻ mouse on Crb1(rd8) background (DKO rd8) at one month of age. We found that approximately 17% of photoreceptors over the focal lesion were lost. Immunostaining for synapse-associated proteins (CtBP2, synaptophysin, and vesicular glutamate transporter 1) showed significantly reduced expression and ectopic localization. Cone opsins demonstrated dramatic reduction in expression (S-opsins) and extensive mislocalization (M-opsins). Quantitative ultrastructural analysis confirmed a significant decrease in the number of cone terminals and nuclei, numerous vacuoles in remaining cone terminals, reduction in the number of synaptic ribbons in photoreceptor terminals, and ectopic rod ribbon synapses. In addition, glutamate receptor immunoreactivity on aberrant sprouting of rod bipolar cells and horizontal cells were identified at the ectopic synapses. These results indicate that synaptic alterations occur at the early stages of disease and cones are likely more susceptible to damage caused by DKO rd8 mutation. They provide a new insight into potential mechanism of vision function lost due to synaptic degeneration before cell death in the early stages of AMD.

Characterization of neurite outgrowth and ectopic synaptogenesis in response to photoreceptor dysfunction

In the mammalian retina, light signals generated in photoreceptors are passed to bipolar and horizontal cells via synaptic contacts. In various pathological conditions, these second-order neurons extend neurites into the outer nuclear layer (ONL). However, the molecular events associated with this neurite outgrowth are not known. Here, we characterized the morphological synaptic changes in the CNGA3/CNGB1 double-knockout (A3B1) mouse, a model of retinitis pigmentosa. In these mice, horizontal cells looked normal until postnatal day (p) 11, but started growing neurites into the ONL 1 day later. At p28, the number of sprouting processes decreased, but the remaining sprouts developed synapse-like contacts at rod cell bodies, with an ultrastructural appearance reminiscent of ribbon synapses. Hence, neurite outgrowth and ectopic synaptogenesis in the A3B1 retina were precisely timed events starting at p12 and p28, respectively. We therefore performed microarray analysis of retinal gene expression in A3B1 and wild-type mice at those ages to evaluate the genomic response underlying these two events. This analysis identified 163 differentially regulated genes in the A3B1 retina related to neurite outgrowth or plasticity of synapses. The global changes in gene expression in the A3B1 retina were consistent with activation of signaling pathways related to Tp53, Smad, and Stat3. Moreover, key molecules of these signaling pathways could be localized at or in close proximity to outgrowing neurites. We therefore propose that Tp53, Smad, and Stat3 signaling pathways contribute to the synaptic plasticity in the A3B1 retina.

Rod photoreceptors protect from cone degeneration-induced retinal remodeling and restore visual responses in zebrafish

Humans are largely dependent upon cone-mediated vision. However, death or dysfunction of rods, the predominant photoreceptor subtype, results in secondary loss of cones, remodeling of retinal circuitry, and blindness. The changes in circuitry may contribute to the vision deficit and undermine attempts at restoring sight. We exploit zebrafish larvae as a genetic model to specifically characterize changes associated with photoreceptor degenerations in a cone-dominated retina. Photoreceptors form synapses with two types of second-order neurons, bipolar cells, and horizontal cells. Using cell-specific reporter gene expression and immunolabeling for postsynaptic glutamate receptors, significant remodeling is observed following cone degeneration in the pde6c(w59) larval retina but not rod degeneration in the Xops:mCFP(q13) line. In adults, rods and cones are present in approximately equal numbers, and in pde6c(w59) mutants glutamate receptor expression and synaptic structures in the outer plexiform layer are preserved, and visual responses are gained in these once blind fish. We propose that the abundance of rods in the adult protects the retina from cone degeneration-induced remodeling. We test this hypothesis by genetically manipulating the number of rods in larvae. We show that an increased number and uniform distribution of rods in lor/tbx2b(p25bbtl) or six7 morpholino-injected larvae protect from pde6c(w59)-induced secondary changes. The observations that remodeling is a common consequence of photoreceptor death across species, and that in zebrafish a small number of surviving photoreceptors afford protection from degeneration-induced changes, provides a model for systematic analysis of factors that slow or even prevent the secondary deteriorations associated with neural degenerative disease.

Guidance-cue control of horizontal cell morphology, lamination, and synapse formation in the mammalian outer retina

In the vertebrate retina, neuronal circuitry required for visual perception is organized within specific laminae. Photoreceptors convey external visual information to bipolar and horizontal cells at triad ribbon synapses established within the outer plexiform layer (OPL), initiating retinal visual processing. However, the molecular mechanisms that organize these three classes of neuronal processes within the OPL, thereby ensuring appropriate ribbon synapse formation, remain largely unknown. Here we show that mice with null mutations in Sema6A or PlexinA4 (PlexA4) exhibit a pronounced defect in OPL stratification of horizontal cell axons without any apparent deficits in bipolar cell dendrite or photoreceptor axon targeting. Furthermore, these mutant horizontal cells exhibit aberrant dendritic arborization and reduced dendritic self-avoidance within the OPL. Ultrastructural analysis shows that the horizontal cell contribution to rod ribbon synapse formation in PlexA4⁻/⁻ retinas is disrupted. These findings define molecular components required for outer retina lamination and ribbon synapse formation.

Age-related changes in the daily rhythm of photoreceptor functioning and circuitry in a melatonin-proficient mouse strain

Retinal melatonin is involved in the modulation of many important retinal functions. Our previous studies have shown that the viability of photoreceptors and ganglion cells is reduced during aging in mice that lack melatonin receptor type 1. This demonstrates that melatonin signaling is important for the survival of retinal neurons. In the present study, we investigate the effects of aging on photoreceptor physiology and retinal organization in CH3-f+/+ mice, a melatonin proficient mouse strain. Our data indicate that the amplitude of the a and b waves of the scotopic and photopic electroretinogram decreases with age. Moreover, the daily rhythm in the amplitude of the a- and b- waves is lost during the aging process. Similarly, the scotopic threshold response is significantly affected by aging, but only when it is measured during the night. Interestingly, the changes observed in the ERGs are not paralleled by relevant changes in retinal morphological features, and administration of exogenous melatonin does not affect the ERGs in C3H-f^+/+ at 12 months of age. This suggests that the responsiveness of the photoreceptors to exogenous melatonin is reduced during aging.

Age-dependent morphology of NADPH diaphorase-positive amacrine cells in the mouse retina

NADPH diaphorase-positive amacrine cells (NAC) were studied in retinal whole mount preparation of mice, ranging from 1 day to 30 months of age. Following a peak in number and size during early development at postnatal day 14, their number and distribution remained well preserved up to senescence. Functional considerations include immunological, vascular and neuro-modulating aspects.

Protecting the retinal neurons from glaucoma: lowering ocular pressure is not enough

The retina is theater of a number of biochemical reactions allowing, within its layers, the conversion of light impulses into electrical signals. The axons of the last neuronal elements, the ganglion cells, form the optic nerve and transfer the signals to the brain. Therefore, an appropriate cellular communication, not only within the different retinal cells, but also between the retina itself and the other brain structures, is fundamental. One of the most diffuse pathologies affecting retinal function and communication, which thus reverberates in the whole visual system, is glaucoma. This insidious disease is characterized by a progressive optic nerve degeneration and sight loss which may finally lead to irreversible blindness. Nevertheless, the progressive nature of this pathology offers an opportunity for therapeutic intervention. To better understand the cellular processes implicated in the development of glaucoma useful to envision a targeted pharmacological strategy, this manuscript first examines the complex cellular and functional organization of the retina and subsequently identifies the targets sensitive to neurodegeneration. Within this context, high ocular pressure represents a key risk factor. However, recent literature findings highlight the concept that lowering ocular pressure is not enough to prevent/slow down glaucomatous damage, suggesting the importance of combining the hypotensive treatment with other pharmacological approaches, such as the use of neuroprotectants. Therefore, this important and more novel aspect is extensively considered in this review, also emphasizing the idea that the neuroprotective strategy should be extended to the entire visual system and not restricted to the retina.

Partial rescue of retinal function in chronically hypoglycemic mice

PURPOSE

Mice rendered hypoglycemic by a null mutation in the glucagon receptor gene Gcgr display late-onset retinal degeneration and loss of retinal sensitivity. Acute hyperglycemia induced by dextrose ingestion does not restore their retinal function, which is consistent with irreversible loss of vision. The goal of this study was to establish whether long-term administration of high dietary glucose rescues retinal function and circuit connectivity in aged Gcgr-/- mice.

METHODS

Gcgr-/- mice were administered a carbohydrate-rich diet starting at 12 months of age. After 1 month of treatment, retinal function and structure were evaluated using electroretinographic (ERG) recordings and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Treatment with a carbohydrate-rich diet raised blood glucose levels and improved retinal function in Gcgr-/- mice. Blood glucose increased from moderate hypoglycemia to euglycemic levels, whereas ERG b-wave sensitivity improved approximately 10-fold. Because the b-wave reflects the electrical activity of second-order cells, we examined for changes in rod-to-bipolar cell synapses. Gcgr-/- retinas have 20% fewer synaptic pairings than Gcgr+/- retinas. Remarkably, most of the lost synapses were located farthest from the bipolar cell body, near the distal boundary of the outer plexiform layer (OPL), suggesting that apical synapses are most vulnerable to chronic hypoglycemia. Although treatment with the carbohydrate-rich diet restored retinal function, it did not restore these synaptic contacts.

CONCLUSIONS

Prolonged exposure to diet-induced euglycemia improves retinal function but does not reestablish synaptic contacts lost by chronic hypoglycemia. These results suggest that retinal neurons have a homeostatic mechanism that integrates energetic status over prolonged periods of time and allows them to recover functionality despite synaptic loss.

Retinoid receptors trigger neuritogenesis in retinal degenerations

Anomalous neuritogenesis is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders, including retinal degenerations, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease. The neuritogenesis processes result in a partial reinnervation, new circuitry, and functional changes within the deafferented retina and brain regions. Using the light-induced retinal degeneration (LIRD) mouse model, which provides a unique platform for exploring the mechanisms underlying neuritogenesis, we found that retinoid X receptors (RXRs) control neuritogenesis. LIRD rapidly triggered retinal neuron neuritogenesis and up-regulated several key elements of retinoic acid (RA) signaling, including retinoid X receptors (RXRs). Exogenous RA initiated neuritogenesis in normal adult retinas and primary retinal cultures and exacerbated it in LIRD retinas. However, LIRD-induced neuritogenesis was partly attenuated in retinol dehydrogenase knockout (Rdh12(-/-)) mice and by aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors. We further found that LIRD rapidly increased the expression of glutamate receptor 2 and β Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (βCaMKII). Pulldown assays demonstrated interaction between βCaMKII and RXRs, suggesting that CaMKII pathway regulates the activities of RXRs. RXR antagonists completely prevented and RXR agonists were more effective than RA in inducing neuritogenesis. Thus, RXRs are in the final common path and may be therapeutic targets to attenuate retinal remodeling and facilitate global intervention methods in blinding diseases and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Age-related alterations in neurons of the mouse retina

The behavioral consequences of age-related alterations in neural function are well documented, but less is known about their cellular bases. To characterize such changes, we analyzed 14 molecularly identified subsets of mouse retinal projection neurons (retinal ganglion cells or RGCs) and interneurons (amacrine, bipolar, and horizontal cells). The retina thinned but expanded with age, maintaining its volume. There was minimal decline in the number of RGCs, interneurons, or photoreceptors, but the diameter of RGC dendritic arbors decreased with age. Together, the increased retinal area and the decreased dendritic area may lead to gaps in RGC coverage of the visual field. Axonal arbors of RGCs in the superior colliculus also atrophied with age, suggesting that the relay of visual information to central targets may decline over time. On the other hand, the laminar restriction of RGC dendrites and the interneuronal processes that synapse on them were not detectably disturbed, and RGC subtypes exhibited distinct electrophysiological responses to complex visual stimuli. Other neuronal types aged in different ways: amacrine cell arbors did not remodel detectably, whereas horizontal cell processes sprouted into the photoreceptor layer. Bipolar cells showed arbor-specific alterations: their dendrites sprouted but their axons remained stable. In summary, retinal neurons exhibited numerous age-related quantitative alterations (decreased areas of dendritic and axonal arbors and decreased density of cells and synapses), whereas their qualitative features (molecular identity, laminar specificity, and feature detection) were largely preserved. Together, these data reveal selective age-related alterations in neural circuitry, some of which could underlie declines in visual acuity.

Transretinal degeneration in ageing human retina: a multiphoton microscopy analysis

AIM

Retinal cell remodelling has been reported as a consistent feature of ageing. However, the degree to which this results in transretinal degeneration is unclear. To address this, the authors used multiphoton microscopy to quantify retinal degeneration in post-mortem human eyes of two age groups.

METHODS

Retinas from six young subjects (18-33 years old) and six older subjects (74-90 years old) were prepared as wholemount preparations. All retinas were stained with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and imaged by multiphoton confocal microscopy to quantify neuron densities in the retinal ganglion cell layer (RGCL), inner nuclear layer (INL) and outer nuclear layer (ONL). Neurons were counted using automated cell identification algorithms. All retinas were imaged hydrated to minimise tissue artefacts.

RESULTS

In both groups, 56% of the area within the central 4 mm eccentricity and 27% of the area with eccentricity between 4 mm and 7 mm were imaged. Compared with young subjects, the peak RGCL neuron loss in the aged subjects (25.5%) was at 1 mm eccentricity. INL and ONL neuron densities significantly decreased at 1-2 mm eccentricity (8.7%) and 0.5-4 mm eccentricity (15.6%) respectively (P <0.05). The reduction in neuron density in the INL corresponded, spatially, to the region with the greatest neuron loss in the RGCL and ONL.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to correlate neurodegeneration in different populations of cells in the ageing retinas. These data confirm that the greatest neuronal loss occurs in the RGCL and ONL in human ageing retinas, whereas the INL is relatively preserved.

Progression of neuronal and synaptic remodeling in the rd10 mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa

The Pde6b(rd10) (rd10) mouse has a moderate rate of photoreceptor degeneration and serves as a valuable model for human autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP). We evaluated the progression of neuronal remodeling of second- and third-order retinal cells and their synaptic terminals in retinas from Pde6b(rd10) (rd10) mice at varying stages of degeneration ranging from postnatal day 30 (P30) to postnatal month 9.5 (PNM9.5) using immunolabeling for well-known cell- and synapse-specific markers. Following photoreceptor loss, changes occurred progressively from outer to inner retina. Horizontal cells and rod and cone bipolar cells underwent morphological remodeling that included loss of dendrites, cell body migration, and the sprouting of ectopic processes. Gliosis, characterized by translocation of Müller cell bodies to the outer retina and thickening of their processes, was evident by P30 and became more pronounced as degeneration progressed. Following rod degeneration, continued expression of VGluT1 in the outer retina was associated with survival and expression of synaptic proteins by nearby second-order neurons. Rod bipolar cell terminals showed a progressive reduction in size and ectopic bipolar cell processes extended into the inner nuclear layer and ganglion cell layer by PNM3.5. Putative ectopic conventional synapses, likely arising from amacrine cells, were present in the inner nuclear layer by PNM9.5. Despite these changes, the laminar organization of bipolar and amacrine cells and the ON-OFF organization in the inner plexiform layer was largely preserved. Surviving cone and bipolar cell terminals continued to express the appropriate cell-specific presynaptic proteins needed for synaptic function up to PNM9.5.

Inner retina remodeling in a mouse model of stargardt-like macular dystrophy (STGD3)

Purpose. To investigate the impact of progressive age-related photoreceptor degeneration on retinal integrity in Stargardt-like macular dystrophy (STGD3). Methods. The structural design of the inner retina of the ELOVL4 transgenic mouse model of STGD3 was compared with that of age-matched littermate wild-type (WT) mice from 1 to 24 months of age by using immunohistofluorescence and confocal microscopy and by relying on antibodies against cell-type-specific markers, synapse-associated proteins, and neurotransmitters. Results. Müller cell reactivity occurred at the earliest age studied, before photoreceptor loss. This finding is perhaps not surprising, considering the cell's ubiquitous roles in retina homeostasis. Second-order neurons displayed salient morphologic changes as a function of photoreceptoral input loss. Age-related sprouting of dendritic fibers from rod bipolar and horizontal cells into the ONL did not occur. In contrast, with the loss of photoreceptor sensory input, these second-order neurons progressively bore fewer synapses. After rod loss, the few remaining cones showed abnormal opsin expression, revealing tortuous branched axons. After complete ONL loss (beyond 18 months of age), localized areas of extreme retinal disruptions were observed in the central retina. RPE cell invasion, dense networks of strongly reactive Müller cell processes, and invagination of axons and blood vessels were distinctive features of these regions. In addition, otherwise unaffected cholinergic amacrine cells displayed severe perturbation of their cell bodies and synaptic plexi in these areas. Conclusions. Remodeling in ELOVL4 transgenic mice follows a pattern similar to that reported after other types of hereditary retinopathies in animals and humans, pointing to a potentially common pathophysiologic mechanism.

Synaptic pathology in retinoschisis knockout (Rs1-/y) mouse retina and modification by rAAV-Rs1 gene delivery

PURPOSE

At an early age, the retinoschisin knockout (Rs1-KO) mouse retina has progressive photoreceptor degeneration with severe disruption of the outer plexiform layer (OPL) that decreases at older ages. The electroretinogram (ERG) undergoes parallel changes. The b-wave amplitude from bipolar cells is reduced disproportionately to the photoreceptor a-wave at young but not at older ages. The protein expression and morphology of the OPL in Rs1-KO mice was investigated at different ages, to explore the role of the synaptic layer in these ERG changes.

METHODS

Retinas of wild-type (Wt) and Rs1-KO mice from postnatal day (P)7 to 12 months were evaluated by light and electron microscopy (EM) and biochemistry. PSD95 (postsynaptic density protein), mGluR6 (metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 6), retinoschisin (Rs1), the Müller cell proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and glutamine synthetase (GS), the bipolar cell marker protein kinase C alpha (PKCalpha), and the horizontal cell marker calbindin were localized by immunofluorescence and immuno-EM. Levels of PSD95 and mGluR6 were determined by quantitative Western blot. Rs1-KO mice treated by intravitreous injection of rAAV(2/2)-CMV-Rs1 in one eye at P14 were evaluated at 8 months by full-field scotopic ERG responses and retinal immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Rs1 was associated with the outer surface of synaptic membranes in wild-type (Wt) retinas. PSD95 and mGluR6 were juxtaposed in the OPL of the Rs1-KO retinas by P14, implying that synaptic structures are formed. Light microscopic retinal morphology was similar in Wt and Rs1-KO at P14, but by P21, the OPL was disrupted in Rs1-KO, and some PSD95 and mGluR6 was mislocalized in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). GFAP expression spanned all retinal layers. EM showed synaptic structures adjacent to photoreceptor nuclei. PSD95 and mGluR6 levels were normal at 1 month on Western blot but declined to 59% (P < 0.001) and 55% (P < 0.05) of Wt, respectively, by 4 months. Levels thereafter showed no further reduction out to 12 months. Eyes injected with AAV-Rs1 were studied at 8 months by immunohistochemistry and had higher expression of PSD95 and mGluR6 and less GFAP expression compared with fellow untreated eyes.

CONCLUSIONS

In the Rs1-KO mouse, retinal layer formation and synaptic protein expression in the OPL is normal up to P14, implying normal development of synaptic connections. Aberrant localization of synaptic proteins by P21 indicates that displacement of developing and/or mature synapses contributes to the b-wave reduction at young ages, when photoreceptor numbers and synaptic protein levels are normal. The subsequent decline in PSD95 and mGluR6 between 1 and 12 months in Rs1-KO retina mirrors the course of b-wave change and provides evidence of causal relationship between the ERG and OPL changes. These findings and the improved structural integrity of the OPL and b-wave amplitude after Rs1 gene transfer therapy provide a cellular and molecular basis for interpreting the changes in retinal signaling in this model.

Treatment of epilepsy: the GABA-transaminase inhibitor, vigabatrin, induces neuronal plasticity in the mouse retina

Vigabatrin was a major drug in the treatment of epilepsy until the discovery that it was associated with an irreversible constriction of the visual field. Nevertheless, the drug is still prescribed for infantile spasms and refractory epilepsy. Disorganization of the photoreceptor nuclear layer and cone photoreceptor damage have been described in albino rats. To investigate the vigabatrin-elicited retinal toxicity further, we examined the retinal tissue of albino mice treated with two vigabatrin doses. The higher dose did not always cause the photoreceptor layer disorganization after 1 month of treatment. However, it triggered a massive synaptic plasticity in retinal areas showing a normal layering of the retina. This plasticity was shown by the withdrawal of rod but not cone photoreceptor terminals from the outer plexiform layers towards their cell bodies. Furthermore, both rod bipolar cells and horizontal cells exhibited dendritic sprouting into the photoreceptor nuclear layer. Withdrawing rod photoreceptors appeared to form ectopic contacts with growing postsynaptic dendrites. Indeed, contacts between rods and bipolar cells, and between bipolar cells and horizontal cells were observed deep inside the outer nuclear layer. This neuronal plasticity is highly suggestive of an impaired glutamate release by photoreceptors because similar observations have been reported in different genetically modified mice with deficient synaptic transmission. Such a synaptic deficit is consistent with the decrease in glutamate concentration induced by vigabatrin. This description of the neuronal plasticity associated with vigabatrin provides new insights into its retinal toxicity in epileptic patients.

Type 4 OFF cone bipolar cells of the mouse retina express calsenilin and contact cones as well as rods

Immunocytochemical discrimination of distinct bipolar cell types in the mouse retina is a prerequisite for analyzing retinal circuitry in wild-type and transgenic mice. Here we demonstrate that among the more than 10 anatomically defined mouse bipolar cell types, type 4 bipolar cells are specifically recognized by anti-calsenilin antibodies. Axon terminals in the inner plexiform layer are not readily identifiable because calsenilin is also expressed in a subset of amacrine and ganglion cells. In contrast, in the outer plexiform layer calsenilin immunoreactivity allows the analysis of photoreceptor to type 4 bipolar cell contacts. A dense plexus of calsenilin-positive dendrites makes several basal contacts at cone pedicles. An individual calsenilin-positive bipolar cell contacts five to seven cones. In addition, some calsenilin-positive dendrites contact rod photoreceptors. On average we counted 10 rod spherule contacts per type 4 bipolar cell, and approximately 10% of rods contacted type 4 bipolar cells. We suggest that type 4 bipolar cells, together with the recently described type 3a and b cells, provide an alternative and direct route from rods to OFF cone bipolar cells. In the Bassoon DeltaEx4/5 mouse, a mouse mutant that shows extensive remodeling of the rod system including sprouting of horizontal and rod bipolar cells into the outer nuclear layer due to impaired synaptic transmission, we found that in addition mixed-input (type 3 and 4) OFF bipolar cells sprout to ectopic sites. In contrast, true cone-selective type 1 and 2 OFF cone bipolar cells did not show sprouting in the Bassoon mouse mutant.

The genesis of retinal architecture: an emerging role for mechanical interactions?

Patterns in nature have always fascinated human beings. They convey the idea of order, organization and optimization, and, to the enquiring mind, the alluring promise that understanding their building rules may uncover the forces that shaped them. In the retina, two patterns are outstanding: the stacking of cells in layers and, within the layers, the prevalent arrangement of neurons of the same type in orderly arrays, often referred to as mosaics for the crystalline-like order that some can display. Layers and mosaics have been essential keys to our present understanding of retinal circuital organization and function. Now, they may also be a precious guide in our exploration of how the retina is built. Here, we will review studies addressing the mechanisms controlling the formation of retinal mosaics and layers, illustrating common themes and unsolved problems. Among the intricacies of the building process, a world of physical forces is making its appearance. Cells are extremely complex to model as "physical entities", and many aspects of cell mechanotransduction are still obscure. Yet, recent experiments, focusing on the mechanical aspects of growth and differentiation, suggest that adopting this viewpoint will open new ways of understanding retinal formation and novel possibilities to approach retinal pathologies and repair.

Age-dependent remodelling of retinal circuitry

We have investigated morphological changes in second-order neurons of the mouse retina during aging by using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. We observed sprouting of rod bipolar cells dendrites and horizontal cells arborizations: neuronal processes of both neuronal types showed irregular extensions beyond the outer plexiform layer, toward the outer limiting membrane, as well as into the outer nuclear layer (ONL). These processes were first observed in animals of 12 months of age and increased in numbers steadily until 24 months, which represent the last age examined. The ectopic processes are decorated by puncta immunoreactive for pre-synaptic markers typical of photoreceptor terminals juxtaposed to post-synaptic neurotransmitter receptors, demonstrating the presence of the entire molecular machinery of functional synapses. Electron microscopy confirmed that ectopic processes receive synapses from photoreceptor terminals. We conclude that during the second year of life retinal rod bipolar and horizontal cells undergo sprouting and form ectopic synapses in the ONL.

Structural and functional remodeling in the retina of a mouse with a photoreceptor synaptopathy: plasticity in the rod and degeneration in the cone system

Knowledge about the plastic and regenerative capacity of the retina is of key importance for therapeutic approaches to restore vision in patients who suffer from degenerative retinal diseases. In the retinae of mice, mutant for the presynaptic scaffolding protein Bassoon, signal transfer at photoreceptor ribbon synapses is disturbed due to impaired ribbon attachment to the active zone. In a long-term study we observed, with light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry and electroretinographic recordings, two overlapping events in the Bassoon mutant retina, i.e. loss of photoreceptor synapses in the outer plexiform layer, and structural remodeling and formation of ectopic photoreceptor synapses in the outer nuclear layer, a region usually devoid of synapses. Formation of ectopic synaptic sites starts around the time when photoreceptor synaptogenesis is completed in wild-type mice and progresses throughout life. The result is a dense plexus of ectopic photoreceptor synapses with significantly altered but considerable synaptic transmission. Ectopic synapse formation is led by the sprouting of horizontal cells followed by the extension of rod bipolar cell neurites that fasciculate with and grow along the horizontal cell processes. Although only the rod photoreceptors and their postsynaptic partners show structural and functional remodeling, our study demonstrates the potential of the retina for long-lasting plastic changes.