Trans-Sclera Electrical Stimulation Improves Retinal Function in a Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a photoreceptor-degenerating disease with no effective treatment. Trans-corneal electrical stimulation has neuroprotective effects in degenerating retinas, but repeated applications cause corneal injury. To avoid the risk of corneal damage, here we tested whether repetit...
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Life |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/11/1917 |
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| author | Feng Liu Mengrong Zhang Guoyin Xiong Xiu Han Vincent Wing Hong Lee Kwok-Fai So Kin Chiu Ying Xu |
| author_facet | Feng Liu Mengrong Zhang Guoyin Xiong Xiu Han Vincent Wing Hong Lee Kwok-Fai So Kin Chiu Ying Xu |
| author_sort | Feng Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a photoreceptor-degenerating disease with no effective treatment. Trans-corneal electrical stimulation has neuroprotective effects in degenerating retinas, but repeated applications cause corneal injury. To avoid the risk of corneal damage, here we tested whether repetitive trans-sclera electrical stimulation (TsES) protects degenerating retinas in rd10 mice, a model of RP. At postnatal day 20 (P20), the right eyes of rd10 mice were exposed to 30 min of TsES daily or every other day till P25, at the amplitude of 50 or 100 μA, with zero current as the sham. Immunostaining, multi-electrode-array (MEA) recording, and a black-and-white transition box were applied to examine the morphological and functional changes of the treated retina. Functionally, TsES modified the retinal light responses. It also reduced the high spontaneous firing of retinal ganglion cells. TsES at 100 μA but not 50 μA increased the light sensitivities of ganglion cells as well as their signal-to-noise ratios. TsES at 100 μA increased the survival of photoreceptors without improving the visual behavior of rd10 mice. Our data suggest that repetitive TsES improves the retinal function of rd10 mice at the early degenerating stage, therefore, it might be an effective long-term strategy to delay retinal degeneration in RP patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:12:44Z |
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| id | doaj.art-5eb0208f238746149436784a6dc99379 |
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| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:12:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
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| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-5eb0208f238746149436784a6dc993792023-11-24T08:58:01ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292022-11-011211191710.3390/life12111917Trans-Sclera Electrical Stimulation Improves Retinal Function in a Mouse Model of Retinitis PigmentosaFeng Liu0Mengrong Zhang1Guoyin Xiong2Xiu Han3Vincent Wing Hong Lee4Kwok-Fai So5Kin Chiu6Ying Xu7Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Jinan University, 601 West Huangpu Ave., Guangzhou 510632, ChinaGuangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Jinan University, 601 West Huangpu Ave., Guangzhou 510632, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaGuangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Jinan University, 601 West Huangpu Ave., Guangzhou 510632, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaGuangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Jinan University, 601 West Huangpu Ave., Guangzhou 510632, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaGuangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Jinan University, 601 West Huangpu Ave., Guangzhou 510632, ChinaRetinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a photoreceptor-degenerating disease with no effective treatment. Trans-corneal electrical stimulation has neuroprotective effects in degenerating retinas, but repeated applications cause corneal injury. To avoid the risk of corneal damage, here we tested whether repetitive trans-sclera electrical stimulation (TsES) protects degenerating retinas in rd10 mice, a model of RP. At postnatal day 20 (P20), the right eyes of rd10 mice were exposed to 30 min of TsES daily or every other day till P25, at the amplitude of 50 or 100 μA, with zero current as the sham. Immunostaining, multi-electrode-array (MEA) recording, and a black-and-white transition box were applied to examine the morphological and functional changes of the treated retina. Functionally, TsES modified the retinal light responses. It also reduced the high spontaneous firing of retinal ganglion cells. TsES at 100 μA but not 50 μA increased the light sensitivities of ganglion cells as well as their signal-to-noise ratios. TsES at 100 μA increased the survival of photoreceptors without improving the visual behavior of rd10 mice. Our data suggest that repetitive TsES improves the retinal function of rd10 mice at the early degenerating stage, therefore, it might be an effective long-term strategy to delay retinal degeneration in RP patients.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/11/1917retinitis pigmentosaphotoreceptor degenerationmulti-electrode arrayretinal ganglion cellselectric stimulation |
| spellingShingle | Feng Liu Mengrong Zhang Guoyin Xiong Xiu Han Vincent Wing Hong Lee Kwok-Fai So Kin Chiu Ying Xu Trans-Sclera Electrical Stimulation Improves Retinal Function in a Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa Life retinitis pigmentosa photoreceptor degeneration multi-electrode array retinal ganglion cells electric stimulation |
| title | Trans-Sclera Electrical Stimulation Improves Retinal Function in a Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa |
| title_full | Trans-Sclera Electrical Stimulation Improves Retinal Function in a Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa |
| title_fullStr | Trans-Sclera Electrical Stimulation Improves Retinal Function in a Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trans-Sclera Electrical Stimulation Improves Retinal Function in a Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa |
| title_short | Trans-Sclera Electrical Stimulation Improves Retinal Function in a Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa |
| title_sort | trans sclera electrical stimulation improves retinal function in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa |
| topic | retinitis pigmentosa photoreceptor degeneration multi-electrode array retinal ganglion cells electric stimulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/11/1917 |
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