NF-κB expression in rat retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Objective To establish rat model of retinal ischemical reperfusion and observe the development process of retinal injury.To investigate apoptosis occur in retina and study NF-κB expression in rat retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into corneal injured group and ischemia-reperfusion group.Corneal injured model and 15 kPa,60 minutes pressure-induced ischemia reperfusion model were made respectively.Histopathological change was detected with light microscopy,apoptosis detection by terminal dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL)and NF-κB examined in the retina by immunohistochemicy.Results Compared with corneal injured group,histopathological changes were found in ischemia-reperfusion group,including retinal edema,vacuolar degeneration,karyopyknosis and karyolysis,derangement of retinal constitution.Retinal injury became more serious with the reperfusion time.TUNEL positive expression was detected in inner nuclear layer and ganglion cell layer,and the highest level of expression occurred at 24 hours after injury in ischemia-reperfusion group.NF-κB began to express at 6 hours after ischemical reperfusion in ischemia-reperfusion group and the highest level of expression were occurred at 24 hours.Conclusion The damage of retinal ischemical reperfusion is mainly localized in inner nuclear layer and ganlion cell layer.NF-κB expression and apoptosis are the important mechanism of the retinal disorder.