Reduced phosphoCREB in Müller glia during retinal degeneration in rd10 mice

PURPOSE: ), is used to evaluate gliosis, as a marker for retinal stress, and cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation, which may be important early in retinal degeneration. METHODS: mice raised under cyclic light were examined for changes in gliosis and CREB phosphorylation for approximately 3 weeks beginning at P14 to P17 using immunocytochemistry. Mice raised under normal cyclic light and in complete darkness were also compared for changes in CREB phosphorylation. RESULTS: mice raised continuously in the dark. CONCLUSIONS: mice. Surprisingly, phosphorylation of CREB is downregulated in the MG. These results raise the interesting possibility that Müller glia undergo CREB-mediated transcriptional changes that influence photoreceptor degeneration either positively or negatively. Unlike canine models of RP, no increase in pCREB was observed in photoreceptor cells during this period suggesting possible mechanistic differences in the role of CREB in photoreceptors between these species.