Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

DNA repair in photoreceptor survival

DNA repair in photoreceptor survival Light triggers a sequence of events that damage photoreceptor cells within the superior central portion of the retina, resulting in apoptotic cell death. This damage is mediated by energy absorbed by rhodopsin and the intermediates of the rhodopsin-bleaching process. Furthermore, inhibition of the visual cycle and the re-isomerization of all-trans retinol preserve photoreceptors. We have recently shown light-induced DNA fragmentation to occur only within photoreceptors, and, in time-courses following light treatment, these cells exhibit two peaks of damage, approx 24 h apart. This was also observed by quantification of nucleosome-length DNA fragments and their multimers (DNA ladders) as well as by highly repetitive short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) analysis. This bimodal pattern of photoreceptor DNA fragmentation suggests two populations of cells, and each of these were affected by light at a different rate or time. However, the rat retina is composed of 500 nm-sensitive rods, and approx 2% cones, suggesting that a two-cell-type hypothesis is incorrect. Thus, there is a possibility that light-induced DNA fragmentation is triggered and that some photoreceptors are able to initiate a repair mechanism, resulting in a temporary decrease in DNA damage followed by another wave of fragmentation that ultimately leads to cell death. Subsequently, we observed that the repair enzyme DNA polymerase β was upregulated following light treatment, again suggesting the presence of a repair mechanism. Our results suggest that a DNA-repair mechanism exists within photoreceptors, and indicate that manipulation of this process may provide additional protection and/or recovery from events that trigger DNA fragmentation and apoptotic cell death in photoreceptors. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Molecular Neurobiology Springer Journals

DNA repair in photoreceptor survival

Download PDF
12 pages

Loading next page...
1
 
/lp/springer-journals/dna-repair-in-photoreceptor-survival-DC9zvOyiKT

References (79)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 by Humana Press Inc
Subject
Medicine & Public Health; Neurology; Cell Biology
ISSN
0893-7648
eISSN
1559-1182
DOI
10.1385/MN:28:2:111
pmid
14576450
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Light triggers a sequence of events that damage photoreceptor cells within the superior central portion of the retina, resulting in apoptotic cell death. This damage is mediated by energy absorbed by rhodopsin and the intermediates of the rhodopsin-bleaching process. Furthermore, inhibition of the visual cycle and the re-isomerization of all-trans retinol preserve photoreceptors. We have recently shown light-induced DNA fragmentation to occur only within photoreceptors, and, in time-courses following light treatment, these cells exhibit two peaks of damage, approx 24 h apart. This was also observed by quantification of nucleosome-length DNA fragments and their multimers (DNA ladders) as well as by highly repetitive short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) analysis. This bimodal pattern of photoreceptor DNA fragmentation suggests two populations of cells, and each of these were affected by light at a different rate or time. However, the rat retina is composed of 500 nm-sensitive rods, and approx 2% cones, suggesting that a two-cell-type hypothesis is incorrect. Thus, there is a possibility that light-induced DNA fragmentation is triggered and that some photoreceptors are able to initiate a repair mechanism, resulting in a temporary decrease in DNA damage followed by another wave of fragmentation that ultimately leads to cell death. Subsequently, we observed that the repair enzyme DNA polymerase β was upregulated following light treatment, again suggesting the presence of a repair mechanism. Our results suggest that a DNA-repair mechanism exists within photoreceptors, and indicate that manipulation of this process may provide additional protection and/or recovery from events that trigger DNA fragmentation and apoptotic cell death in photoreceptors.

Journal

Molecular Neurobiology – Springer Journals

Published: May 31, 2007

There are no references for this article.