A Mouse Model of Retinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Through Elevation of Intraocular Pressure

Summary

This article describes a procedure for inducing retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury by elevated intraocular pressure in mice. Retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury by elevated intraocular pressure serves to model human pathologies characterized by compromised oxygen and nutrient delivery in the retina, enabling researchers to examine potential cellular mechanisms and treatments for human diseases of the retinal neurovascular unit.

Abstract

Retinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is a pathophysiological process contributing to cellular damage in multiple ocular conditions, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vascular occlusions. Rodent models of I/R injury are providing significant insights into mechanisms and treatment strategies for human I/R injury, especially with regard to neurodegenerative damage in the retinal neurovascular unit. Presented here is a protocol for inducing retinal I/R injury in mice through elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP). In this protocol, the ocular anterior chamber is cannulated with a needle, through which flows the drip of an elevated saline reservoir. Using this drip to raise IOP above systolic arterial blood pressure, a practitioner temporarily halts inner retinal blood flow (ischemia). When circulation is reinstated (reperfusion) by removal of the cannula, severe cellular damage ensues, resulting ultimately in retinal neurodegeneration. Recent studies demonstrate inflammation, vascular permeability, and capillary degeneration as additional elements of this model. Compared to alternative retinal I/R methodologies, such as retinal arterial ligation, retinal I/R injury by elevated IOP offers advantages in its anatomical specificity, experimental tractability, and technical accessibility, presenting itself as a valuable tool for examining neuronal pathogenesis and therapy in the retinal neurovascular unit.

Introduction

Retinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) characterizes many human retinal pathologies, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vascular occlusions¹. In retinal I/R, reduced blood flow (ischemia) in the retinal vasculature creates a state of retinal hypersensitivity to oxygen and other nutrients, precipitating severe oxidative and inflammatory damage when circulation is subsequently reinstated (reperfusion)². The neural retina appears particularly vulnerable to these changes, with retinal neurodegeneration being perhaps the most salient feature of I/R-induced damage. Presented here is a protocol for modeling retinal I/R injury in the mouse....

Protocol

Ethics Statement: All procedures were performed in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Johns Hopkins University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

Note: Mice used during filming are C57BL/6 mice from Jackson, although other rodent strains or species may also be used. When using other strains or species, be aware that anesthesia dosages and injury timeline may vary. It is important to adapt I/R conditions to accommodate strain, species, and experimental variations.

1. Prepare the Anesthesia Cocktail

1. Combine 1.25 ml Ketamine, 0.625 ml Xylazine, 0.375 ml Acepromazine, and 22.75 ml p....

Results

The neurodegenerative effects of retinal I/R by elevated IOP are commonly evaluated using two standard approaches. NeuN immunolabeling of neuronal nuclei has revealed significant neuronal cell loss following I/R insult (Figure 1). Briefly, eyes enucleated 7 days after I/R were fixed in paraformaldehyde, labeled with the neuronal cell marker NeuN, and whole-mounted. Images were captured using confocal microscopy, and cells labeled with NeuN were quantified by counting^.......

Discussion

Retinal I/R injury by elevated IOP has proven its utility in modeling cellular damage and dysfunction, particularly neurodegeneration, in the rodent retinal neurovascular unit. This procedure provides a robust control tissue and is easily accessible in terms of technical sophistication. It has been noted in this and other I/R injury models that increasing the pressure and duration of ischemia may increase injury severity²⁴. For this reason, some practitioners have elected to use ischemic pressures and dur.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Heparin Sodium Injection, USP	Abraxis Pharmaceutical Products		1,000 USP/ml
BSS Sterile Irrigating Solution	Alcon Laboratories, Inc.	9007754-0212	500 ml
SC-2 kg Digital Pocket Scale	American Weigh Scales, Inc.	SC-2 kg
Tropicamide Ophthalmic Solution USP 1%	Bausch + Lomb		1% (10 mg/ml)
Proparacaine Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution USP, 0.5%	Bausch + Lomb		0.5% (5 mg/ml)
INTRAMEDIC Polyethylene Tubing	Becton Dickinson and Company	427400	Inner diameter: 427400
30 G 1/2 PrecisionGlide Needles	Benton Dickinson and Company	305106
BC 1 ml TB Syringe, Slim Tip with Intradermal Bevel Needle, 26 G x 3/8	Benton Dickinson and Company	309625
BD 60 ml Syringe Luer-Lok Tip	Benton Dickinson and Company	309653
Zeiss OPMI Visu 200/S8 Microscope	Carl Zeiss AG	000000-1179-101
Sterile Syringe Filter	Corning Inc.	CLS431224	0.20 µm
Durasorb Underpads	Covidien	1038	23 x 24 inches
Alcohol Prep	Covidien	6818	2 Ply, Medium
Student Dumont #5 Forceps	Fine Science Tools	91150-20
Hartman Hemostats	Fine Science Tools	13002-10
Primary Set, Macrobore, Prepierced Y-Site, 80 Inch	Hospira	12672-28
Phosphate Buffered Saline pH 7.4 (1x)	Invitrogen	10010-049	500 ml
Distilled water	Invitrogen	15230-204	500 ml
C57BL/6J Mice	The Jackson Laboratory	664
AnaSed Injection: Xylazine Sterile Solution	LLOYD, Inc.		20 mg/ml
Lubricating Jelly, Water Soluble Bacteriostatic	MediChoice		3-Gram Packet
NAMIC Angiographic Pressure Monitoring Manifold	Navilyst Medical, Inc.	70039355	5-Valve Manifold with Seven Female Ports
Goniosoft, Hypromellose 2.5% Ophthalmic Demulcent Solution: Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose	OCuSOFT, Inc.		2.5% (25 mg/ml)
Ketaset CIII: Ketamine Hydrochloride	Pfizer, Inc.		100 mg/ml
Trans-Pal I.V. Stand	Pryor Products	372	Furnished with a home-constructed 60-cm stainless steel extension
Acepromazine: Acepromazine Maleate Injection, USP	Vet One		10 mg/ml
V-Top Surgery Table/Adjustable Hydraulic	VSSI	100-4041-21
Tube Fitting Luer Male to Luer Male	Warner Instruments	64-1579