Retinal cone and rod photoreceptor cells exhibit differential susceptibility to light‐induced damage

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2012.07647.x
• Publication Date: 2012-01-06T06:34:08Z
• Authors: Kiichiro Okano; Akiko Maeda; Yu Chen; Vishal Chauhan; Johnny Tang; Grazyna Palczewska; Tsutomu Sakai; Hiroshi Tsuneoka; Krzysztof Palczewski; Tadao Maeda
• Keywords: ABCA4; Stargardt disease; Visual phototransduction

J. Neurochem. (2012) 121 , 146–156. Abstract All‐ trans ‐retinal and its condensation‐products can cause retinal degeneration in a light ‐ dependent manner contribute to the pathogenesis of human macular diseases such as Stargardt’s disease age related degeneration. Although these toxic retinoid by products originate from rod cone photoreceptor cells, contribution each cell type induced is unknown. In this study, primary objective was learn whether rods or cones are more susceptible induced, all mediated damage. Previously, we reported that mice lacking enzymes clear retina, ATP binding cassette transporter 4 retinol dehydrogenase 8, manifested light‐induced dystrophy. We first examined early‐stage patients found degenerative changes rod‐rich rather than cone‐rich regions macula. then evaluated transgenic with only like retinas addition progenies inbred Rdh8 −/− Abca4 mice. Of strains, mixed – population showed most severe under regular cyclic conditions. Intense exposure acute damage but not These findings suggest progression affected differential vulnerability light.