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Differential Akt activation in the photoreceptors of normal and rd1 mice.

Johnson, Leif LU ; van Veen, Theo LU and Ekström, Per LU (2005) In Cell and Tissue Research 320(2). p.213-222
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa is a blinding disease in which unknown mechanisms cause the degeneration of retinal photoreceptors. The retinal degeneration (rd1) mouse is a relevant model for this condition, since it carries a mutation also found in some forms of retinitis pigmentosa. To understand the degenerative process in the rd1 mouse, we must identify the survival and apoptosis-related signaling pathways in its photoreceptors and determine whether signaling differs from that in normal mice. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt kinase pathway promotes survival in several different cell types. The purpose of the present study has been to compare Akt activity in retinal cells of normal and rd1 mice. We have found that, in normal mice, Akt... (More)
Retinitis pigmentosa is a blinding disease in which unknown mechanisms cause the degeneration of retinal photoreceptors. The retinal degeneration (rd1) mouse is a relevant model for this condition, since it carries a mutation also found in some forms of retinitis pigmentosa. To understand the degenerative process in the rd1 mouse, we must identify the survival and apoptosis-related signaling pathways in its photoreceptors and determine whether signaling differs from that in normal mice. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt kinase pathway promotes survival in several different cell types. The purpose of the present study has been to compare Akt activity in retinal cells of normal and rd1 mice. We have found that, in normal mice, Akt becomes activated in the retina in a developmentally regulated and cell-type-specific fashion, encompassing essentially all retinal cells. In most cell types, once Akt activation has begun, it remains in this state throughout life. An exception is seen in the rod photoreceptors, in which Akt is activated only transiently during their development. The rd1 retina behaves identically in all but one respect, namely that the activation of Akt in rod photoreceptors persists until these cells undergo apoptosis. Thus, Akt may participate in constitutive survival processes in retinal neurons, except in rod photoreceptors in which the role of this pathway may be restricted to the developmental period. However, Akt activation in the rods may be part of a defense mechanism initiated in response to insults, such as the retinal degeneration seen in the rd1 mouse. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
photoreceptor, apoptosis, retinal degeneration, mouse (CH3), Akt
in
Cell and Tissue Research
volume
320
issue
2
pages
213 - 222
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000228728500001
  • pmid:15789220
  • scopus:18844370917
ISSN
1432-0878
DOI
10.1007/s00441-004-1046-8
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6fb0bc35-62b2-41e8-ba8d-51cf397bb5ce (old id 134775)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15789220&dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:36:41
date last changed
2022-01-27 07:28:22
@article{6fb0bc35-62b2-41e8-ba8d-51cf397bb5ce,
  abstract     = {{Retinitis pigmentosa is a blinding disease in which unknown mechanisms cause the degeneration of retinal photoreceptors. The retinal degeneration (rd1) mouse is a relevant model for this condition, since it carries a mutation also found in some forms of retinitis pigmentosa. To understand the degenerative process in the rd1 mouse, we must identify the survival and apoptosis-related signaling pathways in its photoreceptors and determine whether signaling differs from that in normal mice. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt kinase pathway promotes survival in several different cell types. The purpose of the present study has been to compare Akt activity in retinal cells of normal and rd1 mice. We have found that, in normal mice, Akt becomes activated in the retina in a developmentally regulated and cell-type-specific fashion, encompassing essentially all retinal cells. In most cell types, once Akt activation has begun, it remains in this state throughout life. An exception is seen in the rod photoreceptors, in which Akt is activated only transiently during their development. The rd1 retina behaves identically in all but one respect, namely that the activation of Akt in rod photoreceptors persists until these cells undergo apoptosis. Thus, Akt may participate in constitutive survival processes in retinal neurons, except in rod photoreceptors in which the role of this pathway may be restricted to the developmental period. However, Akt activation in the rods may be part of a defense mechanism initiated in response to insults, such as the retinal degeneration seen in the rd1 mouse.}},
  author       = {{Johnson, Leif and van Veen, Theo and Ekström, Per}},
  issn         = {{1432-0878}},
  keywords     = {{photoreceptor; apoptosis; retinal degeneration; mouse (CH3); Akt}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{213--222}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Cell and Tissue Research}},
  title        = {{Differential Akt activation in the photoreceptors of normal and rd1 mice.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00441-004-1046-8}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00441-004-1046-8}},
  volume       = {{320}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}