Induction and phosphorylation of the small heat shock proteins HspB1/Hsp25 and HspB5/αB-crystallin in the rat retina upon optic nerve injury.

ABSTRACT: Several eye diseases are associated with axonal injury in the optic nerve, which normally leads to degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and subsequently to loss of vision. There is experimental evidence that some members of the small heat shock protein family (HspBs) are upregulated upon optic nerve injury (ONI) in the retina and sufficient to promote RGC survival. These data raise the question as to whether other family members may play a similar role in this context. Here, we performed a comprehensive comparative study comprising all HspBs in an experimental model of ONI. We found that five HspBs were expressed in the adult rat retina at control conditions but only HspB1 and HspB5 were upregulated in response to ONI. Furthermore, HspB1 and HspB5 were constitutively phosphorylate

SUBMITTER: Schmidt T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4679741 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature