Dietary Supplement Enriched in Antioxidants and Omega-3 Protects from Progressive Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration
Fig 3
Histology and apoptotic cell detection.
Rats were fed by using a gastric canula with 0.2 ml of water or dietary supplement for 4 weeks. After one week of treatment, they were kept in dim cyclic light (< 5 lux; No Light Damage, NLD) or transferred for one week to bright cyclic light (Progressive Light Damage, PLD; 12 hours light at 400 lux; 12 hours dark). 8 animals per group (water and dietary supplement) were sacrified for apoptotic cell detection and the rest (PLD: n = 6 for water and n = 7 for dietary supplement) was returned to dim cyclic light for two weeks before being sacrified for outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness measurement. A) Number of apoptotic nuclei detection: The ratio of the number of apoptotic nuclei over the number of nuclei was calculated at 1.17 and 2.34 mm from the optic nerve in the superior and inferior side of the retina (n = 8 per group). (*) significance compared to water group. Results are presented as mean ± SD. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001. (B) Outer Nuclear Layer thickness: The ONL thicknesses were measured from the optic nerve to the superior and inferior side of the retina (NLD: n = 5 for water and for dietary supplement; PLD: n = 6 for water and n = 7 for dietary supplement). (*) significance compared to No Light Damage group. (C) Representative micrographs of the most damaged area in the superior retina.