FIG. 8.

Clinical examination, bacterial clearance, and retinal apoptosis. αB-crystallin KO and wild-type mice received 500-CFU S. aureus intravitreal injections. (A) Eyes were examined by slit lamp and given a score of 0, 1, 2, or 3 (0, cleared, and 3, destroyed). At 96 h, there was no significant difference in percentages of destroyed (score, 3) eyes (23% of αB-crystallin KO; 17% of wild-type). (B) Retinal function, as determined by ERG, was significantly depressed at 48 h (49% of normal) in αB-crystallin KO mice compared to wild-type controls (69% of normal) (n = 10; *, P = 0.05). (C) HE and TUNEL staining in eyes enucleated at 48 h revealed increased retinal folding and bleeding (circled in ×10 HE image) and retinal apoptosis in αB-crystallin KO mice compared to the wild type (closed arrows, CD45 negative). Low levels of CD45-positive inflammatory-cell apoptosis were observed in both wild-type and KO eyes (open arrows, CD45 positive). No apoptosis was observed in wild-type or αB-crystallin KO mice that received saline only. C, cornea; L, lens; R, retina; V, vitreous; INL, inner nuclear layer; ONL, outer nuclear layer; SC, sclera/choroid.