Figure 3.
NAE 18:2 preincubation is required for protection of RGC layer neurons against glutamate excitotoxicity. NAE 18:2 preincubation is critical for its neuroprotective effect. A) Retina explants were either pretreated for 24 hours (ON) with 40 μM NAE 18:2 prior to and during glutamate exposure or at the onset of glutamate exposure (no pretreatment). All glutamate exposures were for 24 hours, and NAE 18:2 was present during the glutamate exposure period. Note the lack of protection without pretreatment (red arrows). B) Quantitative summary data revealing the requirement for NAE 18:2 protection of RGC layer neurons against glutamate.
Notes: *denotes P < 0.05, as determined by a one-way analysis of variance test. Scale bar: 50 μM.
Abbreviations: DIC, differential interference contrast; NAE, N-acylethanolamide; ON, overnight; RGC, retinal ganglion cell; TUNEL, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP (2′-deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate) nick-end labeling – green fluorescence.