Fig. 8. S6K1 overexpression in rods driven by a bovine rhodopsin promoter enhances the survival of the rods in rd10 mice.

a–c Retinal sections from P27 rd10 mice treated with S6K1 or GFP and age-matched WT mice were stained with TUNEL (red). The nuclear layers were stained with DAPI (blue). d–f Retinal sections from P27 rd10 mice treated with S6K1 or GFP and age-matched WT mice were stained with an antibody against red/green opsin (red). The nuclear layers were stained with DAPI (blue). Insets are highly magnified images from respective images showing cone OS/ISs. ONL outer nuclear layer, OPL outer plexiform layer, INL inner nuclear layer, IPL inner plexiform layer, GCL ganglion cell layer, OS outer segment, IS inner segment. Scale bar: 20μm. g–i Confocal images of red/green cones in the dorsal retina of retinal flat mounts, 1mm superior to the center of the optic nerve are shown. Retinal flat mounts from P27 rd10 mice treated with S6K1 or GFP and age-matched WT mice were stained with an antibody against red/green opsins. Scale bar: 20μm. j Quantification of TUNEL-positive photoreceptors from retinal sections. k Plot of the ONL thickness from P27 rd10 mice measured in numbers of photoreceptor nuclei per column. l Plot of the length of cone OS/ISs measured on retinal sections. m Quantification of red/green cone density in the dorsal retina of retinal flat mounts. n Average scotopic b-wave amplitudes from P27 rd10 mice. Age-matched C57BL/6 are shown as comparisons (black bar). o Average photopic b-wave amplitudes from the three groups of P27 mice. Results are presented as the mean±SD. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001, ***p < 0.0001