Figure 1.

Inhibition of retinal degeneration and preservation of cone function in rd1 mice treated with rapamycin

P10 rd1 mice were treated by intravitreal injection of 10 µmol/L (Rapa10), 25 µmol/L (Rapa25), 50 µmol/L rapamycin (Rapa50), or vehicle control (DMSO). A–D: Mice were analyzed 20 h after treatment. For each rapamycin-treated group, including vehicle control, n=3 mice/group. E–G: Mice were analyzed 6 days after treatment. For each rapamycin-treated group, including vehicle control, n=4 mice/group. A: Representative confocal images showing TUNEL signals in photoreceptors. Nuclei were stained by DAPI. Arrowheads indicate TUNEL-positive nuclei. Scale bar: 20 µm. B: Quantification of TUNEL-positive nuclei in entire retinal sections corresponding to images shown in (A). Data are mean±standard deviation (SD). ^**: P<0.01;^***: P<0.001. C: Western blot analysis was used to detect expression of apoptotic protein cleaved caspase 3. GAPDH was used as a loading control. D: Quantification of western blot signals shown in (C). Data are mean±SD. ^***: P<0.001;^****: P<0.0001. E: Representative individual confocal images of retinal sections stained by DAPI (blue). Scale bar: 20 μm. ONL, outer nuclear layer; INL, inner nuclear layer. F: Measurement of ONL thickness along central meridian at 10 locations on dorsal to ventral axis in mouse eyes 6 days after treatment. G: Photopic electroretinograms (ERGs, recorded at 50 cd·s/m²) of rd1 mice 6 days after rapamycin treatment. All quantification data are expressed as mean±SD. ^*: P<0.05;^**: P<0.01;^***: P<0.001;^****: P<0.0001; ns: No significanceP>0.05.