Protective effect of magnesium acetyltaurate against endothelin-induced retinal and optic nerve injury

• Intravitreal endothelin-1 (ET1) in rats results in retinal cell apoptosis and optic nerve (ON) degeneration.
• Intravitreal magnesium acetyltaurate (MgAT) 24 h before ET1 attenuates retinal cell apoptosis and ON degeneration.
• MgAT pretreatment significantly reduces ET1-induced TUNEL and caspase-3 staining in retina.
• Above effects of MgAT were associated with significantly reduced retinal oxidative stress.
• MgAT pre-treatment provides greater neuroprotection against ET1-induced damage compared to co- and post-treatment.

Vascular dysregulation has long been recognized as an important pathophysiological factor underlying the development of glaucomatous neuropathy. Endothelin-1 (ET1) has been shown to be a key player due to its potent vasoconstrictive properties that result in retinal ischemia and oxidative stress leading to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) apoptosis and optic nerve (ON) damage. In this study we investigated the protective effects of magnesium acetyltaurate (MgAT) against retinal cell apoptosis and ON damage. MgAT was administered intravitreally prior to, along with or after administration of ET1. Seven days post-injection, animals were euthanized and retinae were subjected to morphometric analysis, TUNEL and caspase-3 staining. ON sections were stained with toluidine blue and were graded for neurodegenerative effects. Oxidative stress was also estimated in isolated retinae. Pre-treatment with MgAT significantly lowered ET1-induced retinal cell apoptosis as measured by retinal morphometry and TUNEL staining. This group of animals also showed significantly lesser caspase-3 activation and significantly reduced retinal oxidative stress compared to the animals that received intravitreal injection of only ET1. Additionally, the axonal degeneration in ON was markedly reduced in MgAT pretreated animals. The animals that received MgAT co- or post-treatment with ET1 also showed improvement in all parameters; however, the effects were not as significant as observed in MgAT pretreated animals. The current study showed that the intravitreal pre-treatment with MgAT reduces caspase-3 activation and prevents retinal cell apoptosis and axon loss in ON induced by ET1. This protective effect of ET1 was associated with reduced retinal oxidative stress.