Objectives To observe the changes of axonal transport in the rabbit optic nerve under acute ocular hypertensions. Methods 24 adult healthy New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 4 groups according to the intraocular pressure (IOP), with 6 rabbits in each group. There are 3 experimental groups with an IOP of 20, 30, 40 mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa). respectively, and 1 control group with an IOP of 10 -15 mm Hg.Two 25-gauge cannulas were inserted into each rabbit prime;s anterior chamber to create the model of acute ocular hypertension. At the beginning of the experiment, rhodamine- beta;-isothiocyanate (RITC) was injected into the vitreous of each eye to label axonal transport. After 3 hours of high intraocular pressure, rabbits were sacrificed with anesthetic overdose. The retina and the optic nerve were then carefully exposed. Fluorescent microscopy was used for quantitative measurements of the changes of optic nerve axonal transport. Statistically analyze the average grey level in different groups and sites by Leica RITC Q500IW image analysis software. Results RITC, a fluorescent tracer, was transported in the anterograde direction by axonal transport. With the increasing of the intraocular pressure, the distance of the axonal transport was declined (F=159.3, P＜0.05). The difference of the grey level in the pre-laminar region of 20, 30, 40 mm Hg group was not statistically significant (F=0.2545,P＞0.05 ). Compared the grey level of 40 mm Hg group with control group, the differences in lamina cribrosa（t=5.684）and the proximal 350 mu;m of the post-laminar (t=5.124) were statistically significant (P＜0.05). Compared the grey level of 20, 30 mm Hg group with control group, the difference was not statistically significant(t=1.747, P＞0.05 ).Conclusion 40 mmHg intraocular pressure lasts for 3 hours can reduce axonal transport in the lamina cribrosa and post laminar of optic nerve.
Citation： 周佳,郭文毅,方媛,杨强,王中峰,俞道义. Axonal transport of rabbit optic nerve under acute ocular hypertension. Chinese Journal of Ocular Fundus Diseases, 2011, 27(5): 454-457. doi: Copy