Objective:To observe the intervention effect of the tetra methylpyraz ine on the rds mice with retinitis pigmentosa. Methods:A total of 84 rds mice were randomly divided into 2 groups, with 42 mice in each group. The mice in the experimental group underwent intraperitoneal cavity injection with hydrochlor i c tetramethylpyrazine (80 mg/kg, twice per day) at the date of birth and till 35 days after birth, whereas the normal saline was injected into the intraperito n eal cavity of rats in the control group. The mice were sacrificed 0, 3, 7, 14, 2 1, 28, 35 days after birth, and the eyeballs were enucleated for the routine pat hologic examination with the light microscope. The apoptosis of photoreceptor ce ll nuclei was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferasemediated dUTP n i ck endlabeling (TUNEL) technigue and the expression of bcl2 in retina was de tect by immunohistochemistry method. Results:The results of li ght microscopy s howed that the layer number of retinal photoreceptor cell nuclei with tetramethy lpyrazine treatment was increased 14, 21, 28, 35 days after the treatment compar ed with that in the control group（P＜0.01）. The results of electron-micro scope suggested that tetramethylpyrazine might reduce lesions in the photoreceptor cells and the destruction of the disc member, mitochondrion，and outer limiting me mbrane in the photoreceptor outer segment in rds mice. The apoptosis of the phot oreceptor cell nuclei reduced in rds mice 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after the treatment compared with that in the control group （P＜0.01）. The express ion of bcl-2 in the matrix of retinal photoreceptor cell nuclei and its inner and o u ter segments increased significantly in rds mice 3，7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days af ter the treatment （P＜0.05）. Conclusions:Tetramethylpyra zine might reduce ret inal photoreceptor apoptosis by upregulating the expression of bcl-2 in the m at rix of retinal photoreceptor cell nuclei or its inner and outer segments in rds mice.
PURPOSE:Investigating on histopathologic changes of the photoreceptors in retinitis pigmentosa. METHODS:Observation of the photoreceptors of retinitis pigmentosa in 11 eyes among 9 cases using light and electron microscope. RESULTS: The pathologic changes of the photoreceptors were found to be mostly marded at the equatorial area and less at the periphery,posterior pole and macular region of the retina. In relatively early cases,degeneration and shortening of outer segments,reduction or loss of connecting cilia,stubby inner segments and swollen mitochondria Were the predominant findings. In advanced cases,the inner and outer segments and connecting cilia were diminished with reduction of nuclei in number and disarangement,cellular degeneration and disorganization. The outer limiting membrane adhered to RPE or Bruch membrane. The spaces left over by the above pathologic changes were replaced by the displaced Muuml;ller cells and their hypertrophic processes. Also there were degeneration of the RPE cells,and some of them might migrate into the retina. CONCLUSION:Obvious invasions of pathologic processes in photoreceptors of the retina did present in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. （Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,1996,12:160-162）