Activated Protein C Rescues the Retina from Ischemia-Induced Cell Death

PURPOSE. Ischemia causes severe and persistent visual loss in many eye diseases, including central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and diabetic retinopathy. Activated protein C (APC) has been demonstrated to reduce the cell death associated with ischemia in the brain and kidney. This study was performed to examine the ability of APC to rescue hypoxia-induced retinal cell death in vitro and in vivo. METHODS. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptor cells were placed in either a normoxic or a hypoxic chamber. Immediately before they were subjected to ischemia, the cultures were treated with APC (3-240 mu g/mL). Incubation was followed by an MTT assay to determine the number of viable cells. The activity of caspase-3, -8, and -9 in RPE cells was also analyzed. Various concentrations of APC were intravitreally injected in a rat CRVO model, followed by TUNEL staining to detect the in vivo effects of APC. RESULTS. Lower concentrations of APC (0.3-30 mu g/mL) showed a cell-protective effect against hypoxia in vitro, whereas higher concentrations (>= 120 mu g/mL) demonstrated cytotoxicity in both RPE and photoreceptor cells. Caspase-3, -8, and -9 were activated when the cells were exposed to hypoxia, but this activation was significantly inhibited by APC. Experimental CRVO-induced retinal cell apoptosis was reduced dramatically by intravitreal injection of APC. CONCLUSIONS. APC can reduce ischemia-induced cytotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo via blocking the activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9. APC may be a promising candidate for protecting the retina from ischemia. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52:987-993) DOI:10.1167/iovs.10-5557