Neuroprotective effect of systemic and/or intravitreal rosuvastatin administration in rat glaucoma model.

AIM:To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of rosuvastatin,in a rat experimental glaucoma model.· METHODS:Ocular hypertension was induced in right eyes of Long-Evans rats(n=30) by cauterization of three episcleral veins.Left eyes were defined as controls.Rats were divided into five groups:oral rosuvastatin,intravitreal rosuvastatin,oral +intravitreal rosuvastatin,intravitreal sham and glaucoma without intervention.Rats were sacrificed at day 14.Retinal ganglion cell(RGC) number was assessed by histopathological analysis.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-nick end-labeling(TUNEL) staining and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) in RGC layer was also examined.· RESULTS:A significant intraocular pressure(IOP)elevation was seen(P=0.002).Elevated IOP resulted in a significant decrease in number of RGCs in group 5(70.33±8.2 cells/mm~2) when compared with controls(92.50±13.72 cells/mm~2;P=0.03).The RGC number in group 1(92.4±7.3 cells/mm~2) was significantly higher than group 5(P=0.03).The numbers of RGC in groups 2,3(57.3±8.2 cells/mm~2,60.5±12.9 cells/mm~2) were comparable with that of group 5(P=0.18 and P=0.31).The apoptosis rates with TUNEL staining were also parallel to RGC number.Animals with experimentally induced glaucoma showed an increase in retinal GFAP immunoreactivity.· CONCLUSION:Decrease in RGC loss and apoptosis suggest the neuroprotective potential of oral rosuvastatin treatment in a rat model of ocular hypertension.However intravitreal rosuvastatin showed a contrary effect and further studies are required.