Age of Rats Affects the Degree of Retinal Neuroinflammatory Response Induced by High Acute Intraocular Pressure

Figure 3

High IOP treatment induced astrogliosis and C3 deposition more easily in aged retinae than in young adult retinae. High IOP treatment induced the increase in GFAP and C3 staining in young adult (a–d, i–l) and aged retinae (e–h, m–p). Merged images showed colocalization (yellow) of C3 and GFAP staining, suggesting the formation of neurotoxic astrocytes in young adult (q–t) and aged retinae (u–x) 3 days after treatment. Quantification of GFAP and C3 expression in the inner retina was presented as the relative mean gray value and relative positive area (YA-YB, ZA-ZB) (GCL: ganglion cell layer; IPL: inner plexiform layer; INL: inner nuclear layer; OPL: outer plexiform layer; ONL: outer nuclear layer. , , , versus age-matched control; , , versus matched part of young adult retina at the same IOP treatment. Scale bar: 50 μm, zoom: 20 μm).