Plasma Rich in Growth Factors Enhances Cell Survival after in Situ Retinal Degeneration

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGFs) under blue light conditions in an in vivo model of retinal degeneration. Methods: Male Wistar rats were exposed to dark/blue light conditions for 9 days. On day 7, right eyes were injected with saline and left eyes with PRGF. Electroretinography (ERG) and intraocular pressure (IoP) measurements were performed before and after the experiment. After sacrifice, retinal samples were collected. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to analyze the structure of retinal sections. Immunofluorescence for brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 3A (Brn3a), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), rhodopsin, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was performed to study the retinal conditions. Results: Retinal signaling measured by ERG was reduced by blue light and recovered with PRGF; however, IoP measurements did not show significant differences among treatments. Blue light reduced the expression for Brn3a, ChAT, and rhodopsin. Treatment with PRGF showed a recovery in their expressions. HO-1 and GFAP results showed that blue light increased their expression but the use of PRGF reduced the effect of light. Conclusions: Blue light causes retinal degeneration. PRGF mitigated the injury, restoring the functionality of these cells and maintaining the tissue integrity.