Laskarina-Maria  Korou, Andreas  Karydis, George  Agrogiannis, Evangellos  Doukiantzakis, Ilias  Doulamis, Panagiotis  Theodosiadis, Ioannis  Vergados, Ioannis S.  Vlachos, Despina N.  Perrea, 
    Investigation of the Impact of Nerve Growth Factor Intravitreal Administration on Ganglion Cell Degeneration in an Experimental Model of Elevated Intraocular Pressure in Rabbits,
    Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances,
    Volume 13,Issue 12,
    2014,
    Pages 745-751,
    ISSN 1680-5593,
    javaa.2014.745.751,
    (https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=javaa.2014.745.751)
    Abstract: Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) has been reported to possess beneficial 
  therapeutic potential in optic neuropathies. The aim of the present study was 
  to assess the impact of NGF administration on the retinal alterations due to 
  experimentally induced elevated intraocular pressure in rabbits. The increased 
  intraocular pressure was induced in the right eyes of adult male New Zealand 
  White rabbits by injection of 2% methylcellulose solution. NGF and VH groups 
  (n = 9 animals per group) were treated with either right eye intraocular application 
  of NGF or vehicle solution. The 2.5 S subunit NGF powder diluted in 10 μg 
  normal saline was intravitreally injected on the 5 and 10th day after the induction 
  of increased intraocular pressure. Control group (n = 4) consisted of the untreated 
  left eyes of some animals belonging to the two first groups. Retinal Ganglion 
  Cells density was assessed by immunohistochemical staining of the retina 20 
  days post-induction of the elevated intraocular pressure. Elevated intraocular 
  pressure resulted in Retinal Ganglion Cells loss in the NGF and VH groups as 
  compared with the controls. The number of Retinal Ganglion Cells was reduced 
  in the NGF-treated group as compared with the VH group. These findings demonstrate 
  that NGF administration in specific dosage and at different times following 
  experimentally-induced increased intraocular pressure displays a protective 
  role against Ganglion Cell layer degradation.
    Keywords: Nerve growth factor;intraocular hypertension;rabbits;neuropathies;injection