Ricerc@Sapienza

Purpose: The aim of the study is to detect the effect of the different intravitreal therapies (anti-VEFG drugs and corticosteroids) on the single layer of retinal ganglion cells (GCL) in patients affected by macular edema. Methods: Forty (17 males/23 females) Caucasian patients (40 eyes) affected by macular edema treated with intravitreal injections (anti-VEGF and steroids) are included. Spectralis HRA-OCT device with a specific protocol for the acquisition and evaluation of the GCL layer has been used.

Excitotoxicity is known to modulate the nuclear accumulation, and thus activity state, of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in pyramidal neurons. In the retina, deregulation in activity and expression of different HDACs has been linked to pathological conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa, retinal ischemia, glaucoma, and acute optic nerve injury. Up to now, however, the effects of in vivo excitotoxicity on the different HDACs in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) have not been thoroughly investigated.