Neurotransmitter contents in the retina of RCS rat

Background: Retinitis pigmentosa is a hereditary disease characterized by gradually developing degeneration of photoreceptors. The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat is an experimental model of retinitis pigmentosa. However, there is a paucity of information concerning neurotransmitter contents in the retina of RCS rats. Thus, we determined the retinal contents of neurotransmitters in RCS rats at 4 and 23 weeks postnatally and in age-matched congenic control rats. Methods: Dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (ACh) were electrochemically measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Neuroactive amino acids, including γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and taurine, were determined by means of an HPLC-precolumn derivatization method. Results: Contents of DA, ACh, glutamate, aspartate and GABA in the retina of RCS rats 4 weeks postnatally were within normal ranges. At 23 weeks, the retinal contents of DA, glutamate and aspartate in the RCS rats were significantly lower than in the age-matched control rats, while the contents of ACh and GABA were unaffected even at this later stage. On the other hand, the retinal content of glycine in the RCS rats at 23 weeks was significantly higher than that in the age-matched control rats. It is interesting to note that the content of taurine in the RCS rats had already decreased at 4 weeks postnatally and the decrease was more marked at 23 weeks. Conclusion: The decrease in taurine content is probably the first sign of degeneration revealed by the retinal neurotransmitters of RCS rats.