@article{
author = "Vasović, Dolika D. and Ivković, Sanja and Živanović, Ana and Major, Tamara and Milašin, Jelena M. and Nikolić, Nađa S. and Simonović, Jelena and Šutulović, Nikola and Hrnčić, Dragan and Stanojlović, Olivera and Vesković, Milena and Rašić, Dejan M. and Mladenović, Dušan",
year = "2024",
abstract = "Diabetic retinopathy is not cured efficiently and changes of lifestyle measures may delay early retinal injury in
diabetes. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of reduced daily light exposure on retinal vascular
changes in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced model of DM with emphasis on inflammation, Aqp4 expression, visual
cycle and cholesterol metabolism-related gene expression in rat retina and RPE. Male Wistar rats were divided
into the following groups: 1. control; 2. diabetic group (DM) treated with streptozotocin (100 mg/kg); 3. group
exposed to light/dark cycle 6/18 h (6/18); 4. diabetic group exposed to light/dark cycle 6/18 h (DM+6/18).
Retinal vascular abnormalities were estimated based on lectin staining, while the expression of genes involved in
the visual cycle, cholesterol metabolism, and inflammation was determined by qRT-PCR. Reduced light exposure
alleviated vasculopathy, gliosis and the expression of IL-1 and TNF-α in the retina with increased perivascular
Aqp4 expression. The expression of genes involved in visual cycle and cholesterol metabolism was significantly
up-regulated in RPE in DM+6/18 vs. DM group. In the retina only the expression of APOE was significantly
higher in DM+6/18 vs. DM group. Reduced light exposure mitigates vascular changes and gliosis in DM via its
anti-inflammatory effect, increased retinal cholesterol turnover and perivascular Aqp4 expression.",
publisher = "Elsevier",
journal = "Chemico-Biological Interactions",
title = "Reduced light exposure mitigates streptozotocin-induced vascular changes and gliosis in diabetic retina by an anti-inflammatory effect and increased retinal cholesterol turnover",
volume = "394",
pages = "110996",
doi = "10.1016/j.cbi.2024.110996"
}