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(American Journal of Pathology. 2006;169:132-141.)
© 2006 American Society for Investigative Pathology
DOI: 10.2353/ajpath.2006.060085

Photoreceptor Cell Apoptosis in the Retinal Degeneration of Uchl3-Deficient Mice

Yae Sano*{dagger}, Akiko Furuta*, Rieko Setsuie*{dagger}, Hisae Kikuchi*, Yu-Lai Wang*, Mikako Sakurai*{dagger}, Jungkee Kwon*{ddagger}, Mami Noda{dagger} and Keiji Wada*

From the Department of Degenerative Neurological Diseases,* National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan; the Laboratory of Pathophysiology,{dagger} Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; and the Laboratory of Animal Medicine,{ddagger} College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea

UCH-L3 belongs to the ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase family that deubiquitinates ubiquitin-protein conjugates in the ubiquitin-proteasome system. A murine Uchl3 deletion mutant displays retinal degeneration, muscular degeneration, and mild growth retardation. To elucidate the function of UCH-L3, we investigated histopathological changes and expression of apoptosis- and oxidative stress-related proteins during retinal degeneration. In the normal retina, UCH-L3 was enriched in the photoreceptor inner segment that contains abundant mitochondria. Although the retina of Uchl3-deficient mice showed no significant morphological abnormalities during retinal development, prominent retinal degeneration became manifested after 3 weeks of age associated with photoreceptor cell apoptosis. Ultrastructurally, a decreased area of mitochondrial cristae and vacuolar changes were observed in the degenerated inner segment. Increased immunoreactivities for manganese superoxide dismutase, cytochrome c oxidase I, and apoptosis-inducing factor in the inner segment indicated mitochondrial oxidative stress. Expression of cytochrome c, caspase-1, and cleaved caspase-3 did not differ between wild-type and mutant mice; however, immunoreactivity for endonuclease G was found in the photoreceptor nuclei in the mutant retina. Hence, loss of UCH-L3 leads to mitochondrial oxidative stress-related photoreceptor cell apoptosis in a caspase-independent manner. Thus, Uchl3-deficient mice represent a model for adult-onset retinal degeneration associated with mitochondrial impairment.




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