Cell Death and Differentiation (2002) 9, 1220 ± 1231 ã 2002 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 1350-9047/02 $25.00 www.nature.com/cdd Caspase-independent photoreceptor apoptosis in vivo and differential expression of apoptotic protease activating factor-1 and caspase-3 during retinal development M Donovan1 and TG Cotter*,1 Glu-Val-Asp-¯uromethylketone; DMSO, dimethyl sulphoxide; FITC, ¯uorescein isothiocyanate; GAPDH, glyceraldehydes-3- 1 Tumour Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Lee Maltings, phosphate dehydrogenase; INL, inner nuclear layer; ip, intraper- University College Cork, Cork, Ireland itoneal; ONL, outer nuclear layer; PI3K, phosphatidylinositol 3- * Corresponding author: Department of Biochemistry, Lee Maltings, University kinase; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; RCS, Royal College of College Cork, Cork, Ireland. Tel:353-21-4904068; Fax: 353-21-4904259; Surgeons; rd, retinal degeneration; RP, Retinitis Pigmentosa; E-mail:
[email protected][email protected] TUNEL, Terminal dUTP nick end labelling; TdT, terminal deox- Received 7.5.02; revised 3.7.02; accepted 5.7.02 ynucleotidyl transferase; UV, ultraviolet; zVAD-fmk, Z-Val-Ala- Edited by G Ciliberto Asp.¯uoromethylketone Abstract Introduction Apoptosis is the mode of photoreceptor cell death in many Light-induced photoreceptor apoptosis represents an animal retinal dystrophies. Exposure of Balb/c mice to excessive model for the study of retinal degenerations such as Retinitis levels of light induces photoreceptor apoptosis and repre- Pigmentosa (RP), a genetically diverse group of disorders sents an animal model for the study of retinal degenerations. involving the progressive death of photoreceptor cells.1 Caspases have emerged as central regulators of apoptosis, Apoptosis is the mode of photoreceptor cell death in both executing this tightly controlled death pathway in many cells.