The Role of Mitochondrial Respiration in Müller Glia Survival and Function Under Normal and Glaucomatous Conditions In Vivo

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dc.contributor.advisorInman, Denise M.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberStankowska, Dorota L.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberZode, Gulab S.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberYang, Shaohua
dc.creatorNsiah, Nana Yaa
dc.date.accessioned2024-06-04T19:40:05Z
dc.date.available2024-06-04T19:40:05Z
dc.date.issued2023-05
dc.description.abstractSeveral markers of mitochondrial dysfunction have been observed in the retinas of glaucoma patients and experimental animal models. However, these studies have primarily focused on retinal neuron cells even though glial cells too contain significant amounts of mitochondria. Thus, little is known about how glial cell mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to glaucoma pathology. As the principal macroglial cells of the retina, Müller glia (MG) function is essential to maintaining homeostasis in the retina. However, very little is known about how MG generate energy to support their function in vivo. In this study, we address the role of mitochondrial respiration in MG using an inducible Cox10 knockout transgenic mouse model. Cox10 (protoheme IX farnesyltransferase) encodes a component of cytochrome c oxidase (COX), complex IV, of the electron transport chain. Cox10 deficient cells lack functional COX. Disruption of COX function in MG did not affect MG survival nor retinal structure but impaired visual function and upregulated glycolysis pathway protein expression in the retina. These data suggest that MG-specific mitochondrial respiration is essential for whole retinal energy metabolism and visual processing. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) has been shown to be upregulated in the glaucomatous retina and optic nerve, yet its role in glaucoma pathogenesis remains unexplored. HIF-1α is a transcription factor that promotes glycolysis and metabolic adaptation during hypoxia. By blocking HIF-1α degradation through pharmacologic inhibition, we found that prolonged HIF- 1α stabilization led to retinal glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) protein downregulation and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, indicating low energy status. These changes were accompanied by impaired retinal ganglion cell (RGC) function and glial cell activation. Taken together, these results demonstrate the essential role of MG-specific OXPHOS in the retina, as well as pointing to a role for HIF-1α in neurodegeneration in the retina.
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/32838
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjectMüller glia
dc.subjectoxidative phosphorylation
dc.subjectmetabolism
dc.subjectelectroretinogram
dc.subjectglycolysis
dc.subject.meshEpendymoglial Cells
dc.subject.meshOxidative Phosphorylation
dc.subject.meshMetabolism
dc.titleThe Role of Mitochondrial Respiration in Müller Glia Survival and Function Under Normal and Glaucomatous Conditions In Vivo
dc.typeThesis
dc.type.materialtext
thesis.degree.departmentSchool of Biomedical Sciences
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy

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