A different retinal glia response to optic nerve injury/lipopolysaccharideadministration in hooded and albino rats

Despite a massive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) after optic nerve crush (ONC) in hooded rats only a minor increase in retinal glial fib rillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactivity was found in the inner retin a. Interestingly, a combination of ONC with the administration of the proin flammatory agent lipopolysaccharide (LPS) but not LPS alone induces increas ed GFAP-immunoreactivity. In contrast albino rats showed elevated GFAP-immu noreactivity in response to both, LPS-administration and ONC with no furthe r increase after a combination of both. These data demonstrate significant differences in retinal glia responsiveness between hooded and albino rats a fter optic nerve lesions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.