{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,18]],"date-time":"2026-01-18T11:03:17Z","timestamp":1768734197855,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,18]],"date-time":"2024-06-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1718668800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival and visual function were assessed in rat and mouse models of optic nerve (ON) crush. ONs were crushed on Day 1, followed by intravitreal injections of a vehicle or BDNF on Days 1 and 8. The spatial frequency threshold was measured using optokinetic tracking on Days 7 and 14. On Day 15, ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness was quantified using optical coherence tomography. Furthermore, all eyes were enucleated for immunohistochemical analysis of the surviving RGC somas and axons. BDNF significantly reduced the RGC soma in mice and increased GCC thickness in intact eyes, with apparent axonal swelling in both species. It displayed significantly greater RGC soma survival in eyes with ON injury, with moderately thicker axonal bundles in both species and a thicker GCC in rats. Visual function was significantly reduced in all ON-crushed animals, regardless of BDNF treatment. Thus, we obtained a comprehensive analysis of the structural and functional impact of BDNF in intact and ON-crushed eyes in two rodent models. Our results provide a foundation for further BDNF evaluation and the design of preclinical studies on neuroprotectants using BDNF as a reference positive control.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph17060798","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,18]],"date-time":"2024-06-18T07:33:20Z","timestamp":1718696000000},"page":"798","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Assessment of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor on Retinal Structure and Visual Function in Rodent Models of Optic Nerve Crush"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Takazumi","family":"Taniguchi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Innovation Center, Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nara 630-0101, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Najam A.","family":"Sharif","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Innovation Center, Santen Inc., Emeryville, CA 94608, USA"},{"name":"Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK"},{"name":"Imperial College of Science and Technology, St. Mary\u2019s Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK"},{"name":"Eye-APC Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore"},{"name":"Department of Pharmacy Sciences, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA"},{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA"},{"name":"Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Sciences Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA"},{"name":"Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore 169856, Singapore"},{"name":"Global Research and Development, Nanoscope Therapeutics Inc., Dallas, TX 75207, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2366-2819","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Takashi","family":"Ota","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Innovation Center, Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nara 630-0101, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rafal A.","family":"Farjo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EyeCRO LLC, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rebecca","family":"Rausch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EyeCRO LLC, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16067","DOI":"10.1038\/nrdp.2016.67","article-title":"Primary open-angle glaucoma","volume":"2","author":"Weinreb","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat. 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