Optic Nerve Changes in Ascorbic Acid-deficient Rats

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Purpose: To examine changes in the optic nerves of mutant Wistar rats (OD rats) with a hereditary defect in ascorbic acid-synthesizing ability, since there is a lack of information on the role of ascorbic acid in the optic nerve. Methods: OD rats fed a ascorbic acid-deficient diet and deionized water starting 20 days after birth were killed 3 weeks after the start of the experiment. Control rats were fed a usual diet and deionized water containing 2 mg/ml of ascorbic acid. In the recovery experiment, rats fed on a usual diet and deionized water for 3 weeks after weaning were then fed the same deficient diet for 2 more weeks and deionized water containing 2 mg/ml of ascorbic acid. Pairfed control OD rats received the same amount of usual diet as the experimental OD rats ate on the previous day with free access to deionized distilled water containing 2 mg/ml of ascorbic acid. The optic nerve was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Results: The ultrastructural study showed that in the ascorbic acid-deficient rats the number of myelinated nerve fibers in the optic nerve was significantly decreased and the lamellae of the myelinated axons were thin. in the recovery rats the abnormal morphology persisted. The optic nerve of the pair-fed control rats showed no abnormal findings. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the optic nerve needs ascorbic acid for the maintenance of its cell structure probably due to the antioxidative action of ascorbic acid on the lipid membrane of myelin lamellae.
長崎大学の論文

Optic Nerve Changes in Ascorbic Acid-deficient Rats

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