The Role of Neuroglobin in Retinal Hemodynamics and Metabolism: A Real-Time Study

PURPOSE: In this study, we used broadband near-infrared spectroscopy, a non-invasive optical technique, to investigate in real time the possible role of neuroglobin in retinal hemodynamics and metabolism. METHODS: Retinae of 12 C57 mice (seven young and five old) and seven young neuroglobin knockouts (Ngb-KOs) were exposed to light from a low-power halogen source, and the back-reflected light was used to calculate changes in the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO(2)), deoxygenated hemoglobin (HHb), and oxidized cytochrome c oxidase (oxCCO). RESULTS: The degree of change in the near-infrared spectroscopy signals associated with HHb, HbO(2), and oxCCO was significantly greater in young C57 mice compared to the old C57 mice (P < 0.05) and the Ngb-KO model (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal a possible role of Ngb in regulating retinal function, as its absence in the retinae of a knockout mouse model led to suppressed signals that are associated with hemodynamics and oxidative metabolism. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Near-infrared spectroscopy enabled the non-invasive detection of characteristic signals that differentiate between the retina of a neuroglobin knockout mouse model and that of a wild-type model. Further work is needed to evaluate the source of the signal differences and how these differences relate to the presence or absence of neuroglobin in the ganglion, bipolar, or amacrine cells of the retina.