PR002011 (Project)

Description:CNS injuries of the anuran amphibian, Xenopus laevis, are uniquely befitted for studying the molecular compositions of neuronal regeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) due to a functional recovery of optic axons disparate to adult mammalian analogues. RGCs and their optic nerve axons undergo irreversible neurodegeneration in glaucoma and associated optic neuropathies, resulting in blindness in mammals. Conversely, Xenopus demonstrates RGC lifetime-spanning regenerative capabilities after optic nerve crush, inciting opportunities to compare de novo regeneration and develop efficient pharmaceutical approaches for vision restoration. Studies revealing lipidome alterations during optic nerve regeneration are sparse and could serve as a solid foundation for these underlying molecular changes. We profile the lipid changes in a transgenic line of 1 year old Xenopus laevis Tg(islet2b:gfp) frogs that were either had a monocular surgery of either a left optic crush injury (crush) or sham surgery (sham). The matching controls of uninjured right optic nerves were also collected (control). Tg(islet2b:gfp) frogs were allowed to recover for 12 and 27 days post optic nerve crush. Following euthanasia, the optic nerves were collected for lipidomic analysis. A modified Bligh and Dyer method was used for lipid extraction, followed by untargeted mass spectrometry lipid profiling with a Q-Exactive Orbitrap Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (LC MS-MS) coupled with Vanquish Horizon Binary UHPLC LC-MS system.