Figure 5

Blocking VEGF in the LD model is neuroprotective for photoreceptors. (a) Representative scotopic electroretinogram response for both the a- and b-wave amplitudes. The quantification of the a-wave (b) amplitude at the different stimuli intensities reveals that response of the LV-V65-treated group is intermediate between control unexposed to light and LV-GFP-treated mice responses. Note that LV-V65-treated mice response is significantly higher than LV-GFP-treated mice response for the following intensities: 3 × 10³ (P<0.05), 10 × 10³ (P<0.01) and 25 × 10³ (P<0.05) mcds/m2. Similarly, the quantification of the b-wave amplitude at the different intensities stimuli showed the same result (c). LV-V65-treated mice response was significantly higher compared with LV-GFP-treated mice response for the same intensities: 3 × 10³ (P<0.01), 10 × 10³ (P<0.05) and 25 × 10³ (P<0.05) mcds/m2. Results are expressed as mean±S.E. (n=8 per group); statistical analyses: two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni’s post hoc test. This experiment was reproduced with different batches of lentiviral vectors and led to the same results. Transgene expression level quantified by quantitative PCR revealed that functional rescue of photoreceptor correlates with the level of V65 expression for both the a-wave (d) and the b-wave (e) maximal amplitudes (n=10 per group)