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Purpose We previously reported increased expression of cell proliferation and Jak-Stat pathway-related genes in chronic experimental glaucoma model optic nerve heads (ONH) with early, mild injury. Here, we confirm these observations by localizing, identifying, and quantifying ONH cellular proliferation and Jak-Stat pathway activation in this model. Methods Chronic intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation was achieved via outflow pathway sclerosis. After 5 weeks, ONH longitudinal sections were immunolabeled with proliferation and cell-type markers to determine nuclear densities in the anterior (unmyelinated) and transition (partially myelinated) ONH. Nuclear pStat3 labeling was used to detect Jak-Stat pathway activation. Nuclear density differences between control ONH (uninjected) and ONH with either early or advanced injury (determined by optic nerve injury grading) were identified by ANOVA. Results Advanced injury ONH had twice the nuclear density (P < 0.0001) of controls and significantly greater astrocyte density in anterior (P = 0.0001) and transition (P = 0.006) ONH regions. An increased optic nerve injury grade positively correlated with increased microglia/macrophage density in anterior and transition ONH (P < 0.0001, both). Oligodendroglial density was unaffected. In glaucoma model ONH, 80% of anterior and 66% of transition region proliferating cells were astrocytes. Nuclear pStat3 labeling significantly increased in early injury anterior ONH, and 95% colocalized with astrocytes. Conclusions Astrocytes account for the majority of proliferating cells, contributing to a doubled nuclear density in advanced injury ONH. Jak-Stat pathway activation is apparent in the early injury glaucoma model ONH. These data confirm dramatic astrocyte cell proliferation and early Jak-Stat pathway activation in ONH injured by elevated IOP.

Purpose MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous noncoding RNAs that have been detected in human aqueous humor (AH). Prior studies have pooled samples to obtain sufficient quantities for analysis or used next-generation sequencing. Here, we used PCR arrays with preamplification to identify and compare miRNAs from individual AH samples between patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal controls. Methods AH was collected before cataract surgery from six stable, medically treated POAG patients and eight age-matched controls. Following reverse transcription and preamplification, individual patient samples were profiled on Taqman Low Density MicroRNA Array Cards. Differentially expressed miRNAs were stratified for fold changes larger than ±2 and for significance of P < 0.05. Significant Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways influenced by the differentially expressed miRNAs were identified using the predicted target module of the miRWalk 2.0 database. Results This approach detected 181 discrete miRNAs, which were consistently expressed across all samples of both experimental groups. Significant up-regulation of miR-518d and miR-143, and significant down-regulation of miR-660, was observed in the AH of POAG patients compared with controls. These miRNAs were predicted to reduce cell proliferation and extracellular matrix remodeling, endocytosis, Wnt signaling, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, and adherens junction function. Conclusions This pilot study demonstrates that miRNA expression within the AH of POAG patients differs from age-matched controls. AH miRNAs exhibit potential as biomarkers of POAG, which merits further investigation in a larger case-controlled study. This technique provides a cost-effective and sensitive approach to assay miRNAs in individual patient samples without the need for pooling.

PURPOSE: To characterize early optic nerve head (ONH) structural change in rat experimental glaucoma (EG). METHODS: Unilateral intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation was induced in Brown Norway rats by hypertonic saline injection into the episcleral veins and animals were sacrificed 4 weeks later by perfusion fixation. Optic nerve cross-sections were graded from 1 (normal) to 5 (extensive injury) by 5 masked observers. ONHs with peripapillary retina and sclera were embedded, serial sectioned, 3-D reconstructed, delineated, and quantified. Overall and animal-specific EG versus Control eye ONH parameter differences were assessed globally and regionally by linear mixed effect models with significance criteria adjusted for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Expansions of the optic nerve and surrounding anterior scleral canal opening achieved statistical significance overall (p < 0.0022), and in 7 of 8 EG eyes (p < 0.005). In at least 5 EG eyes, significant expansions (p < 0.005) in Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) (range 3-10%), the anterior and posterior scleral canal openings (8-21% and 5-21%, respectively), and the optic nerve at the anterior and posterior scleral canal openings (11-30% and 8-41%, respectively) were detected. Optic nerve expansion was greatest within the superior and inferior quadrants. Optic nerve expansion at the posterior scleral canal opening was significantly correlated to optic nerve damage (R = 0.768, p = 0.042). CONCLUSION: In the rat ONH, the optic nerve and surrounding BMO and neurovascular scleral canal expand early in their response to chronic experimental IOP elevation. These findings provide phenotypic landmarks and imaging targets for detecting the development of experimental glaucomatous optic neuropathy in the rat eye. Supported in part by NIH grants R01EY011610 (CFB), R01EY10145 (JCM) and R01EY16866 (ECJ)) from the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; The Legacy Good Samaritan Foundation, Portland, Oregon; the Sears Trust for Biomedical Research, Mexico, Missouri; the Alcon Research Institute, Fort Worth, Texas; and an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness.

Small molecule delivery to the optic nerve would allow for exploration of molecular and cellular pathways involved in normal physiology and optic neuropathies such as glaucoma, and provide a tool for screening therapeutics in animal models. We report a novel surgical method for small molecule drug delivery to the optic nerve head (ONH) in a rodent model. In proof-of-principle experiments, we delivered cytochalasin D (Cyt D; a filamentous actin inhibitor) to the junction of the superior optic nerve and globe in rats to target the actin-rich astrocytic cytoskeleton of the ONH. Cyt D delivery was quantified by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry of isolated optic nerve tissue. One day after Cyt D delivery, anterior ONH filamentous actin bundle content was significantly reduced as assessed by fluorescent-tagged phalloidin labeling, relative to sham delivery. Anterior ONH nuclear counts and axon-specific beta-3 tubulin levels, as well as peripapillary retinal ganglion cell layer nuclear counts were not significantly altered after Cyt D delivery relative to sham delivery. Lastly, the surgical delivery technique caused minimal observable axon degeneration up to 10 days post-surgery. This small molecule delivery technique provides a new approach to studying optic neuropathies in in vivo rodent models.

Injection of hypertonic saline via episcleral veins toward the limbus in laboratory rats can produce elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) by sclerosis of aqueous humor outflow pathways. This article describes important anatomic characteristics of the rat optic nerve head (ONH) that make it an attractive animal model for human glaucoma, along with the anatomy of rat aqueous humor outflow on which this technique is based. The injection technique itself is also described, with the aid of a supplemental movie, including necessary equipment and specific tips to acquire this skill. Outcomes of a successful injection are presented, including IOP elevation and patterns of optic nerve injury. These concepts are then specifically considered in light of the use of this model to assess potential neuroprotective therapies. Advantages of the hypertonic saline model include a delayed and relatively gradual IOP elevation, likely reproduction of scleral and ONH stresses and strains that may be important in producing axonal injury, and its ability to be applied to any rat (and potentially mouse) strain, leaving the unmanipulated fellow eye as an internal control. Challenges include the demanding surgical skill required by the technique itself, a wide range of IOP response, and mild corneal clouding in some animals. However, meticulous application of the principles detailed in this article and practice will allow most researchers to attain this useful skill for studying cellular events of glaucomatous optic nerve damage.

The purpose of this study is to three-dimensionally (3D) characterize the principal macroscopic and microscopic relationships within the rat optic nerve head (ONH) and quantify them in normal control eyes. Perfusion-fixed, trephinated ONH from 8 normal control eyes of 8 Brown Norway Rats were 3D histomorphometrically reconstructed, visualized, delineated and parameterized. The rat ONH consists of 2 scleral openings, (a superior neurovascular and inferior arterial) separated by a thin connective tissue strip we have termed the "scleral sling". Within the superior opening, the nerve abuts a prominent extension of Bruch's Membrane (BM) superiorly and is surrounded by a vascular plexus, as it passes through the sclera, that is a continuous from the choroid into and through the dural sheath and contains the central retinal vein (CRV), (inferiorly). The inferior scleral opening contains the central retinal artery and three long posterior ciliary arteries which obliquely pass through the sclera to obtain the choroid. Bruch's Membrane Opening (BMO) is irregular and vertically elongated, enclosing the nerve (superiorly) and CRV and CRA (inferiorly). Overall mean BMO Depth, BMO Area, Choroidal Thickness and peripapillary Scleral Thickness were 29 μm, 56.5 × 10(3) μm(2), 57 μm and 104 μm respectively. Mean anterior scleral canal opening (ASCO) and posterior scleral canal opening (PSCO) radii were 201 ± 15 μm and 204 ± 16 μm, respectively. Mean optic nerve area at the ASCO and PSCO were 46.3 × 10(3)±4.4 × 10(3) μm(2) and 44.1 × 10(3)±4.5 × 10(3) μm(2) respectively. In conclusion, the 3D complexity of the rat ONH and the extent to which it differs from the primate have been under-appreciated within previous 2D studies. Properly understood, these anatomic differences may provide new insights into the relative susceptibilities of the rat and primate ONH to elevated intraocular pressure.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness and involves the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Although biomechanics likely contributes to axonal injury within the optic nerve head (ONH), leading to RGC death, the pathways by which this occurs are not well understood. While rat models of glaucoma are well-suited for mechanistic studies, the anatomy of the rat ONH is different from the human, and the resulting differences in biomechanics have not been characterized. The aim of this study is to describe a methodology for building individual-specific finite element (FE) models of rat ONHs. This method was used to build three rat ONH FE models and compute the biomechanical environment within these ONHs. Initial results show that rat ONH strains are larger and more asymmetric than those seen in human ONH modeling studies. This method provides a framework for building additional models of normotensive and glaucomatous rat ONHs. Comparing model strain patterns with patterns of cellular response seen in studies using rat glaucoma models will help us to learn more about the link between biomechanics and glaucomatous cell death, which in turn may drive the development of novel therapies for glaucoma.

A reliable method of creating chronic elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in rodents is an important tool in reproducing and studying the mechanisms of optic nerve injury that occur in glaucoma. In addition, such a model could provide a valuable method for testing potential neuroprotective treatments. This paper outlines the basic methods for producing obstruction of aqueous humor outflow and IOP elevation by injecting hypertonic saline (a sclerosant) into the aqueous outflow pathway. This is one of several rodent glaucoma models in use today. In this method, a plastic ring is placed around the equator of the eye to restrict injected saline to the limbus. By inserting a small glass microneedle in an aqueous outflow vein in the episclera and injecting hypertonic saline toward the limbus, the saline is forced into Schlemm's canal and across the trabecular meshwork. The resultant inflammation and scarring of the anterior chamber angle occurs gradually, resulting in a rise in IOP after approximately 1 week. This article will describe the equipment necessary for producing this model and the steps of the technique itself.

MicroRNAs are small, endogenous noncoding RNAs that modulate post-transcriptional gene expression. Recent evidence suggests that they may have a potential role in the regulation of the complex biological responses that develop in response to elevated intraocular pressure. However, contemporary microRNA assay techniques (e.g., microarrays and next-generation sequencing) typically require large amounts of RNA template that are often times difficult to obtain from glaucomatous tissue. We describe in detail an experimental protocol utilizing targeted pre-amplification and low-density polymerase chain reaction arrays to circumvent this hurdle. This approach optimizes the simultaneous high-throughput screening of small tissue samples, such as the rodent optic nerve head, for up to 754 microRNA probes while also providing an opportunity for subsequent confirmatory reactions of technical or biological replicates.

Understanding the cellular pathways activated by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is crucial for the development of more effective glaucoma treatments. Microarray studies have previously been used to identify several key gene expression changes in early and extensively injured ONH, as well as in the retina. Limitations of microarrays include that they can only be used to detect transcripts that correspond to existing genomic sequencing information and their narrower dynamic range. However, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a powerful tool for investigating known transcripts, as well as for exploring new ones (including noncoding RNAs and small RNAs), is more quantitative, and has the added benefit that the data can be re-analyzed as new sequencing information becomes available. Here, we describe an RNA-seq method specifically developed for identifying differentially expressed genes in optic nerve heads of eyes exposed to elevated intraocular pressure. The methods described here could also be applied to small tissue samples (less than 100 ng in total RNA yield) from retina, optic nerve, or other regions of the central nervous system.

A reliable method of creating chronic elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in rodents is an important tool in reproducing and studying the mechanisms of optic nerve injury that occur in glaucoma. In addition, such a model could provide a valuable method for testing potential neuroprotective treatments. This paper outlines the basic methods for producing obstruction of aqueous humor outflow and IOP elevation by injecting hypertonic saline (a sclerosant) into the aqueous outflow pathway. This is one of several rodent glaucoma models in use today. In this method, a plastic ring is placed around the equator of the eye to restrict injected saline to the limbus. By inserting a small glass microneedle in an aqueous outflow vein in the episclera and injecting hypertonic saline toward the limbus, the saline is forced into Schlemm's canal and across the trabecular meshwork. The resultant inflammation and scarring of the anterior chamber angle occurs gradually, resulting in a rise in IOP after approximately 1 week. This article will describe the equipment necessary for producing this model and the steps of the technique itself.

Purpose To compare the effect of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) on retinal capillary filling in elderly vs adult rats using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods The IOP of elderly (24-month-old, N = 12) and adult (6–8 month-old, N = 10) Brown Norway rats was elevated in 10 mmHg increments from 10 to 100 mmHg. At each IOP level, 3D OCT data were captured using an optical microangiography (OMAG) scanning protocol and then post-processed to obtain both structural and vascular images. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), respiratory rate, pulse and blood oxygen saturation were monitored non-invasively throughout each experiment. Ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) was calculated as the difference between MAP for each animal and IOP at each level. The capillary filling index (CFI), defined as the ratio of area occupied by functional capillary vessels to the total scan area but excluding relatively large vessels of > 30 μm, was calculated at each IOP level and analyzed using the OCTA angiograms. Relative CFI vs IOP was plotted for the group means. CFI vs OPP was plotted for every animal in each group and data from all animals were combined in a CFI vs OPP scatter plot comparing the two groups. Results The MAP in adult animals was 108 ± 5 mmHg (mean ± SD), whereas this value in the elderly was 99 ± 5 mmHg. All other physiologic parameters for both age groups were uniform and stable. In elderly animals, significant reduction of the CFI was first noted at IOP 40 mmHg, as opposed to 60 mmHg in adult animals. Individual assessment of CFI as a function of OPP for adult animals revealed a consistent plateau until OPP reached between 40 and 60 mmHg. Elderly individuals demonstrated greater variability, with many showing a beginning of gradual deterioration of CFI at an OPP as high as 80 mmHg. Overall comparison of CFI vs OPP between the two groups was not statistically significant. Conclusions Compared to adults, some, but not all, elderly animals demonstrate a more rapid deterioration of CFI vs OPP. This suggests a reduced autoregulatory capacity that may contribute to increased glaucoma susceptibility in some older individuals. This variability must be considered when studying the relationship between IOP, ocular perfusion and glaucoma in elderly animal models.

Purpose Optic nerve head (ONH) astrocytes provide support for axons, but exhibit structural and functional changes (termed reactivity) in a number of glaucoma models. The purpose of this study was to determine if ONH astrocyte structural reactivity is axon-dependent. Methods Using rats, we combine retrobulbar optic nerve transection (ONT) with acute controlled elevation of intraocular pressure (CEI), to induce total optic nerve axon loss and ONH astrocyte reactivity, respectively. Animals were euthanized immediately or 1 day post CEI, in the presence or absence of ONT. ONH sections were labeled with fluorescent-tagged phalloidin and antibodies against β3 tubulin, phosphorylated cortactin, phosphorylated paxillin, or complement C3. ONH label intensities were quantified after confocal microscopy. Retrobulbar nerves were assessed for axon injury by light microscopy. Results While ONT alone had no effect on ONH astrocyte structural orientation, astrocytes demonstrated significant reorganization of cellular extensions within hours after CEI, even when combined with ONT. However, ONH astrocytes displayed differential intensities of actin (phosphorylated cortactin) and focal adhesion (phosphorylated paxillin) mediators in response to CEI alone, ONT alone, or the combination of CEI and ONT. Lastly, label intensities of complement C3 within the ONH were unchanged in eyes subjected to CEI alone, ONT alone, or the combination of CEI and ONT, relative to controls. Conclusions Early ONH astrocyte structural reactivity to elevated IOP is multifaceted, displaying both axon dependent and independent responses. These findings have important implications for pursuing astrocytes as diagnostic and therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative disorders with fluctuating levels of axon injury.

Glaucomatous axon injury occurs at the level of the optic nerve head (ONH) in response to uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP). The temporal response of ONH astrocytes (glial cells responsible for axonal support) to elevated IOP remains unknown. Here, we evaluate the response of actin-based astrocyte extensions and integrin-based signaling within the ONH to 8 hours of IOP elevation in a rat model. IOP elevation of 60 mm Hg was achieved under isoflurane anesthesia using anterior chamber cannulation connected to a saline reservoir. ONH astrocytic extension orientation was significantly and regionally rearranged immediately after IOP elevation (inferior ONH, 43.2° ± 13.3° with respect to the anterior-posterior axis versus 84.1° ± 1.3° in controls, p

Purpose To determine if retinal capillary filling is preserved in the face of acutely elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in anesthetized rats, despite a reduction in total retinal blood flow (RBF), using optical microangiography/optical coherence tomography (OMAG/OCT). Methods OMAG provided the capability of depth-resolved imaging of the retinal microvasculature down to the capillary level. Doppler OCT was applied to measure the total RBF using an enface integration approach. The microvascular pattern, capillary density, and total RBF were monitored in vivo as the IOP was increased from 10 to 100 mm Hg in 10 mm Hg intervals and returned back to 10 mm Hg. Results In animals with mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 102 ± 4 mm Hg (n = 10), when IOP was increased from 0 to 100 mm Hg, the capillary density remained at or above 80% of baseline for the IOP up to 60 mm Hg [or ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) at 40 mm Hg]. This was then decreased, achieving 60% of baseline at IOP 70 mm Hg and OPP of 30 mm Hg. Total RBF was unaffected by moderate increases in IOP up to 30 mm Hg, beyond which total RBF decreased linearly, reaching 50% of baseline at IOP 60 mm Hg and OPP 40 mm Hg. Both capillary density and total RBF were totally extinguished at 100 mm Hg, but fully recovered when IOP returned to baseline. By comparison, a separate group of animals with lower MAP (mean = 75 ± 6 mm Hg, n = 7) demonstrated comparable decreases in both capillary filling and total RBF at IOPs that were 20 mm Hg lower than in the initial group. Both were totally extinguished at 80 mm Hg, but fully recovered when IOP returned to baseline. Relationships of both parameters to OPP were unchanged. Conclusion Retinal capillary filling and total RBF responses to IOP elevation can be monitored non-invasively by OMAG/OCT and both are influenced by OPP. Retinal capillary filling was relatively preserved down to a perfusion pressure of 40 mm Hg, despite a linear reduction in total RBF.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in humans and is characterized by damage to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and the optic nerve.1,2 While abnormally high IOP is a widely recognized risk factor,3,4 the molecular pathways linking elevated IOP and RGC loss are complex. Although several inroads toward understanding the mechanisms have recently been made,5–13 much remains to be learned, particularly regarding the responses in chronic injury. Extracellular ATP is a likely candidate to link the elevated IOP in glaucoma to perturbed signaling in the retina and optic nerve. Throughout the body, released ATP conveys information about mechanical strain and accompanies shear stress, swelling, and stretch.14–18 This mechanosensitive release of ATP can initiate a series of physiological and pathological responses including cell death, volume regulation, pain, inflammatory responses, and neuroprotection by activating ionotropic P2X and metabotropic P2Y receptors.19 Evidence is accumulating for an increased release of ATP following IOP elevation in glaucoma. For instance, humans with primary acute angle closure glaucoma (PAACG) displayed a 9-fold rise in the ATP levels in their anterior chamber.20 Bovine eyes released ATP into the vitreal chamber in levels proportional to the magnitude of applied pressure,21 while the damage caused to rat RGCs by acute rises in IOP was related to levels of extracellular ATP.22 Both RGCs and astrocytes release ATP upon mechanical strain, with pannexin hemichannels a likely pathway for release in both cell types.23–25 While these reports indicate that acute increases in IOP and/or mechanical strain lead to release of ATP in the retina, most patients with glaucoma suffer from an elevation in IOP for extended periods. Evidence for a sustained release of ATP associated with a prolonged elevation of IOP would thus have relevance for the most common forms of the disease. We have previously demonstrated that humans with primary chronic angle closure glaucoma (PCACG) have a 14-fold increase in ATP levels in the anterior chamber.26 While this finding supports the theory that a chronic elevation in IOP leads to a sustained elevation in extracellular ATP release, it was not possible to confirm this increase in the human retina as sampling was only justified from the anterior segment in these patients and not in the vitreal chamber. As the pathological changes to the retina and optic nerve head are most directly associated with vision loss, it is important to determine whether elevated extracellular levels of ATP also occur in the posterior eye during a chronic rise in IOP. Given that excessive stimulation of the P2X7 receptor for ATP can both kill RGCs and activate the inflammasome,27,28 the relationship between elevated IOP and extracellular ATP in chronic glaucoma has particular importance. The present study asked whether extracellular ATP was elevated in animal models of chronic glaucoma. As all current animal models of chronic glaucoma are imperfect, we used three different models to ensure the broadest relevance of the findings to the human condition. Specifically, chronic elevation of IOP was monitored in the Tg-MyocY437H mouse, in rat eyes following injection of hypertonic saline into episcleral veins, and in primates after laser photocoagulation of the trabecular meshwork. As ATP measurement from the small extracellular space in the retina is problematic, ATP levels in the vitreous were measured. Levels of the enzyme NTPDase1 were also compared in retinal tissue from rats, mice, and primates with sustained elevation in IOP and control IOP levels as sustained exposure to extracellular ATP increased expression of the ectoATPase NTPDase1 in optic nerve head astrocytes in vitro.

Purpose We determine if several hours of controlled elevation of IOP (CEI) will produce the optic nerve head (ONH) gene expression changes and optic nerve (ON) damage pattern associated with early experimental glaucoma in rats. Methods The anterior chambers of anesthetized rats were cannulated and connected to a reservoir to elevate IOP. Physiologic parameters were monitored. Following CEI at various recovery times, ON cross-sections were graded for axonal injury. Anterior ONHs were collected at 0 hours to 10 days following CEI and RNA extracted for quantitative PCR measurement of selected messages. The functional impact of CEI was assessed by electroretinography (ERG). Results During CEI, mean arterial pressure (99 ± 6 mm Hg) and other physiologic parameters remained stable. An 8-hour CEI at 60 mm Hg produced significant focal axonal degeneration 10 days after exposure, with superior lesions in 83% of ON. Message analysis in CEI ONH demonstrated expression responses previously identified in minimally injured ONH following chronic IOP elevation, as well as their sequential patterns. Anesthesia with cannulation at 20 mm Hg did not alter these message levels. Electroretinographic A- and B-waves, following a significant reduction at 2 days after CEI, were fully recovered at 2 weeks, while peak scotopic threshold response (pSTR) remained mildly but significantly depressed. Conclusions A single CEI reproduces ONH message changes and patterns of ON injury previously observed with chronic IOP elevation. Controlled elevation of IOP can allow detailed determination of ONH cellular and functional responses to an injurious IOP insult and provide a platform for developing future therapeutic interventions.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible worldwide blindness, characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and optic nerve degeneration that is usually secondary to elevated IOP.1–3 Current treatments for glaucoma are predominantly restricted to the modulation of IOP through pharmacological and surgical approaches. However, the effectiveness of this strategy can be limited in many patients by poor medication efficacy, intolerance, or surgical failure. The primary insult leading to glaucomatous injury is thought to occur to RGC axons at the optic nerve head (ONH).4–7 In addition, patients with established glaucomatous damage may still suffer progressive loss of vision despite maximal IOP lowering. This progressive susceptibility of glaucomatous eyes to further damage may occur as a consequence of the molecular and structural mechanisms in the ONH and/or retina that occur during the disease process. An improved understanding of the biological processes in both locations may help direct future research toward the development of novel interventions to attenuate further loss of visual function in patients with glaucoma. Experimental paradigms to model glaucomatous damage have been developed in a variety of species. In models ranging from rodents to primates, chronic elevation of IOP leads to loss of RGCs in a similar manner to that observed in human glaucoma,8 with secondary cell death thought to ultimately occur due to apoptosis.9–12 Studies of gene expression within the whole retina in experimental glaucoma highlight the complex and dynamic nature of the changes that occur following the induction of glaucomatous damage, which serve to modulate both positive and negative regulatory pathways.13–19 These studies have reported common themes, including upregulation of genes associated with cell death, cell proliferation, glial activation, TNF-α signaling, immune and inflammatory responses, and downregulation of genes associated with lipid biosynthesis and cytoskeleton and light sensation.13–19 However, with the initial IOP-related insult affecting RGC axons at the ONH, the impact of the primary injury would be expected to predominantly affect RGCs within the inner ganglion cell layer of the retina. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) has been used to isolate gene expression changes within the RGC layer following induction of experimental glaucoma,16,20 allowing further refinement of both the altered functional gene classes and the magnitude of any change, by reducing the potential dilution effect from gene responses in other retinal layers. Understanding the contribution of these various responses to the development of glaucomatous damage requires a detailed understanding of the variety of signals that may further impinge on their function. MicroRNAs are small (∼18–22 nt), endogenous noncoding oligoribonucleotides that are highly conserved across species and modulate the posttranscriptional silencing of gene expression.21 They function through recognition of specific sequences in their target mRNAs and predominantly act to reduce expression of their mRNA targets.22 Understanding how these molecules modulate the mechanisms associated with glaucomatous damage may facilitate future targeting of microRNAs to attenuate glaucomatous injury. Although the influence of microRNAs on the biological processes that occur within the glaucomatous ONH and retina is not currently known, there is an emerging body of evidence in central nervous system (CNS) research that suggests they may play an important role. Experimental studies of brain and spinal cord injury have demonstrated that microRNAs influence several pathways that are also known to be modulated within the glaucomatous retina. These include apoptotic cell death,23–30 ischemia,31–39 inflammatory and immune responses,30,40–45 extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling27,46–48 and TGF-β signaling.43,49,50 The interactions of these biological responses are highly complex. In isolation, interpretation and simplification should be performed with great caution. However, examining the pattern of microRNA expression in conjunction with gene expression changes may help in our interpretation and understanding of the mechanisms that develop following glaucomatous injury. Eyes with established severe injury are likely to demonstrate maximal responses to the ongoing primary IOP-related stimulus, in addition to the secondary mechanisms that will develop throughout the whole retina and not just restricted to the RGCs. In this study, we therefore tested the hypothesis that microRNAs altered in models of CNS injury are also altered within the glaucomatous retina with advanced damage.