Measurement of Energy Metabolism in Explanted Retinal Tissue Using Extracellular Flux Analysis

Summary

This technique describes real time recording of oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification rates in explanted mouse retinal tissues using an extracellular flux analyzer.

Abstract

High acuity vision is a heavily energy-consuming process, and the retina has developed several unique adaptations to precisely meet such demands while maintaining transparency of the visual axis. Perturbations to this delicate balance cause blinding illnesses, such as diabetic retinopathy. Therefore, the understanding of energy metabolism changes in the retina during disease is imperative to the development of rational therapies for various causes of vison loss. The recent advent of commercially-available extracellular flux analyzers has made the study of retinal energy metabolism more accessible. This protocol describes the use of such an analyzer to measure contributions to retinal energy supply through its two principle arms - oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis - by quantifying changes in oxygen consumption rates (OCR) and extracellular acidification rates (ECAR) as proxies for these pathways. This technique is readily performed in explanted retinal tissue, facilitating assessment of responses to multiple pharmacologic agents in a single experiment. Metabolic signatures in retinas from animals lacking rod photoreceptor signaling are compared to wild-type controls using this method. A major limitation in this technique is the lack of ability to discriminate between light-adapted and dark-adapted energy utilization, an important physiologic consideration in retinal tissue.

Introduction

The retina is among the most energy-demanding tissues in the central nervous system¹. Like most tissues, it generates adenosine triphosphate (ATP) via glycolysis in the cytosol or via oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria. The energetic advantage of oxidative phosphorylation over glycolysis to produce ATP from one molecule of glucose is clear: 36 molecules of ATP generated from the former vs. 2 molecules of ATP generated from the latter. Accordingly, retinal neurons primarily depend on mitochondrial respiration for energy supply and this is reflected by their high density of mitochondria². ....

Protocol

Protocols followed the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Statement for the Use of Animals and were approved by Washington University.

1. Animal Preparation

1. Keep animals in standard housing with a 12 hours dark to 12 hours light cycle. Begin experiments at standardized times to avoid circadian effects, typically in the morning shortly after lights are turned on.

2. Solution Preparation

1. Prepare base media by dissolving.......

Discussion

OCR and ECAR are readily measured in explanted retinal tissue using a bioanalyzer using the described techniques. This method departs from those of other groups in several critical steps. Retinal tissues are isolated through a large corneal incision without enucleating the globe, as originally described by Winkler¹⁵. This method of retinal isolation allows for a rapid transfer from the living eye into the tissue capture plate (often within 5 minutes). Tissues are kept at 37 °C throughout the .......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Seahorse XF24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer	Agilent, Santa Clara, CA
Seahorse XF24 Islet Capture FluxPak (includes: Islet Capture Microplate, Sensor Cartridge and Calibrant Solution)	Agilent, Santa Clara, CA	101174-100	Includes islet capture microplate, sensor cartridge and calibrant solution
RPMI 1640 Media (Powdered medium)	Millipore-Sigma	R1383	RPMI 1640 Media with L-Glutamine and without glucose or sodium bicarbonate
D-Glucose	Millipore-Sigma	G8270	1M D-Glucose filtered, for media preparation
Sodium pyruvate	Corning	25000CI	100 mM sodium pyruvate
Antimycin-A	Millipore-Sigma	A8674	Mitochondrial stress protocol component
FCCP	Millipore-Sigma	C2920	Mitochondrial stress protocol component
Rotenone	Millipore-Sigma	R8875	Mitochondrial stress protocol component
2-deoxyglucose	Millipore-Sigma	D6134	Glycolysis protocol component
1 mm skin biopsy punches with plunger	Integra-Miltex	33-31AA-P/25	Explanting retinal tissue tool
Dumont Mini-Forceps Straight	Fine Science Tools	11200-10	Explanting retinal tissue tool
Dumont Medical #5/45 Forceps- Angled 45 degrees	Fine Science Tools	11253-25	Explanting retinal tissue tool
Dumont #7 Forceps - Curved	Fine Science Tools	11271-30	Explanting retinal tissue tool
Quant-iT Picogreen dsDNA Assay Kit	Fisher Scientific	P7589	Loading normalization assay
Trizma base (Tris base)	Millipore-Sigma	T6066	Component of lysis buffer
Triton X-100 (polyethylene glycol tert-octylphenyl ether)	Millipore-Sigma	X100	Component of lysis buffer
0.5M EDTA pH 8.0	Ambion	AM9262	Component of lysis buffer
C57BL/6J mice	Jackson Laboratories	Strain 000664	Animals
Gnat1-/- and background-matched Gnat1+/+	Vladimir Kefalov, PhD; Washington University School of Medicine		Animals