Statins Modulate Heat Shock Protein Expression and Enhance Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival after Transient Retinal Ischemia/Reperfusion In Vivo

Abstract

Systemic delivery of statins after a transient period of retinal ischemia significantly modulated HSP expression in the retina and enhanced RGC survival. Together, these results support the notion that statins constitute a feasible therapeutic approach to prevent some of the neuronal damage in the acute and possibly also the delayed phase and have beneficial effects in central nervous system (CNS) disorders directly affecting the visual system.