Fig. 1

Effects of splenocyte transfer. a Immunohistochemical detection of RGC using gamma-synuclein immunohistochemistry in whole mounted mouse retinae. b IOP data recorded in naïve control mice, nee splenocyte recipient animals two (2 m) and four months (4 m) after transfer, and recipients of healthy B6 splenocyte four months after transfer. IOP in all groups remains within the physiologic range and does not significantly differ between groups (p > 0.07). Data are given as mean ± SD. c RGC density following adoptive transfer in splenocyte recipients and naïve controls. Splenocyte transfer from healthy B6 donors does not affect RGC density in recipient animals (N = 9) four months after transfer. In contrast, animals having received splenocytes from nee donor mice suffer a progressive loss of RGC. Two months (2 m, N = 7) after transfer RGC density in nee splenocyte recipients is slightly reduced, but after four months (4 m, N = 10) approximately 23 % of RGC have been lost. RGC damage is also observed in recipient animals (N = 4) when splenocytes derived from MYOC transgenic mice are transferred. Triangles represent individual RGC data per eye and the horizontal line designates group averages. **Recipient groups vs. naïve control (N = 7), p < 0.01; ^##Recipient group vs. B6 recipient animals, p < 0.01; ^§four month recipient group vs. two month recipient group, p = 0.02. d Average damage scores of optic nerves as determined by PPD staining (1 = healthy optic nerve, 5 = severe damage). Moderate axonal damage is found in optic nerves of nee splenocyte recipients four months after transfer. *nee recipient group vs. naïve control, p = 0.02; ^# nee recipient group vs. B6 recipient animals, p = 0.02 (Kruskal Wallis test). Data are given as mean ± SD