RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Biochemical adaptations of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium support a metabolic ecosystem in the vertebrate eye
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 143347
DO 10.1101/143347
A1 Mark A. Kanow
A1 Michelle M. Giarmarco
A1 Connor Jankowski
A1 Kristine Tsantilas
A1 Abbi L. Engel
A1 Jianhai Du
A1 Jonathan D. Linton
A1 Christopher C. Farnsworth
A1 Stephanie R. Sloat
A1 Ken J. Lindsay
A1 Edward D. Parker
A1 Susan E. Brockerhoff
A1 Martin Sadilek
A1 Jennifer R. Chao
A1 James B. Hurley
YR 2017
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/05/29/143347.abstract
AB Here we report multiple lines of evidence for a comprehensive model for retinal energy metabolism. Metabolic flux, locations of key enzymes and our finding that glucose enters the neural retina almost entirely through photoreceptors support a conceptually new model for retinal metabolism. In this model, glucose from the choroidal blood supply passes through the retinal pigment epithelium to the retina where photoreceptors convert it to lactate. Photoreceptors then export the lactate as fuel for the retinal pigment epithelium and for neighboring Müller glial cells. A key feature of this model is that aerobic glycolysis in photoreceptors produces lactate to suppress glycolysis in the neighboring retinal pigment epithelium. That enhances the flow of glucose to the retina by minimizing consumption of glucose within the retinal pigment epithelium. This framework for metabolic relationships in retina provides new insights into the underlying causes of retinal disease, age-related vision loss and metabolism-based therapies.