Effect of Argon inhalation on retinal expression of Caspase-3 mRNA and Caspase-3 cleavage.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Fold induction of Caspase-3 mRNA expression after time-dependent inhalation of Argon 75 Vol% in ischemic retinal tissue compared to GAPDH in relation to the corresponding non-ischemic retinae analyzed by RT-PCR (n = 8; data are mean±SD; *** = p<0.001 IRI vs. IRI+Argon immediately and at 1.5 h delayed treatment and ** = p<0.01 IRI vs. IRI+Argon at 3 h delayed treatment). (<b>B</b>) Densitometric analysis of n = 8 western blots for caspase-3 cleavage after time-dependent inhalation of Argon 75 Vol% (data are mean±SD; *** = p<0.001 IRI vs. IRI+Argon immediately and * = p<0.05 IRI vs. IRI+Argon at 3 h delayed treatment) and representative western blot image (n = 8) showing the suppression of retinal cleavage of caspase-3 compared to uncleaved caspase-3.