N-methyl-N-nitrosourea induces retinal degeneration in the rat via the inhibition of NF-κB activation.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the loss of photoreceptor cells through apoptosis. N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) is an alkylating toxicant that induces photoreceptor cell death resembling hereditary RP. This study aimed to investigate the role of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in MNU-induced photoreceptor degeneration.