Retina-protective effect of Zn-loaded MgO nano-particles evaluated in a glutamate-induced retinal excitotoxic glaucoma model

The dataset used in this study was derived from in vitro cell-based experiments and in vivo mouse retinal glaucoma models, and was designed to systematically evaluate the biocompatibility and neuroprotective effects of zinc ion–loaded magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-Zn NPs) under conditions of glutamate excitotoxic injury.Data acquisition was mainly performed during the acute and subacute phases following experimental treatment. In the in vitro experiments, R28 cells were treated with different concentrations of MgO-Zn NPs, and cell viability was assessed at 24 h and 48 h using the CCK-8 assay. In the in vivo experiments, a retinal excitotoxicity model was established in mice via intravitreal injection of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA). After MgO-Zn NP treatment, histological and functional data were primarily collected at 7 days post-injection, a critical time point reflecting early RGC injury and repair processes. Flash visual evoked potential (F-VEP) recordings were performed after completion of dark adaptation.The in vivo dataset mainly involved mouse retinal tissues, including retinal whole mounts and paraffin-embedded sections. Images from immunofluorescence staining for Brn3a and TUNEL assays were acquired using microscopy, allowing clear identification of individual RGCs and their apoptotic status. F-VEP signals reflect the overall functional integrity of the eye–brain visual pathway, providing system-level electrophysiological information rather than localized anatomical data.Potential sources of error in this dataset include the following:Biological variability: Individual differences among mice in the severity of NMDA-induced retinal injury and in their responses to MgO-Zn NP treatment;Experimental procedural variability: Minor differences in the depth and location of intravitreal injections, as well as fluctuations in antibody incubation and washing conditions during staining procedures;Image and signal analysis variability: Although uniform thresholds and blinded analyses were applied during RGC counting and TUNEL-positive cell quantification, minor deviations may still arise from manual assessment or algorithmic limitations. In addition, F-VEP signals may be influenced by anesthesia depth and electrode placement, potentially introducing variability in waveform amplitude and latency.To minimize the impact of these sources of variability, all experiments were conducted with biological replicates, and data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (mean ± SD). Standardized experimental protocols and analysis criteria were consistently applied throughout the study.