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Frampton E, Som P, Hill B, Yu A, Naval-Sanchez M, Nefzger CM, Noordstra I, Gordon E, Schimmel L. Endothelial c-Src mediates neovascular tuft formation in Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2024:S0002-9440(24)00355-9. [PMID: 39332676 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2024.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024]
Abstract
Vascular retinopathy, characterised by abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina, frequently results in vision impairment or loss. Neovascular tufts, a distinctive pathological feature of this condition, are highly leaky blood vessel structures, exacerbating secondary complications. Despite their clinical significance, the mechanisms underlying tuft development are not fully elucidated, posing challenges for effective management and treatment of vascular retinopathy. This study investigates the role of c-Src in neovascular tuft formation. Although c-Src has been acknowledged as a pivotal regulator in developmental angiogenesis within the retinal vasculature, its specific role in governing pathological retinal angiogenesis remains to be fully understood. The Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy (OIR) model was used for neovascular tufts formation in both Cre-mediated vascular specific c-Src knockout mice and wildtype littermates. High-resolution imaging and analysis of isolated retinas was conducted. c-Src depletion demonstrated a significant reduction in neovascular tufts within the OIR model. This decrease in tuft formation was observed independently of any alterations in cell death, cell proliferation or cell adhesion and the absence of c-Src did not impact tuft pericyte coverage and junctional morphology. These findings underscore the critical role of c-Src in the pathogenesis of neovascular tufts in vascular retinopathy. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involving c-Src may offer valuable insights for the development of targeted therapies aimed at mitigating vision-threatening complications associated with retinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Frampton
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Priyanka Som
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brittany Hill
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alexander Yu
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Marina Naval-Sanchez
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chistian M Nefzger
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ivar Noordstra
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Emma Gordon
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lilian Schimmel
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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Tang F, Huang K, Peng B, Deng W, Su N, Xu F, Zhang M, Zhong H. RhoA/ROCK Signaling Is Involved in Pathological Retinal Neovascularization. J Vasc Res 2023; 60:183-192. [PMID: 37660689 PMCID: PMC10614457 DOI: 10.1159/000533321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the RhoA/ROCK inhibitor Fasudil on retinal neovascularization (NV) in vivo and angiogenesis in vitro. METHODS C57BL/6 was used to establish an OIR model. First, RhoA/ROCK expression was first examined and compared between OIR and healthy controls. Then, we evaluated the effect of Fasudil on pathological retinal NV. Whole-mount retinal staining was performed. The percentage of NV area, the number of neovascular tufts (NVT), and branch points (BP) were quantified. Finally, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to investigate the effect of Fasudil on angiogenesis. RESULTS Real-time PCR and Western blotting showed that ROCK expression in retinal tissue was statistically upregulated in OIR. Furthermore, we found that Fasudil attenuated the percentage of NV area, the number of NVT, and BP significantly. In addition, Fasudil could suppress the proliferation and migration of HUVECs induced by VEGF. CONCLUSIONS RhoA/ROCK might be involved in the pathogenesis of OIR. And its inhibitor Fasudil could suppress retinal NV in vivo and angiogenesis in vitro. Fasudil may be a potential treatment strategy for retinal vascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Eye Health and Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Related Systemic Diseases Artificial Intelligence Screening Technology and Institute of Ophthalmic Diseases, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Kongqian Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Eye Health and Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Related Systemic Diseases Artificial Intelligence Screening Technology and Institute of Ophthalmic Diseases, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Biyan Peng
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Wen Deng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Eye Health and Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Related Systemic Diseases Artificial Intelligence Screening Technology and Institute of Ophthalmic Diseases, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Ning Su
- Department of Ophthalmology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Eye Health and Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Related Systemic Diseases Artificial Intelligence Screening Technology and Institute of Ophthalmic Diseases, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Fan Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Eye Health and Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Related Systemic Diseases Artificial Intelligence Screening Technology and Institute of Ophthalmic Diseases, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Mingyuan Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Eye Health and Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Related Systemic Diseases Artificial Intelligence Screening Technology and Institute of Ophthalmic Diseases, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Haibin Zhong
- Department of Ophthalmology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Eye Health and Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Related Systemic Diseases Artificial Intelligence Screening Technology and Institute of Ophthalmic Diseases, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
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Fasudil Ameliorates Methotrexate-Induced Hepatotoxicity by Modulation of Redox-Sensitive Signals. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15111436. [PMID: 36422565 PMCID: PMC9693476 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Methotrexate (MTX) is one of the most widely used cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents, and it is used in the treatment of different autoimmune disorders. However, the clinical applications of MTX are limited by its hepatic toxicity. Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of fasudil (Rho-Kinase inhibitor) in the amelioration of MTX hepatotoxicity and the possible underlying mechanisms. Experimentally, 32 male Sprague Dawley rats were used and divided into four groups: control, MTX (20 mg/kg, i.p., single dose), fasudil (10 mg/kg/day i.p.) for one week, and fasudil plus MTX. It was found that MTX significantly induced hepatitis and hepatocellular damage, as shown by abnormal histological findings and liver dysfunction (ALT and AST), with up-regulation of the inflammatory mediators NF-κB-p65 and IL-1β. Moreover, MTX remarkably disrupted oxidant/antioxidant status, as evidenced by malondialdehyde (MDA) up-regulation associated with the depletion of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Moreover, MTX reduced the hepatic expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). On the contrary, the i.p. administration of fasudil significantly ameliorated MTX hepatotoxicity by histopathological improvement, restoring oxidant/antioxidant balance, preventing hepatic inflammation, and improving the hepatic anti-apoptotic capability. Furthermore, fasudil hepatic concentration was determined for the first time using the validated RP-HPLC method. In conclusion, the present study revealed that fasudil has a reliable hepatoprotective effect against MTX hepatotoxicity with underlying antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. It also introduced a new method for the determination of fasudil hepatic tissue concentration using the RP-HPLC technique.
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Fasudil, a ROCK inhibitor, preserves limb integrity in a mouse model of unilateral critical limb ischemia: Possible interplay of inflammatory and angiogenic signaling pathways. Life Sci 2022; 309:121019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.121019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Zhao H, Kong H, Wang W, Chen T, Zhang Y, Zhu J, Feng D, Cui Y. High Glucose Aggravates Retinal Endothelial Cell Dysfunction by Activating the RhoA/ROCK1/pMLC/Connexin43 Signaling Pathway. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:22. [PMID: 35881407 PMCID: PMC9339693 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.8.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This research aims to explore the mechanism underlying the relationship between RhoA/ROCK signaling and Connexin43 (Cx43) in retinal endothelial cell dysfunction and to evaluate the protective effect of ROCK inhibitors against retinal endothelial cell dysfunction in diabetic retinopathy (DR) models. Methods TUNEL staining, hematoxylin and eosin staining, a retinal digestion assay, and Evans blue assay were conducted to explore the effect of fasudil in alleviating retinal dysfunction induced by DR. ELISA, the CCK-8 assay, and flow cytometry were conducted to study inflammation, viability, and apoptosis of mouse retinal microvascular endothelial cells treated with high glucose and ROCK inhibitors. The qRT–PCR and Western blotting were used to evaluate the expression of RhoA, ROCK1, ROCK2, MLC, pMLC, and Cx43. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to verify the interaction between pMLC and Cx43. Immunofluorescence and scrape-loading and dye transfer were used to evaluate the expression and function of Cx43. Results Marked endothelial cell dysfunction resulting from the activation of RhoA/ROCK1 signaling was found in in vivo and in vitro models of DR. Via interaction with pMLC, which is downstream of RhoA/ROCK1, a significant downregulation of Cx43 was observed in retinal endothelial cells. Treatment with ROCK inhibitors ameliorated retinal endothelial dysfunction in vitro. The ROCK inhibitor, fasudil, significantly alleviated retinal dysfunction as shown by a decrease of retinal acellular capillaries, an improvement of vascular permeability, and a reduction of cell apoptosis in vivo. Conclusions Our study highlights a novel mechanism that high glucose could activate RhoA/ROCK1/pMLC signaling, which targets the expression and localization of Cx43 and is responsible for cell viability, apoptosis, and inflammation, resulting in retinal endothelial cell injury. ROCK inhibitors markedly ameliorate endothelial cell dysfunction, suggesting their therapeutic potential for diabetic retinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongran Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.,School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.,Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Hui Kong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.,Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Wenjuan Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Tianran Chen
- School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yuting Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jing Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Dandan Feng
- Department of Cardiology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yan Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
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Huang W, Lan Q, Jiang L, Yan W, Tang F, Shen C, Huang H, Zhong H, Lv J, Zeng S, Li M, Mo Z, Hu B, Liang N, Chen Q, Zhang M, Xu F, Cui L. Fasudil attenuates glial cell-mediated neuroinflammation via ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways after optic nerve crush. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:8963-8973. [PMID: 33161529 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05953-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the functional role of fasudil in optic nerve crush (ONC), and further explore its possible molecular mechanism. After ONC injury, the rats were injected intraperitoneally either with fasudil or normal saline once a day until euthanized. RGCs survival was assessed by retrograde labeling with FluoroGold. Retinal glial cells activation and population changes (GFAP, iba-1) were measured by immunofluorescence. The expressions of cleaved caspase 3 and 9, p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT were detected by western blot. The levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Fasudil treatment inhibited RGCs apoptosis and reduced RGCs loss demonstrated by the decreased apoptosis-associated proteins expression and the increased fluorogold labeling of RGCs after ONC, respectively. In addition, the ONC + fasudil group compared had a significantly lower expression of GFAP and iba1 compared with the ONC group. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly reduced in the ONC + fasudil group than in the ONC group. Furthermore, the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and AKT (p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT) were obviously elevated by the fasudil treatment. Our study demonstrated that fasudil attenuated glial cell-mediated neuroinflammation by up-regulating the ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways in rats ONC models. We conclude that fasudil may be a novel treatment for traumatic optic neuropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Qianqian Lan
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Wenya Yan
- Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, China
| | - Fen Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Chaolan Shen
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Hui Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Haibin Zhong
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Jian Lv
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Siming Zeng
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhongxiang Mo
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Bing Hu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Ning Liang
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Mingyuan Zhang
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Fan Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
| | - Ling Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
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