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Zhang R, Sun J, Xie Y, Zhu W, Tao M, Chen Y, Xie W, Bade R, Jiang S, Liu X, Shao G, Pan W, Zhou C, Jia X. Mutant kri1l causes abnormal retinal development via cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:251. [PMID: 38789412 PMCID: PMC11126728 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02022-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Damage to the ribosome or an imbalance in protein biosynthesis can lead to some human diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and other eye diseases. Here, we reported that the kri1l gene was responsible for retinal development. The kri1l gene encodes an essential component of the rRNA small subunit processome. The retinal structure was disrupted in kri1l mutants, which resulted in small eyes. The boundaries of each layer of cells in the retina were blurred, and each layer of cells was narrowed and decreased. The photoreceptor cells and Müller glia cells almost disappeared in kri1l mutants. The lack of photoreceptor cells caused a fear of light response. The development of the retina started without abnormalities, and the abnormalities began two days after fertilization. In the kri1l mutant, retinal cell differentiation was defective, resulting in the disappearance of cone cells and Müller cells. The proliferation of retinal cells was increased, while apoptosis was also enhanced in kri1l mutants. γ-H2AX upregulation indicated the accumulation of DNA damage, which resulted in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The kri1l mutation reduced the expression of some opsin genes and key retinal genes, which are also essential for retinal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zhang
- Department of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Fourth Hospital of Baotou, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
| | - Jiajun Sun
- Department of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
| | - Yabin Xie
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypoxic Conditioning Translational Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
| | - Meitong Tao
- Department of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
| | - Wei Xie
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypoxic Conditioning Translational Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Rengui Bade
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypoxic Conditioning Translational Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuyuan Jiang
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypoxic Conditioning Translational Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmacy, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
| | - Xiaolei Liu
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypoxic Conditioning Translational Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmacy, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
| | - Guo Shao
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypoxic Conditioning Translational Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Center for Translational Medicine and Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third People's Hospital of Longgang District, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weijun Pan
- Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengjiang Zhou
- Department of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China.
| | - Xiaoe Jia
- Department of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China.
- Inner Mongolia Key laboratory of Hypoxic Translational Medicine, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypoxic Conditioning Translational Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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Han S, Wang Q, Cheng M, Hu Y, Liu P, Hou W, Liang L. The effects of ush2a gene knockout on vesicle transport in photoreceptors. Gene 2024; 892:147885. [PMID: 37813209 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147885] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
USH2A (Usher syndrome type 2A) gene mutations are the predominant cause of Usher syndrome type 2, characterized by sensorineural hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and also significant contributors to non-syndromic RP. To date, there is a lack of definitive therapeutic interventions to mitigate the associated disorders caused by USH2A mutations, and the precise pathogenic mechanisms underlying their onset remain unclear. In the present study, we utilized the ush2a knockout zebrafish model to investigate the pathological mechanisms of RP. In late-stage ush2a-/- zebrafish, the outer segments of rods displayed shortened length and decreased number. Anomalous vesicle accumulation was observed at the junction between the inner and outer segments, accompanied by reduced expression and structural damage of actin filaments in the photoreceptor cells. Furthermore, we discovered that Rab8 expression was downregulated and exhibited aberrant localization in ush2a-/- zebrafish. Additionally, we identified an interaction between USH2A and Rab8. Therefore, the knockout of ush2a may potentially affect vesicle transport through the regulation of Rab8, providing a novel target for maintaining the survival of photoreceptor cells. These findings also contribute to our understanding of the potential molecular pathogenesis underlying RP caused by USH2A gene mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Han
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Meiqi Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Yue Hu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Pei Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Wanle Hou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Hospital of Laohekou City, Laohekou 441800, Hubei, China.
| | - Liang Liang
- Department of Ophthalmology, the First Clinical Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443003, Hubei, China.
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Lu K, Wu J, Tang S, Wang Y, Zhang L, Chai F, Liang XF. Altered Visual Function in Short-Wave-Sensitive 1 ( sws1) Gene Knockout Japanese Medaka ( Oryzias latipes) Larvae. Cells 2023; 12:2157. [PMID: 37681889 PMCID: PMC10486665 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172157] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual perception plays a crucial role in foraging, avoiding predators, mate selection, and communication. The regulation of color vision is largely dependent on opsin, which is the first step in the formation of the visual transduction cascade in photoreceptor cells. Short-wave-sensitive 1 (sws1) is a visual pigment that mediates short-wavelength light transduction in vertebrates. The depletion of sws1 resulted in increased M-opsin in mice. However, there is still no report on the visual function of sws1 in teleost fish. Here, we constructed the sws1 knockout medaka using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The 6 dph (days post-hatching) medaka sws1-/- larvae exhibited significantly decreased food intake and total length at the first feeding stage, and the mRNA levels of orexigenic genes (npy and agrp) were significantly upregulated after feeding. The swimming speed was significantly reduced during the period of dark-light transition stimulation in the sws1-mutant larvae. Histological analysis showed that the thickness of the lens was reduced, whereas the thickness of the ganglion cell layer (GCL) was significantly increased in sws1-/- medaka larvae. Additionally, the deletion of sws1 decreased the mRNA levels of genes involved in phototransduction (gnb3b, grk7a, grk7b, and pde6c). We also observed increased retinal cell apoptosis and oxidative stress in sws1 knockout medaka larvae. Collectively, these results suggest that sws1 deficiency in medaka larvae may impair visual function and cause retinal cell apoptosis, which is associated with the downregulation of photoconduction expression and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Lu
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (K.L.); (Y.W.)
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiaqi Wu
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (K.L.); (Y.W.)
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shulin Tang
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (K.L.); (Y.W.)
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yuye Wang
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (K.L.); (Y.W.)
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lixin Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (K.L.); (Y.W.)
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Farui Chai
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (K.L.); (Y.W.)
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xu-Fang Liang
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (K.L.); (Y.W.)
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
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Lu K, Wu J, Tang S, Jia X, Liang XF. Knockout of sws2a and sws2b in Medaka ( Oryzias latipes) Reveals Their Roles in Regulating Vision-Guided Behavior and Eye Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108786. [PMID: 37240129 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The medaka (Oryzias latipes) is an excellent vertebrate model for studying the development of the retina. Its genome database is complete, and the number of opsin genes is relatively small compared to zebrafish. Short wavelength sensitive 2 (sws2), a G-protein-coupled receptor expressed in the retina, has been lost in mammals, but its role in eye development in fish is still poorly understood. In this study, we established a sws2a and sws2b knockout medaka model by CRISPR/Cas9 technology. We discovered that medaka sws2a and sws2b are mainly expressed in the eyes and may be regulated by growth differentiation factor 6a (gdf6a). Compared with the WT, sws2a-/- and sws2b-/- mutant larvae displayed an increase in swimming speed during the changes from light to dark. We also observed that sws2a-/- and sws2b-/- larvae both swam faster than WT in the first 10 s of the 2 min light period. The enhanced vision-guided behavior in sws2a-/- and sws2b-/- medaka larvae may be related to the upregulation of phototransduction-related genes. Additionally, we also found that sws2b affects the expression of eye development genes, while sws2a is unaffected. Together, these findings indicate that sws2a and sws2b knockouts increase vision-guided behavior and phototransduction, but on the other hand, sws2b plays an important role in regulating eye development genes. This study provides data for further understanding of the role of sws2a and sws2b in medaka retina development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Lu
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiaqi Wu
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shulin Tang
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiaodan Jia
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xu-Fang Liang
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
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5
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Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis Underlying Inherited Retinal Dystrophies. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020271. [PMID: 36830640 PMCID: PMC9953031 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are congenital retinal degenerative diseases that have various inheritance patterns, including dominant, recessive, X-linked, and mitochondrial. These diseases are most often the result of defects in rod and/or cone photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium function, development, or both. The genes associated with these diseases, when mutated, produce altered protein products that have downstream effects in pathways critical to vision, including phototransduction, the visual cycle, photoreceptor development, cellular respiration, and retinal homeostasis. The aim of this manuscript is to provide a comprehensive review of the underlying molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of IRDs by delving into many of the genes associated with IRD development, their protein products, and the pathways interrupted by genetic mutation.
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Bigotte M, Gimenez M, Gavoille A, Deligiannopoulou A, El Hajj A, Croze S, Goumaidi A, Malleret G, Salin P, Giraudon P, Ruiz A, Marignier R. Ependyma: a new target for autoantibodies in neuromyelitis optica? Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac307. [PMID: 36751497 PMCID: PMC9897195 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system characterized by the presence of autoantibodies (called NMO-IgG) targeting aquaporin-4. Aquaporin-4 is expressed at the perivascular foot processes of astrocytes, in the glia limitans, but also at the ependyma. Most studies have focused on studying the pathogenicity of NMO-IgG on astrocytes, and NMO is now considered an astrocytopathy. However, periependymal lesions are observed in NMO suggesting that ependymal cells could also be targeted by NMO-IgG. Ependymal cells regulate CSF-parenchyma molecular exchanges and CSF flow, and are a niche for sub-ventricular neural stem cells. Our aim was to examine the effect of antibodies from NMO patients on ependymal cells. We exposed two models, i.e. primary cultures of rat ependymal cells and explant cultures of rat lateral ventricular wall whole mounts, to purified IgG of NMO patients (NMO-IgG) for 24 hours. We then evaluated the treatment effect using immunolabelling, functional assays, ependymal flow analysis and bulk RNA sequencing. For each experiment, the effects were compared with those of purified IgG from a healthy donors and non-treated cells. We found that: (i) NMO-IgG induced aquaporin-4 agglomeration at the surface of ependymal cells and induced cell enlargement in comparison to controls. In parallel, it induced an increase in gap junction connexin-43 plaque size; (ii) NMO-IgG altered the orientation of ciliary basal bodies and functionally impaired cilia motility; (iii) NMO-IgG activated the proliferation of sub-ventricular neural stem cells; (iv) treatment with NMO-IgG up-regulated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the transcriptomic analysis. Our study showed that NMO-IgG can trigger an early and specific reactive phenotype in ependymal cells, with functional alterations of intercellular communication and cilia, activation of sub-ventricular stem cell proliferation and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These findings suggest a key role for ependymal cells in the early phase of NMO lesion formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Bigotte
- FORGETTING Team—Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69675 Bron, France
| | - Marie Gimenez
- FORGETTING Team—Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69675 Bron, France
| | - Antoine Gavoille
- Service de neurologie, sclérose en plaques, pathologies de la myéline et neuroinflammation, Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69500 Bron, France,Service de Biostatistique-Bioinformatique, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69495 Pierre-Bénitem, France
| | - Adamantia Deligiannopoulou
- FORGETTING Team—Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69675 Bron, France
| | - Aseel El Hajj
- FORGETTING Team—Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69675 Bron, France
| | - Severine Croze
- Profilexpert, Genomic and Microgenomic Service, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, SFR santé LYON-EST, UCBL-INSERM US 7-CNRS UMS 3453, 69008 Lyon, France
| | | | - Gael Malleret
- FORGETTING Team—Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69675 Bron, France
| | - Paul Salin
- FORGETTING Team—Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69675 Bron, France
| | - Pascale Giraudon
- FORGETTING Team—Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69675 Bron, France
| | - Anne Ruiz
- FORGETTING Team—Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 69675 Bron, France
| | - Romain Marignier
- Correspondence to: Romain Marignier Centre de référence des maladies inflammatoires rares du cerveau et de la moelle Service de neurologie, sclérose en plaques pathologies de la myéline et neuro-inflammation Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer 59 boulevard Pinel, 69677 Bron cedex, France E-mail:
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Tulp1 deficiency causes early-onset retinal degeneration through affecting ciliogenesis and activating ferroptosis in zebrafish. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:962. [PMID: 36396940 PMCID: PMC9672332 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05372-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in TUB-like protein 1 (TULP1) are associated with severe early-onset retinal degeneration in humans. However, the pathogenesis remains largely unknown. There are two homologous genes of TULP1 in zebrafish, namely tulp1a and tulp1b. Here, we generated the single knockout (tulp1a-/- and tulp1b-/-) and double knockout (tulp1-dKO) models in zebrafish. Knockout of tulp1a resulted in the mislocalization of UV cone opsins and the degeneration of UV cones specifically, while knockout of tulp1b resulted in mislocalization of rod opsins and rod-cone degeneration. In the tulp1-dKO zebrafish, mislocalization of opsins was present in all types of photoreceptors, and severe degeneration was observed at a very early age, mimicking the clinical manifestations of TULP1 patients. Photoreceptor cilium length was significantly reduced in the tulp1-dKO retinas. RNA-seq analysis showed that the expression of tektin2 (tekt2), a ciliary and flagellar microtubule structural component, was downregulated in the tulp1-dKO zebrafish. Dual-luciferase reporter assay suggested that Tulp1a and Tulp1b transcriptionally activate the promoter of tekt2. In addition, ferroptosis might be activated in the tulp1-dKO zebrafish, as suggested by the up-regulation of genes related to the ferroptosis pathway, the shrinkage of mitochondria, reduction or disappearance of mitochondria cristae, and the iron and lipid droplet deposition in the retina of tulp1-dKO zebrafish. In conclusion, our study establishes an appropriate zebrafish model for TULP1-associated retinal degeneration and proposes that loss of TULP1 causes defects in cilia structure and opsin trafficking through the downregulation of tekt2, which further increases the death of photoreceptors via ferroptosis. These findings offer insight into the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of early-onset retinal degeneration.
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Liu Y, Chen J, Sager R, Sasaki E, Hu H. Interactions between C8orf37 and FAM161A, Two Ciliary Proteins Essential for Photoreceptor Survival. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12033. [PMID: 36233334 PMCID: PMC9570145 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231912033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in C8orf37 cause Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), all manifest in photoreceptor degeneration. Little is known about which proteins C8orf37 interacts with to contribute to photoreceptor survival. To determine the proteins that potentially interact with C8orf37, we carried out a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screen using C8orf37 as a bait. FAM161A, a microtubule-binding protein localized at the photoreceptor cilium required for photoreceptor survival, was identified as one of the preys. Double immunofluorescence staining and proximity ligation assay (PLA) of marmoset retinal sections showed that C8orf37 was enriched and was co-localized with FAM161A at the ciliary base of photoreceptors. Epitope-tagged C8orf37 and FAM161A, expressed in HEK293 cells, were also found to be co-localized by double immunofluorescence staining and PLA. Furthermore, interaction domain mapping assays identified that the N-terminal region of C8orf37 and amino acid residues 341-517 within the PFAM UPF0564 domain of FAM161A were critical for C8orf37-FAM161A interaction. These data suggest that the two photoreceptor survival proteins, C8orf37 and FAM161A, interact with each other which may contribute to photoreceptor health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- Center for Vision Research, Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology and of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Jinjun Chen
- Center for Vision Research, Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology and of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Rachel Sager
- Center for Vision Research, Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology and of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Erika Sasaki
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Tonomachi, Kawasaki 210-0821, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Huaiyu Hu
- Center for Vision Research, Departments of Neuroscience and Physiology and of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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Zebrafish and inherited photoreceptor disease: Models and insights. Prog Retin Eye Res 2022; 91:101096. [PMID: 35811244 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2022.101096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Photoreceptor dysfunctions and degenerative diseases are significant causes of vision loss in patients, with few effective treatments available. Targeted interventions to prevent or reverse photoreceptor-related vision loss are not possible without a thorough understanding of the underlying mechanism leading to disease, which is exceedingly difficult to accomplish in the human system. Cone diseases are particularly challenging to model, as some popular genetically modifiable model animals are nocturnal with a rod-dominant visual system and cones that have dissimilarities to human cones. As a result, cone diseases, which affect visual acuity, colour perception, and central vision in patients, are generally poorly understood in terms of pathology and mechanism. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) provide the opportunity to model photoreceptor diseases in a diurnal vertebrate with a cone-rich retina which develops many macular degeneration-like pathologies. Zebrafish undergo external development, allowing early-onset retinal diseases to be detected and studied, and many ophthalmic tools are available for zebrafish visual assessment during development and adulthood. There are numerous zebrafish models of photoreceptor disease, spanning the various types of photoreceptor disease (developmental, rod, cone, and mixed photoreceptor diseases) and genetic/molecular cause. In this review, we explore the features of zebrafish that make them uniquely poised to model cone diseases, summarize the established zebrafish models of inherited photoreceptor disease, and discuss how disease in these models compares to the human presentation, where applicable. Further, we highlight the contributions of these zebrafish models to our understanding of photoreceptor biology and disease, and discuss future directions for utilising and investigating these diverse models.
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Gao P, Jia D, Li P, Huang Y, Hu H, Sun K, Lv Y, Chen X, Han Y, Zhang Z, Ren X, Wang Q, Liu F, Tang Z, Liu M. Accumulation of Lipid Droplets in a Novel Bietti Crystalline Dystrophy Zebrafish Model With Impaired PPARα Pathway. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:32. [PMID: 35616930 PMCID: PMC9150832 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.5.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) is a progressive retinal degenerative disease primarily characterized by numerous crystal-like deposits and degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptor cells. CYP4V2 (cytochrome P450 family 4 subfamily V member 2) is currently the only disease-causing gene for BCD. We aimed to generate a zebrafish model to explore the functional role of CYP4V2 in the development of BCD and identify potential therapeutic targets for future studies. Methods The cyp4v7 and cyp4v8 (homologous genes of CYP4V2) knockout zebrafish lines were generated by CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The morphology of photoreceptor and RPE cells and the accumulation of lipid droplets in RPE cells were investigated at a series of different developmental stages through histological analysis, immunofluorescence, and lipid staining. Transcriptome analysis was performed to investigate the changes in gene expression of RPE cells during the progression of BCD. Results Progressive retinal degeneration including RPE atrophy and photoreceptor loss was observed in the mutant zebrafish as early as seven months after fertilization. We also observed the excessive accumulation of lipid droplets in RPE cells from three months after fertilization, which preceded the retinal degeneration by several months. Transcriptome analysis suggested that multiple metabolism pathways, especially the lipid metabolism pathways, were significantly changed in RPE cells. The down-regulation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) pathway was further confirmed in the mutant zebrafish and CYP4V2-knockdown human RPE-1 cells. Conclusions Our work established an animal model that recapitulates the symptoms of BCD patients and revealed that abnormal lipid metabolism in RPE cells, probably caused by dysregulation of the PPARα pathway, might be the main and direct consequence of CYP4V2 deficiency. These findings will deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of BCD and provide potential therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Danna Jia
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Pei Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Yuwen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Hualei Hu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Kui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Yuexia Lv
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Yunqiao Han
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Zuxiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Xiang Ren
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Qing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Fei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaohui Tang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
| | - Mugen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
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11
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Liu F, Qin Y, Huang Y, Gao P, Li J, Yu S, Jia D, Chen X, Lv Y, Tu J, Sun K, Han Y, Reilly J, Shu X, Lu Q, Tang Z, Xu C, Luo D, Liu M. Rod genesis driven by mafba in an nrl knockout zebrafish model with altered photoreceptor composition and progressive retinal degeneration. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009841. [PMID: 35245286 PMCID: PMC8926279 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural retina leucine zipper (NRL) is an essential gene for the fate determination and differentiation of the precursor cells into rod photoreceptors in mammals. Mutations in NRL are associated with the autosomal recessive enhanced S-cone syndrome and autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. However, the exact role of Nrl in regulating the development and maintenance of photoreceptors in the zebrafish (Danio rerio), a popular animal model used for retinal degeneration and regeneration studies, has not been fully determined. In this study, we generated an nrl knockout zebrafish model via the CRISPR-Cas9 technology and observed a surprising phenotype characterized by a reduced number, but not the total loss, of rods and over-growth of green cones. We discovered two waves of rod genesis, nrl-dependent and -independent at the embryonic and post-embryonic stages, respectively, in zebrafish by monitoring the rod development. Through bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, we characterized the gene expression profiles of the whole retina and each retinal cell type from the wild type and nrl knockout zebrafish. The over-growth of green cones and mis-expression of green-cone-specific genes in rods in nrl mutants suggested that there are rod/green-cone bipotent precursors, whose fate choice between rod versus green-cone is controlled by nrl. Besides, we identified the mafba gene as a novel regulator of the nrl-independent rod development, based on the cell-type-specific expression patterns and the retinal phenotype of nrl/mafba double-knockout zebrafish. Gene collinearity analysis revealed the evolutionary origin of mafba and suggested that the function of mafba in rod development is specific to modern fishes. Furthermore, the altered photoreceptor composition and abnormal gene expression in nrl mutants caused progressive retinal degeneration and subsequent regeneration. Accordingly, this study revealed a novel function of the mafba gene in rod development and established a working model for the developmental and regulatory mechanisms regarding the rod and green-cone photoreceptors in zebrafish. Vision is mediated by two types of light-sensing cells named rod and cone photoreceptors in animal eyes. Abnormal generation, dysfunction or death of photoreceptor cells all cause irreversible vision problems. NRL is an essential gene for the generation and function of rod cells in mice and humans. Surprisingly, we found that in the zebrafish, a popular animal model for human diseases and therapeutic testing, there are two types of rod cells, and eliminating the function of nrl gene affects the rod cell formation at the embryonic stage but not at the juvenile and adult stages. The rod cell formation at the post-embryonic is driven by the mafba gene, which has not been reported to play a role in rod cells. In addition to the reduced number of rod cells, deletion of nrl also results in the emergence of rod/green-cone hybrid cells and an increased number of green cones. The ensuing cellular and molecular alterations collectively lead to retinal degeneration. These findings expand our understanding of photoreceptor development and maintenance and highlight the underlying conserved and species-specific regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yayun Qin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Yuwen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Pan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Jingzhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Shanshan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Danna Jia
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Yuexia Lv
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Jiayi Tu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Kui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Yunqiao Han
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - James Reilly
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Xinhua Shu
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Qunwei Lu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Zhaohui Tang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Chengqi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (CX); (DL); (ML)
| | - Daji Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (CX); (DL); (ML)
| | - Mugen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (CX); (DL); (ML)
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12
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Xiao YS, Liang J, Gao M, Sun JR, Liu Y, Chen JQ, Zhao XH, Wang YM, Chen YH, Wang YW, Wan XL, Luo XT, Sun XD. Deletion of prominin-1 in mice results in disrupted photoreceptor outer segment protein homeostasis. Int J Ophthalmol 2021; 14:1334-1344. [PMID: 34540608 PMCID: PMC8403851 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2021.09.07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To illustrate the underlying mechanism how prominin-1 (also known as Prom1) mutation contribute to progressive photoreceptor degeneration. METHODS A CRISPR-mediated Prom1 knockout (Prom1-KO) mice model in the C57BL/6 was generated and the photoreceptor degeneration phenotypes by means of structural and functional tests were demonstrated. Immunohistochemistry and immunoblot analysis were performed to reveal the localization and quantity of related outer segment (OS) proteins. RESULTS The Prom1-KO mice developed the photoreceptor degeneration phenotype including the decreased outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness and compromised electroretinogram amplitude. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed impaired trafficking of photoreceptor OS proteins. Immunoblot data demonstrated decreased photoreceptor OS proteins. CONCLUSION Prom1 deprivation causes progressive photoreceptor degeneration. Prom1 is essential for maintaining normal trafficking and normal quantity of photoreceptor OS proteins. The new light is shed on the pathogenic mechanism underlying photoreceptor degeneration caused by Prom1 mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Shu Xiao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jian Liang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Min Gao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jun-Ran Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Jie-Qiong Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Xiao-Huan Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Yi-Min Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Yu-Hong Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Yu-Wei Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Xiao-Ling Wan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Xue-Ting Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
- Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai 200080, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China
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13
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Hong Y, Luo Y. Zebrafish Model in Ophthalmology to Study Disease Mechanism and Drug Discovery. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14080716. [PMID: 34451814 PMCID: PMC8400593 DOI: 10.3390/ph14080716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual impairment and blindness are common and seriously affect people’s work and quality of life in the world. Therefore, the effective therapies for eye diseases are of high priority. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an alternative vertebrate model as a useful tool for the mechanism elucidation and drug discovery of various eye disorders, such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, photoreceptor degeneration, etc. The genetic and embryonic accessibility of zebrafish in combination with a behavioral assessment of visual function has made it a very popular model in ophthalmology. Zebrafish has also been widely used in ocular drug discovery, such as the screening of new anti-angiogenic compounds or neuroprotective drugs, and the oculotoxicity test. In this review, we summarized the applications of zebrafish as the models of eye disorders to study disease mechanism and investigate novel drug treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yan Luo
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-020-87335931
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14
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Li J, Liu F, Lv Y, Sun K, Zhao Y, Reilly J, Zhang Y, Tu J, Yu S, Liu X, Qin Y, Huang Y, Gao P, Jia D, Chen X, Han Y, Shu X, Luo D, Tang Z, Liu M. Prpf31 is essential for the survival and differentiation of retinal progenitor cells by modulating alternative splicing. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:2027-2043. [PMID: 33476374 PMCID: PMC7913766 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of splicing factors often result in abnormal cell differentiation and apoptosis, especially in neural tissues. Mutations in pre-mRNAs processing factor 31 (PRPF31) cause autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive retinal degeneration disease. The transcriptome-wide splicing events specifically regulated by PRPF31 and their biological roles in the development and maintenance of retina are still unclear. Here, we showed that the differentiation and viability of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) are severely perturbed in prpf31 knockout zebrafish when compared with other tissues at an early embryonic stage. At the cellular level, significant mitotic arrest and DNA damage were observed. These defects could be rescued by the wild-type human PRPF31 rather than the disease-associated mutants. Further bioinformatic analysis and experimental verification uncovered that Prpf31 deletion predominantly causes the skipping of exons with a weak 5′ splicing site. Moreover, genes necessary for DNA repair and mitotic progression are most enriched among the differentially spliced events, which may explain the cellular and tissular defects in prpf31 mutant retinas. This is the first time that Prpf31 is demonstrated to be essential for the survival and differentiation of RPCs during retinal neurogenesis by specifically modulating the alternative splicing of genes involved in DNA repair and mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingzhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Fei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Yuexia Lv
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Kui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Yuntong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430072, PR China
| | - Jamas Reilly
- Department of Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, Scotland, UK
| | - Yangjun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Jiayi Tu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Shanshan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Xiliang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Yayun Qin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Yuwen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Pan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Danna Jia
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Yunqiao Han
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Xinhua Shu
- Department of Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, Scotland, UK
| | - Daji Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430072, PR China
| | - Zhaohui Tang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Mugen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
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Sánchez-Bellver L, Toulis V, Marfany G. On the Wrong Track: Alterations of Ciliary Transport in Inherited Retinal Dystrophies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:623734. [PMID: 33748110 PMCID: PMC7973215 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.623734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Ciliopathies are a group of heterogeneous inherited disorders associated with dysfunction of the cilium, a ubiquitous microtubule-based organelle involved in a broad range of cellular functions. Most ciliopathies are syndromic, since several organs whose cells produce a cilium, such as the retina, cochlea or kidney, are affected by mutations in ciliary-related genes. In the retina, photoreceptor cells present a highly specialized neurosensory cilium, the outer segment, stacked with membranous disks where photoreception and phototransduction occurs. The daily renewal of the more distal disks is a unique characteristic of photoreceptor outer segments, resulting in an elevated protein demand. All components necessary for outer segment formation, maintenance and function have to be transported from the photoreceptor inner segment, where synthesis occurs, to the cilium. Therefore, efficient transport of selected proteins is critical for photoreceptor ciliogenesis and function, and any alteration in either cargo delivery to the cilium or intraciliary trafficking compromises photoreceptor survival and leads to retinal degeneration. To date, mutations in more than 100 ciliary genes have been associated with retinal dystrophies, accounting for almost 25% of these inherited rare diseases. Interestingly, not all mutations in ciliary genes that cause retinal degeneration are also involved in pleiotropic pathologies in other ciliated organs. Depending on the mutation, the same gene can cause syndromic or non-syndromic retinopathies, thus emphasizing the highly refined specialization of the photoreceptor neurosensory cilia, and raising the possibility of photoreceptor-specific molecular mechanisms underlying common ciliary functions such as ciliary transport. In this review, we will focus on ciliary transport in photoreceptor cells and discuss the molecular complexity underpinning retinal ciliopathies, with a special emphasis on ciliary genes that, when mutated, cause either syndromic or non-syndromic retinal ciliopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sánchez-Bellver
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB-IRSJD), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vasileios Toulis
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERER, ISCIII, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Marfany
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB-IRSJD), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERER, ISCIII, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Noel NCL, MacDonald IM, Allison WT. Zebrafish Models of Photoreceptor Dysfunction and Degeneration. Biomolecules 2021; 11:78. [PMID: 33435268 PMCID: PMC7828047 DOI: 10.3390/biom11010078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish are an instrumental system for the generation of photoreceptor degeneration models, which can be utilized to determine underlying causes of photoreceptor dysfunction and death, and for the analysis of potential therapeutic compounds, as well as the characterization of regenerative responses. We review the wealth of information from existing zebrafish models of photoreceptor disease, specifically as they relate to currently accepted taxonomic classes of human rod and cone disease. We also highlight that rich, detailed information can be derived from studying photoreceptor development, structure, and function, including behavioural assessments and in vivo imaging of zebrafish. Zebrafish models are available for a diversity of photoreceptor diseases, including cone dystrophies, which are challenging to recapitulate in nocturnal mammalian systems. Newly discovered models of photoreceptor disease and drusenoid deposit formation may not only provide important insights into pathogenesis of disease, but also potential therapeutic approaches. Zebrafish have already shown their use in providing pre-clinical data prior to testing genetic therapies in clinical trials, such as antisense oligonucleotide therapy for Usher syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C. L. Noel
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada; (I.M.M.); (W.T.A.)
| | - Ian M. MacDonald
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada; (I.M.M.); (W.T.A.)
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R7, Canada
| | - W. Ted Allison
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada; (I.M.M.); (W.T.A.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada
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17
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Piedade WP, Titialii-Torres K, Morris AC, Famulski JK. Proteasome-Mediated Regulation of Cdhr1a by Siah1 Modulates Photoreceptor Development and Survival in Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:594290. [PMID: 33330480 PMCID: PMC7719784 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.594290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital retinal dystrophies are a major cause of unpreventable and incurable blindness worldwide. Mutations in CDHR1, a retina specific cadherin, are associated with cone-rod dystrophy. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is responsible for mediating orderly and precise targeting of protein degradation to maintain biological homeostasis and coordinate proper development, including retinal development. Recently, our lab uncovered that the seven in absentia (Siah) family of E3 ubiquitin ligases play a role in optic fissure fusion and identified Cdhr1a as a potential target of Siah. Using two-color whole mount in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we detected siah1 and cdhr1a co-expression as well as protein localization in the retinal outer nuclear layer (ONL), and more precisely in the connecting cilium of rods and cones between 3-5 days post fertilization (dpf). We confirmed that Siah1 targets Cdhr1a for proteasomal degradation by co-transfection and co-immunoprecipitation in cell culture. To analyze the functional importance of this interaction, we created two transgenic zebrafish lines that express siah1 or an inactive siah1 (siah1ΔRING) under the control of the heat shock promoter to modulate Siah activity during photoreceptor development. Overexpression of siah1, but not siah1ΔRING, resulted in a decrease in the number of rods and cones at 72 h post fertilization (hpf). The number of retinal ganglion cells, amacrine and bipolar cells was not affected by Siah1 overexpression, and there was no significant reduction of proliferating cells in the Siah1 overexpressing retina. We did, however, detect increased cell death, confirmed by an increase in the number of TUNEL + cells in the ONL, which was proteasome-dependent, as proteasome inhibition rescued the cell death phenotype. Furthermore, reduction in rods and cones resulting from increased Siah1 expression was rescued by injection of cdhr1a mRNA, and to an even greater extent by injection of a Siah1-insensitive cdhr1a variant mRNA. Lastly, CRISPR induced loss of Cdhr1a function phenocopied Siah1 overexpression resulting in a significant reduction of rods and cones. Taken together, our work provides the first evidence that Cdhr1a plays a role during early photoreceptor development and that Cdhr1a is regulated by Siah1 via the UPS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jakub K. Famulski
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Cytotoxic Evaluation and Anti-Angiogenic Effects of Two Furano-Sesquiterpenoids from Commiphora myrrh Resin. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25061318. [PMID: 32183153 PMCID: PMC7144466 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25061318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Commiphora myrrh resin (Myrrh) has been used in traditional Arabic medicine to treat various inflammatory diseases. Two furano-sesquiterpenoids, 2-methoxyfuranodiene (CM1) and 2-acetoxyfuranodiene (CM2), were isolated from the chloroform fraction of the ethanolic extract of Arabic Commiphora myrrh resin. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was evaluated using human liver carcinoma, breast cancer cells (HepG2 and MCF-7, respectively) and normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cell lines. The development toxicity and anti-angiogenic activity of both compounds were also evaluated using zebrafish embryos. Cell survival assays demonstrated that both compounds were highly cytotoxic in HepG2 and MCF7 cells, with IC50 values of 3.6 and 4.4 µM, respectively. Both compounds induced apoptosis and caused cell cycle arrest in treated HepG2 cells, which was observed using flow cytometric analysis. The development toxicity in zebrafish embryos showed the chronic toxicity of both compounds. The toxicity was only seen when the embryos remained exposed to the compounds for more than three days. The compound CM2 showed a significant level of anti-angiogenic activity in transgenic zebrafish embryos at sublethal doses. Thus, we demonstrated the cytotoxic properties of both compounds, suggesting that the molecular mechanism of these compounds should be further assessed.
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