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Numa K, Patel SK, Zhang ZA, Burton JB, Matsumoto A, Hughes JWB, Sotozono C, Schilling B, Desprez PY, Campisi J, Kitazawa K. Senescent characteristics of human corneal endothelial cells upon ultraviolet-A exposure. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:6673-6693. [PMID: 38683123 PMCID: PMC11087119 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The objective of this study was to investigate the senescent phenotypes of human corneal endothelial cells (hCEnCs) upon treatment with ultraviolet (UV)-A. METHODS We assessed cell morphology, senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, cell proliferation and expression of senescence markers (p16 and p21) in hCEnCs exposed to UV-A radiation, and senescent hCEnCs induced by ionizing radiation (IR) were used as positive controls. We performed RNA sequencing and proteomics analyses to compare gene and protein expression profiles between UV-A- and IR-induced senescent hCEnCs, and we also compared the results to non-senescent hCEnCs. RESULTS Cells exposed to 5 J/cm2 of UV-A or to IR exhibited typical senescent phenotypes, including enlargement, increased SA-β-gal activity, decreased cell proliferation and elevated expression of p16 and p21. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that 83.9% of the genes significantly upregulated and 82.6% of the genes significantly downregulated in UV-A-induced senescent hCEnCs overlapped with the genes regulated in IR-induced senescent hCEnCs. Proteomics also revealed that 93.8% of the proteins significantly upregulated in UV-A-induced senescent hCEnCs overlapped with those induced by IR. In proteomics analyses, senescent hCEnCs induced by UV-A exhibited elevated expression levels of several factors part of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. CONCLUSIONS In this study, where senescence was induced by UV-A, a more physiological stress for hCEnCs compared to IR, we determined that UV-A modulated the expression of many genes and proteins typically altered upon IR treatment, a more conventional method of senescence induction, even though UV-A also modulated specific pathways unrelated to IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohsaku Numa
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945, USA
- Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto 6020841, Japan
| | - Sandip Kumar Patel
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945, USA
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | | | | | - Akifumi Matsumoto
- Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto 6020841, Japan
| | | | - Chie Sotozono
- Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto 6020841, Japan
| | | | - Pierre-Yves Desprez
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945, USA
- California Pacific Medical Center, Research Institute, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA
| | - Judith Campisi
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945, USA
| | - Koji Kitazawa
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945, USA
- Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto 6020841, Japan
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Ma DJ, Hwang JS, Noh KB, Oh SH, Kim KW, Shin YJ. Role of NADPH Oxidase 4 in Corneal Endothelial Cells Is Mediated by Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Autophagy. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1228. [PMID: 37371958 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12061228] [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: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Human corneal-endothelial cells (hCEnCs) are located on the inner layer of the cornea. Injury to CEnCs leads to permanent corneal edema, requiring corneal transplantation. NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) has been reported to be implicated in the pathogenesis of CEnCs diseases. Thus, we investigated the role of NOX4 in CEnCs in this study. In an animal study, siRNA for NOX4 (siNOX4) or plasmid for NOX4 (pNOX4) was introduced into the corneal endothelium of rats by electroporation, using a square-wave electroporator (ECM830, Havard apparatus) to decrease or increase the expression of NOX4, respectively, and the rat corneas were cryoinjured through contact with a metal rod of 3 mm diameter frozen in liquid nitrogen for 10 min. The immunofluorescence staining of NOX4 and 8-OHdG showed that the levels of NOX4 and 8-OHdG were decreased in the siNOX4 group compared to the siControl, and increased in the pNOX4 group compared to the pControl at one week after treatment. Without cryoinjury, corneal opacity was more severe, and the density of CEnCs was lower, in pNOX4-treated rats compared to pControl. After cryoinjury, the corneas were more transparent, and the CEnC density was higher, in siNOX4-treated rats. The hCEnCs were cultured and transfected with siNOX4 and pNOX4. The silencing of NOX4 in hCEnCs resulted in a normal cell shape, higher viability, and higher proliferation rate than those transfected with the siControl, while NOX4 overexpression had the opposite effect. NOX4 overexpression increased the number of senescent cells and intracellular oxidative stress levels. NOX4 overexpression increased ATF4 and ATF6 levels, and nuclear translocation of XBP-1, which is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress marker, while the silencing of NOX4 had the opposite effect. Additionally, the mitochondrial membrane potential was hyperpolarized by the silencing of NOX4, and depolarized by NOX4 overexpression. The LC3II levels, a marker of autophagy, were decreased by the silencing of NOX4, and increased by NOX4 overexpression. In conclusion, NOX4 plays a pivotal role in the wound-healing and senescence of hCEnCs, by modulating oxidative stress, ER stress, and autophagy. The regulation of NOX4 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for regulating the homeostasis of CEnCs, and treating corneal-endothelial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae Joong Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
- Hallym BioEyeTech Research Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Sun Hwang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
- Hallym BioEyeTech Research Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Bo Noh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
- Hallym BioEyeTech Research Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Hee Oh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
- Hallym BioEyeTech Research Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Wook Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
- Hallym BioEyeTech Research Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Joo Shin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
- Hallym BioEyeTech Research Center, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul 07442, Republic of Korea
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3
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Hu J, Gong X, Johnson ST, Corey DR, Mootha VV. The TCF4 Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion of Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy: Implications for the Anterior Segment of the Eye. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:16. [PMID: 37204786 PMCID: PMC10204776 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.5.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose In the United States, 70% of Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) cases are caused by an intronic trinucleotide repeat expansion in the TCF4 gene. CUG repeat RNA transcripts from this expansion accumulate as nuclear foci in the corneal endothelium. In this study, we sought to detect foci in other anterior segment cell types and assess their molecular impact. Methods We examined CUG repeat RNA foci appearance, expression of downstream affected genes, gene splicing, and TCF4 RNA expression in corneal endothelium, corneal stromal keratocytes, corneal epithelium, trabecular meshwork cells, and lens epithelium. Results CUG repeat RNA foci, the hallmark of FECD in corneal endothelium (found in 84% of endothelial cells), are less detectable in trabecular meshwork cells (41%), much less prevalent in stromal keratocytes (11%) or corneal epithelium (4%), and absent in lens epithelium. With few exceptions including mis-splicing in the trabecular meshwork, differential gene expression and splicing changes associated with the expanded repeat in corneal endothelial cells are not observed in other cell types. Expression of the TCF4 transcripts including full-length isoforms containing the repeat sequence at the 5' end is much higher in the corneal endothelium or trabecular meshwork than in the corneal stroma or corneal epithelium. Conclusions Expression of the CUG repeat containing TCF4 transcripts is higher in the corneal endothelium, likely contributing to foci formation and the large molecular and pathologic impact on those cells. Further studies are warranted to examine any glaucoma risk and impact of the observed foci in the trabecular meshwork of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Xin Gong
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Samantha T. Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - David R. Corey
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - V. Vinod Mootha
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
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Patel SP, Calle Gonzalez B, Paone N, Mueller C, Floss JC, Sousa ME, Shi MY. Effect of Physiological Oxygen on Primary Human Corneal Endothelial Cell Cultures. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2022; 11:33. [PMID: 35191961 PMCID: PMC8883143 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.11.2.33] [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] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Primary human corneal endothelial cells (HCEnCs) cultured in room air are exposed to significantly higher O2 concentrations [O2] than what is normally present in the eye. We evaluated the growth and metabolism of HCEnCs cultured under physiological [O2] (2.5%; [O2]2.5) and room air ([O2]A). Methods Primary cultures of HCEnCs from normal donors and donors with Fuchs dystrophy were grown at [O2]2.5 and [O2]A. Growth and morphology were compared using phase-contrast microscopy, zonula occludens (ZO-1) localization, cell density measurements, and senescence marker staining. CD44 (cell quality) and HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor-1α) levels were evaluated by Western blotting. Cell adaptability to a reversal of [O2] growth conditions was measured with cell viability assays, and cell metabolism was assessed via oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification rates. Results HCEnCs grown at [O2]A and [O2]2.5 displayed similar morphologies, ZO-1 localization, CD44 expression, and senescence. Cells from donors with Fuchs dystrophy grew better at [O2]2.5 than at [O2]A. HIF-1α was undetectable. Cells displayed greater viability at [O2]2.5 than at [O2]A. HCEnCs showed significantly greater proton leak (P < 0.01), nonmitochondrial oxygen consumption (P < 0.01), and spare capacity (P < 0.05) for oxygen consumption rates, and greater basal glycolysis (P < 0.05) with a decreased glycolytic reserve capacity (P < 0.05) for extracellular acidification rates. Conclusions Primary HCEnCs show unique metabolic characteristics at physiologic [O2]. The effect of [O2] for optimization of HCEnC culture conditions should be considered. Translational Relevance With the advance of cell-based therapeutics for corneal endothelial diseases, [O2] should be considered an important variable in the optimization of HCEnC culture conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangita P Patel
- Ross Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.,Research Service, Veterans Administration of Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York, USA.,Ophthalmology Service, Veterans Administration of Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Brayan Calle Gonzalez
- Ross Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.,Research Service, Veterans Administration of Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Nataliia Paone
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Christian Mueller
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Jamie C Floss
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Maria E Sousa
- Ross Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.,Research Service, Veterans Administration of Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Michael Y Shi
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
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5
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Kuot A, Corbett MA, Mills RA, Snibson G, Wiffen S, Loh R, Burdon KP, Craig JE, Sharma S. Differential gene expression analysis of corneal endothelium indicates involvement of phagocytic activity in Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy. Exp Eye Res 2021; 210:108692. [PMID: 34228965 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a progressive vision impairing disease caused by thickening of Descemet's membrane and gradual degeneration and loss of corneal endothelial cells. The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed genes between FECD-affected and unaffected corneal endothelium to gain insight into the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this disease. Microarray gene expression analysis was performed on total RNA from FECD-affected and unaffected corneal endothelium-Descemet's membrane (CE-DM) specimens using the Illumina HumanHT-12 v4.0 expression array. RNA from pools of FECD-affected (n = 3 per pool) and individual unaffected (n = 3) specimens was used for comparison. Altered expression of a sub-set of differentially expressed genes was validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in independent specimens. Bioinformatics analysis was performed using InnateDB to reveal functional relationships among the differentially expressed genes and molecular pathways involved in the disease. A total of 16,513 genes were found expressed in the corneal endothelium of which 142 genes were differentially expressed between FECD-affected and unaffected endothelium (log2 fold-change ≥1.5, corrected p-value ≤0.05). Most of the genes were up-regulated (126) and a small proportion down-regulated (16) in affected corneal endothelium. Of the twelve genes prioritised for validation, differential expression of 10 genes, including those ranked 57th and 81st by significance validated by qRT-PCR (8 up-regulated and 2 downregulated, corrected p ≤ 0.05), one gene showed a trend for up-regulation in affected endothelium, consistent with the microarray analysis and another was up-regulated in an independent study indicating robustness of the differential expression dataset. Bioinformatic analysis revealed significant over-representation of differentially expressed genes in extracellular matrix reorganisation, cellular remodelling, immune response, and inflammation. Network analysis showed functional inter-relatedness of the majority of the dysregulated genes and revealed known direct functional relationships between 20 of the genes; many of these genes have roles in macrophage differentiation, phagocytosis and inflammation. This is the second report of microarray gene expression analysis in FECD. This study revealed a set of highly dysregulated genes in the corneal endothelium in FECD. More than a third of the dysregulated genes in the disease have been discovered for the first time and thus are novel. The dysregulated genes strongly suggest the presence of phagocytic cells, most likely immune cells, and inflammation in corneal endothelium in the disease. This study provides a molecular framework for delineating the mechanisms underlying these cellular processes in FECD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Kuot
- Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Mark A Corbett
- Adelaide Medical School and Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Richard A Mills
- Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Grant Snibson
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC, 3002, Australia
| | - Steven Wiffen
- The Lions Eye Bank of Western Australia, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Raymond Loh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Kathryn P Burdon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia; Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia
| | - Jamie E Craig
- Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Shiwani Sharma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.
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Hwang JS, Ma DJ, Choi J, Shin YJ. COL8A2 Regulates the Fate of Corneal Endothelial Cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 61:26. [PMID: 32931574 PMCID: PMC7500139 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.11.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate the effect of COL8A2 repression on corneal endothelial cells (CECs) in vitro and in vivo. Methods Cultured human CECs (hCECs) were transfected with COL8A2 siRNA (siCOL8A2), and the cell viability and proliferation rate were measured. The expression of cell proliferation–associated molecules was evaluated by Western blotting and real-time reverse transcription PCR. Cell shape, Wingless-INT (WNT) signaling, and mitochondrial oxidative stress were also measured. For in vivo experiments, siCOL8A2 was transfected into rat CECs (rCECs), and corneal opacity and corneal endothelium were evaluated. Results After transfection with siCOL8A2, COL8A2 expression was reduced (80%). Cell viability, cell proliferation rate, cyclin D1 expression, and the number of cells in the S-phase were reduced in siCOL8A2-treated cells. The cell attained a fibroblast-like shape, and SNAI1, pSMAD2, and β-catenin expression, along with mitochondrial mass and oxidative stress levels, were altered. Corneal opacity increased, and the CECs were changed in rats in the siCOL8A2 group. Conclusions COL8A2 is required to maintain normal wound healing and CEC function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Sun Hwang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae Joong Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinju Choi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Joo Shin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Gong Y, Duan H, Wang X, Zhao C, Li W, Dong C, Li Z, Zhou Q. Transplantation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural crest cells for corneal endothelial regeneration. Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 12:214. [PMID: 33781330 PMCID: PMC8008577 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-021-02267-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The corneal endothelium maintains corneal hydration through the barrier and pump function, while its dysfunction may cause corneal edema and vision reduction. Considering its development from neural crest cells (NCCs), here we investigated the efficacy of the human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived NCCs for corneal endothelial regeneration in rabbits. METHODS Directed differentiation of hiPSC-derived NCCs was achieved using the chemically defined medium containing GSK-3 inhibitor and TGF-β inhibitor. The differentiated cells were characterized by immunofluorescence staining, FACS analysis, and in vitro multi-lineage differentiation capacity. For in vivo functional evaluation, 1.0 × 106 hiPSC-derived NCCs or NIH-3 T3 fibroblasts (as control) combined with 100 μM Y-27632 were intracamerally injected into the anterior chamber of rabbits following removal of corneal endothelium. Rabbit corneal thickness and phenotype changes of the transplanted cells were examined at 7 and 14 days with handy pachymeter, dual-immunofluorescence staining, and quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS The hiPSC-derived NCCs were differentiated homogenously through 7 days of induction and exhibited multi-lineage differentiation capacity into peripheral neurons, mesenchymal stem cells, and corneal keratocytes. After 7 days of intracameral injection in rabbit, the hiPSC-derived NCCs led to a gradual recovery of normal corneal thickness and clarity, when comparing to control rabbit with fibroblasts injection. However, the recovery efficacy after 14 days deteriorated and caused the reappearance of corneal edema. Mechanistically, the transplanted cells exhibited the impaired maturation, cellular senescence, and endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EnMT) after the early stage of the in vivo directional differentiation. CONCLUSIONS Transplantation of the hiPSC-derived NCCs rapidly restored rabbit corneal thickness and clarity. However, the long-term recovery efficacy was impaired by the improper maturation, senescence, and EnMT of the transplanted cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Gong
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 6699 Qingdao Road, Jinan, 271016, China
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Yan'erdao Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Haoyun Duan
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 6699 Qingdao Road, Jinan, 271016, China
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Yan'erdao Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Yan'erdao Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
- Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, 372 Jingsi Road, Jinan, 250021, China
| | - Can Zhao
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 6699 Qingdao Road, Jinan, 271016, China
- Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, 372 Jingsi Road, Jinan, 250021, China
| | - Wenjing Li
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Yan'erdao Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Chunxiao Dong
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Yan'erdao Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
- Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, 372 Jingsi Road, Jinan, 250021, China
| | - Zongyi Li
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 6699 Qingdao Road, Jinan, 271016, China.
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Yan'erdao Road, Qingdao, 266071, China.
| | - Qingjun Zhou
- Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 6699 Qingdao Road, Jinan, 271016, China.
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Yan'erdao Road, Qingdao, 266071, China.
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8
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Lovatt M, Kocaba V, Hui Neo DJ, Soh YQ, Mehta JS. Nrf2: A unifying transcription factor in the pathogenesis of Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy. Redox Biol 2020; 37:101763. [PMID: 33099215 PMCID: PMC7578533 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear factor, erythroid 2 like 2 (Nrf2), is an oxidative stress induced transcription factor that regulates cytoprotective gene expression. Thus, Nrf2 is essential for cellular redox homeostasis. Loss or dysregulation of Nrf2 expression has been implicated in the pathogenesis of degenerative diseases, including diseases of the cornea. One of the most common diseases of the cornea in which Nrf2 is implicated is Fuchs’ endothelial cornea dystrophy (FECD). FECD is the leading indication for corneal transplantation; and is associated with a loss of corneal endothelial cell (CEC) function. In this review, we propose that Nrf2 is an essential regulator of CEC function. Furthermore, we demonstrate that deficiency of Nrf2 function is a hallmark of FECD. In addition, we advocate that pharmacological targeting of Nrf2 as a possible therapy for FECD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Lovatt
- Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.
| | - Viridiana Kocaba
- Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery (NIIOS), Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dawn Jing Hui Neo
- Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore
| | - Yu Qiang Soh
- Department of Cornea and External Eye Disease, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore
| | - Jodhbir S Mehta
- Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Department of Cornea and External Eye Disease, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.
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9
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Chu Y, Hu J, Liang H, Kanchwala M, Xing C, Beebe W, Bowman CB, Gong X, Corey DR, Mootha VV. Analyzing pre-symptomatic tissue to gain insights into the molecular and mechanistic origins of late-onset degenerative trinucleotide repeat disease. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:6740-6758. [PMID: 32463444 PMCID: PMC7337964 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
How genetic defects trigger the molecular changes that cause late-onset disease is important for understanding disease progression and therapeutic development. Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is an RNA-mediated disease caused by a trinucleotide CTG expansion in an intron within the TCF4 gene. The mutant intronic CUG RNA is present at one-two copies per cell, posing a challenge to understand how a rare RNA can cause disease. Late-onset FECD is a uniquely advantageous model for studying how RNA triggers disease because: (i) Affected tissue is routinely removed during surgery; (ii) The expanded CTG mutation is one of the most prevalent disease-causing mutations, making it possible to obtain pre-symptomatic tissue from eye bank donors to probe how gene expression changes precede disease; and (iii) The affected tissue is a homogeneous single cell monolayer, facilitating accurate transcriptome analysis. Here, we use RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to compare tissue from individuals who are pre-symptomatic (Pre_S) to tissue from patients with late stage FECD (FECD_REP). The abundance of mutant repeat intronic RNA in Pre_S and FECD_REP tissue is elevated due to increased half-life in a corneal cells. In Pre_S tissue, changes in splicing and extracellular matrix gene expression foreshadow the changes observed in advanced disease and predict the activation of the fibrosis pathway and immune system seen in late-stage patients. The absolute magnitude of splicing changes is similar in pre-symptomatic and late stage tissue. Our data identify gene candidates for early drivers of disease and biomarkers that may represent diagnostic and therapeutic targets for FECD. We conclude that changes in alternative splicing and gene expression are observable decades prior to the diagnosis of late-onset trinucleotide repeat disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Chu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jiaxin Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hanquan Liang
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Mohammed Kanchwala
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chao Xing
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Xin Gong
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9057, USA
| | - David R Corey
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - V Vinod Mootha
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9057, USA
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10
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Rong Z, Gong X, Hulleman JD, Corey DR, Mootha VV. Trinucleotide Repeat-Targeting dCas9 as a Therapeutic Strategy for Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2020; 9:47. [PMID: 32934897 PMCID: PMC7463221 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.9.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is the leading indication for corneal transplantation. Seventy percent of cases are caused by an intronic CTG triplet repeat expansion in the TCF4 gene that results in accumulation of pathogenic expanded CUG repeat RNA (CUGexp) as nuclear foci in corneal endothelium. A catalytically dead Cas9 (dCas9) can serve as an effective guide to target genomic DNA or RNA transcripts. Here, we examined the utility of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-dCas9 system to effectively target and reduce CUGexp. Methods We delivered dCas9 and repeat-targeting single guide RNA (sgRNA) expression plasmids to patient-derived endothelial cells using lipofection or lentiviral transduction. We used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and RNA dot-blot hybridization to quantify CUGexp foci and repeat RNA levels, respectively. TCF4 expression levels were assessed using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results Using FISH, we found that expression of both dCas9 and a (CAG)n sgRNA complementary to CUGexp are necessary to reduce foci. We observed a reduction in percentage of cells with foci from 59% to 5.6% and number of foci per 100 cells from 73.4 to 7.45 (P < 0.001) in cells stably expressing dCas9-(CAG)n sgRNA but saw no decrease in cells expressing dCas9-(CUG)n sgRNA or nontargeting control sgRNA. In cells with dCas9-(CAG)n sgRNA, we detected a reduction in CUGexp RNA by dot-blot without any reduction in TCF4 mRNA levels using qPCR. Conclusions Using CRISPR-dCas9 to target the trinucleotide repeat is a promising treatment for FECD contingent on effective in vivo delivery. Translational Relevance This work advances a gene therapy for a common age-related degenerative disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziye Rong
- Department of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Xin Gong
- Department of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John D Hulleman
- Department of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - David R Corey
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - V Vinod Mootha
- Department of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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11
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Soh YQ, Kocaba V, Weiss JS, Jurkunas UV, Kinoshita S, Aldave AJ, Mehta JS. Corneal dystrophies. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2020; 6:46. [PMID: 32528047 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-020-0178-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Corneal dystrophies are broadly defined as inherited disorders that affect any layer of the cornea and are usually progressive, bilateral conditions that do not have systemic effects. The 2015 International Classification of Corneal Dystrophies classifies corneal dystrophies into four classes: epithelial and subepithelial dystrophies, epithelial-stromal TGFBI dystrophies, stromal dystrophies and endothelial dystrophies. Whereas some corneal dystrophies may result in few or mild symptoms and morbidity throughout a patient's lifetime, others may progress and eventually result in substantial visual and ocular disturbances that require medical or surgical intervention. Corneal transplantation, either with full-thickness or partial-thickness donor tissue, may be indicated for patients with advanced corneal dystrophies. Although corneal transplantation techniques have improved considerably over the past two decades, these surgeries are still associated with postoperative risks of disease recurrence, graft failure and other complications that may result in blindness. In addition, a global shortage of cadaveric corneal graft tissue critically limits accessibility to corneal transplantation in some parts of the world. Ongoing advances in gene therapy, regenerative therapy and cell augmentation therapy may eventually result in the development of alternative, novel treatments for corneal dystrophies, which may substantially improve the quality of life of patients with these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Qiang Soh
- Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.,Ophthalmology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Clinical Sciences, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Viridiana Kocaba
- Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore.,Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jayne S Weiss
- Department of Ophthalmology, Pathology and Pharmacology, Louisiana State University, School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA
| | - Ula V Jurkunas
- Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shigeru Kinoshita
- Department of Frontier Medical Science and Technology for Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Anthony J Aldave
- Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jodhbir S Mehta
- Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore. .,Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore. .,Ophthalmology Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, Singapore. .,Department of Clinical Sciences, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
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12
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Matthaei M, Hribek A, Clahsen T, Bachmann B, Cursiefen C, Jun AS. Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy: Clinical, Genetic, Pathophysiologic, and Therapeutic Aspects. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2020; 5:151-175. [PMID: 31525145 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-091718-014852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a bilateral corneal endothelial disorder and the most common cause of corneal transplantation worldwide. Professor Ernst Fuchs described the first 13 cases of FECD more than 100 years ago. Since then, we have seen far-reaching progress in its diagnosis and treatment. In the field of diagnostics, new technologies enable the development of more accurate classification systems and the more detailed breakdown of the genetic basis of FECD. Laboratory studies help in deciphering the molecular pathomechanisms. The development of minimally invasive surgical techniques leads to a continuous improvement of the postoperative result. This review highlights and discusses clinical, genetic, pathophysiologic, and therapeutic aspects of this common and important corneal disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Matthaei
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; , , , ,
| | - Agathe Hribek
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; , , , ,
| | - Thomas Clahsen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; , , , ,
| | - Björn Bachmann
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; , , , ,
| | - Claus Cursiefen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany; , , , ,
| | - Albert S Jun
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA;
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13
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Faragher RGA, Ostler EL. Resveralogues: From Novel Ageing Mechanisms to New Therapies? Gerontology 2020; 66:231-237. [PMID: 31914446 DOI: 10.1159/000504845] [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: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
For much of the 20th century the ageing process was thought to be the result of the interplay of many different biological processes, each with relatively small effects on organismal lifespan. However, this model is no longer tenable. Rather it seems a few biological mechanisms, including nutrient sensing, telomere attrition and cellular senescence, mediate large effects on health and longevity. Biogerontology may have suffered from initial delusions of complexity. However, we argue that it is premature to assume either that the list of biological processes influencing lifespan is now comprehensive or that these mechanisms act independently of each other. A case in point is provided by recent work linking together changes in RNA splicing with advancing age and the ability of polyphenolics based on resveratrol to reverse replicative senescence. In this opinion piece, we propose a novel model in which the factors regulating splice restriction and those controlling cell senescence intersect across chronological and divisional time, giving rise to senescent and growing cells with more diverse properties than previously thought. We also consider therapeutic opportunities and potential problems in the light of this revised conceptual understanding of human cell senescence and ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G A Faragher
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom,
| | - Elizabeth L Ostler
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
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14
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Kocaba V, Katikireddy KR, Gipson I, Price MO, Price FW, Jurkunas UV. Association of the Gutta-Induced Microenvironment With Corneal Endothelial Cell Behavior and Demise in Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy. JAMA Ophthalmol 2019; 136:886-892. [PMID: 29852040 DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2018.2031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Importance The number and size of guttae increase over time in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD); however, the association between these physical parameters and disease pathogenesis is unclear. Objective To determine the role of guttae in corneal endothelial cell function. Design, Settings, and Participants In an in vitro model, cells from a human corneal endothelial cell line, HCENC-21T, were seeded on decellularized normal (n = 30) and FECD (n = 70) endothelial basement (Descemet) membranes (DMs). Normal human corneas were sent to our laboratory from 3 sources. The study took place at the Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, and was performed from September 2015 to July 2017. Normal DMs were obtained from 3 different tissue banks and FECD-DMs were obtained from patients undergoing endothelial keratoplasty in 2 departments. Main Outcomes and Measures Endothelial cell shape, growth, and migration were assessed by live-cell imaging, and gene expression analysis as a function of guttae diameter was assessed by laser capture microscopy. Results Mean (SD) age of normal-DMs donors was 65.6 (4.4) years (16 women [53%]), and mean (SD) age of FECD-DMs donors was 68.9 (10.6) years (43 women [61%]). Cells covered a greater area (mean [SD], 97.7% [8.5%]) with a greater mean (SD) number of cells (2083 [153] cells/mm2) on the normal DMs compared with the FECD DMs (72.8% [11%]; P = .02 and 1541 [221] cells/mm2 221/mm2; P = .01, respectively). Differences in endothelial cell growth over guttae were observed on FECD DMs depending on the guttae diameter. Guttae with a mean (SD) diameter of 10.5 (2.9) μm did not impede cell growth, whereas those with a diameter of 21.1 (4.9) μm were covered only by the cell cytoplasm. Guttae with the largest mean (SD) diameter, 31.8 (3.8) μm, were not covered by cells, which instead surrounded them in a rosette pattern. Moreover, cells adjacent to large guttae upregulated αSMA, N-cadherin, Snail1, and NOX4 genes compared with ones grown on normal DMs or small guttae. Furthermore, large guttae induced TUNEL-positive apoptosis in a rosette pattern, similar to ex vivo FECD specimens. Conclusions and Relevance These findings highlight the important role of guttae in endothelial cell growth, migration, and survival. These data suggest that cell therapy procedures in FECD might be guided by the diameter of the host guttae if subsequent clinical studies confirm these laboratory findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viridiana Kocaba
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Kishore Reddy Katikireddy
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Ilene Gipson
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | | | | | - Ula V Jurkunas
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston
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15
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Wang X, Qu M, Li J, Danielson P, Yang L, Zhou Q. Induction of Fibroblast Senescence During Mouse Corneal Wound Healing. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 60:3669-3679. [DOI: 10.1167/iovs.19-26983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Wang
- Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Mingli Qu
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Li
- School of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Jinan-Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Patrik Danielson
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology and Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lingling Yang
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Qingjun Zhou
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Shandong Eye Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Qingdao, China
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16
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Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy and corneal endothelial diseases: East meets West. Eye (Lond) 2019; 34:427-441. [PMID: 31267087 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-019-0497-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 04/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is amongst one of the most common indications for endothelial keratoplasty worldwide. Despite being originally described among Caucasians, it is now known to be prevalent among a large number of populations, including Asians. While the FECD phenotype is classically described as that of central guttate and pigment deposits associated with corneal endothelial dysfunction, there are subtle yet important differences in how FECD and its phenocopies may present in Caucasians vs Asians. Such differences are paralled by genotypic variations and disease management preferences which appear to be geographically and ethnically delineated. This article provides a succinct review of such differences, with a focus on diagnostic and management issues which may be encountered by ophthalmologists practicing in the different geographic regions, when evaluating a patient with FECD.
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17
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Matthaei M, Leitl C, Cursiefen C, Heindl LM. Correlation of extracellular matrix-related gene expression with objective Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy severity. Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2019; 47:671-673. [PMID: 30578652 DOI: 10.1111/ceo.13461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Matthaei
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christoph Leitl
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Claus Cursiefen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ludwig M Heindl
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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18
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Hu J, Rong Z, Gong X, Zhou Z, Sharma VK, Xing C, Watts JK, Corey DR, Mootha VV. Oligonucleotides targeting TCF4 triplet repeat expansion inhibit RNA foci and mis-splicing in Fuchs' dystrophy. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 27:1015-1026. [PMID: 29325021 PMCID: PMC5886168 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is the most common repeat expansion disorder. FECD impacts 4% of U.S. population and is the leading indication for corneal transplantation. Most cases are caused by an expanded intronic CUG tract in the TCF4 gene that forms nuclear foci, sequesters splicing factors and impairs splicing. We investigated the sense and antisense RNA landscape at the FECD gene and find that the sense-expanded repeat transcript is the predominant species in patient corneas. In patient tissue, sense foci number were negatively correlated with age and showed no correlation with sex. Each endothelial cell has ∼2 sense foci and each foci is single RNA molecule. We designed antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to target the mutant-repetitive RNA and demonstrated potent inhibition of foci in patient-derived cells. Ex vivo treatment of FECD human corneas effectively inhibits foci and reverses pathological changes in splicing. FECD has the potential to be a model for treating many trinucleotide repeat diseases and targeting the TCF4 expansion with ASOs represents a promising therapeutic strategy to prevent and treat FECD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ziye Rong
- Department of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Xin Gong
- Department of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Zhengyang Zhou
- McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Statistical Science, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Vivek K Sharma
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Chao Xing
- McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Clinical Sciences, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan K Watts
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - David R Corey
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - V Vinod Mootha
- Department of Ophthalmology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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19
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Sarnicola C, Farooq AV, Colby K. Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy: Update on Pathogenesis and Future Directions. Eye Contact Lens 2019; 45:1-10. [DOI: 10.1097/icl.0000000000000469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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20
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Wahlig S, Lovatt M, Mehta JS. Functional role of peroxiredoxin 6 in the eye. Free Radic Biol Med 2018; 126:210-220. [PMID: 30120980 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) is the only mammalian 1-Cys member of the Prdx family, a group of enzymes which share the ability to reduce peroxides. In addition to its peroxidase function, Prdx6 also demonstrates phospholipase A2 and lysophosphatidylcholine acyl transferase (LPCAT) activities. These enzymatic activities play an important role in regenerating oxidized membrane phospholipids and maintaining an appropriate balance of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Development of clinical pathologies, including those within the eye, have been linked to dysregulation of Prdx6 function. Interplay between external stressors like exposure to UV light, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), and hyperglycemia in conjunction with diminished Prdx6 levels and loss of redox balance is associated with cellular changes in a variety of ophthalmic pathologies including cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal degeneration. Many of these cellular abnormalities can be rescued through supplementation with exogenous Prdx6. Additionally, corneal endothelial cells have been found to express high levels of Prdx6 in the plasma membrane. These findings highlight the importance of Prdx6 as an essential regulator of oxidative stress in the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Wahlig
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), Singapore; Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Matthew Lovatt
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), Singapore
| | - Jodhbir S Mehta
- Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), Singapore; Singapore National Eye Center (SNEC), Singapore; Eye-ACP, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore.
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21
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Satitpitakul V, Sun Z, Suri K, Amouzegar A, Katikireddy KR, Jurkunas UV, Kheirkhah A, Dana R. Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Promotes Corneal Allograft Survival. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2018; 188:2016-2024. [PMID: 30097165 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2018.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Corneal transplantation is the most prevalent form of tissue transplantation. The success of corneal transplantation mainly relies on the integrity of corneal endothelial cells (CEnCs), which maintain graft transparency. CEnC density decreases significantly after corneal transplantation even in the absence of graft rejection. To date, different strategies have been used to enhance CEnC survival. The neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) improves CEnC integrity during donor cornea tissue storage and protects CEnCs against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. However, little is known about the effect of exogenous administration of VIP on corneal transplant outcomes. We found that VIP significantly accelerates endothelial wound closure and suppresses interferon-γ- and tumor necrosis factor-α-induced CEnC apoptosis in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, we found that intracameral administration of VIP to mice undergoing syngeneic corneal transplantation with endothelial injury increases CEnC density and decreases graft opacity scores. Finally, using a mouse model of allogeneic corneal transplantation, we found for the first time that treatment with VIP significantly suppresses posttransplantation CEnC loss and improves corneal allograft survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vannarut Satitpitakul
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Zhongmou Sun
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kunal Suri
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Afsaneh Amouzegar
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kishore R Katikireddy
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ula V Jurkunas
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ahmad Kheirkhah
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Reza Dana
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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22
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Cui Z, Zeng Q, Guo Y, Liu S, Wang P, Xie M, Chen J. Pathological molecular mechanism of symptomatic late-onset Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy by bioinformatic analysis. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197750. [PMID: 29787599 PMCID: PMC5963778 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a degenerative disease characterized by corneal endothelial decompensation. FECD causes corneal stromal and epithelial edema and progressively develops into bullous keratopathy, which can eventually lead to blindness. However, the exact pathogenesis is unknown. In this study, we performed an in-depth bioinformatic analysis of the dataset GSE74123 to determine the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of symptomatic late-onset FECD compared with a normal control. Gene ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways analysis were used to analyze the pathological molecular mechanism of FECD. We found that cell senescence, reactive oxygen species (ROS), the extracellular matrix (ECM), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immune response-related genes play an important role in the pathological development of symptomatic late-onset FECD. In addition, we revealed that down-regulated IL-6, enhanced NF-κB activity and a suite of orchestrated chemokine responses induce fibrocyte differentiation from monocyte to dendritic cell maturation. PI3K plays a key role in the molecular mechanism of symptomatic late-onset FECD. This study enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanism of FECD pathogenesis and will improve the diagnostics and therapy of FECD patients in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekai Cui
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Qiaolang Zeng
- The Department of Ophthalmology, the First Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Yonglong Guo
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Shiwei Liu
- The Department of Ophthalmology, the First Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Peiyuan Wang
- The Department of Ophthalmology, the First Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Mengyuan Xie
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information and Sensing Technologies of Guangdong Higher Educational Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Jiansu Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- The Department of Ophthalmology, the First Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Institute of Ophthalmology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- * E-mail:
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23
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Mootha VV, Hansen B, Rong Z, Mammen PP, Zhou Z, Xing C, Gong X. Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy and RNA Foci in Patients With Myotonic Dystrophy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 58:4579-4585. [PMID: 28886202 PMCID: PMC5590687 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.17-22350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The most common cause of Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is an intronic CTG repeat expansion in TCF4. Expanded CUG repeat RNA colocalize with splicing factor, muscleblind-like 1 (MBNL1), in nuclear foci in endothelium as a molecular hallmark. Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a neuromuscular disorder caused by a CTG repeat expansion in the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of DMPK. In this study, we examine for RNA-MBNL1 foci in endothelial cells of FECD subjects with DM1, test the hypothesis that DM1 patients are at risk for FECD, and determine prevalence of TCF4 and DMPK expansions in a FECD cohort. Methods Using FISH, we examined for nuclear RNA-MBNL1 foci in endothelial cells from FECD subjects with DM1. We examined 13 consecutive unrelated DM1 patients for FECD using slit-lamp and specular microscopy. We genotyped TCF4 and DMPK repeat polymorphisms in a FECD cohort of 317 probands using short-tandem repeat and triplet repeat-primed PCR assays. Results We detected abundant nuclear RNA foci colocalizing with MBNL1 in endothelial cells of FECD subjects with DM1. Six of thirteen DM1 patients (46%) had slit-lamp and specular microscopic findings of FECD, compared to 4% disease prevalence (P = 5.5 × 10-6
). As expected, 222 out of 317 (70%) FECD probands harbored TCF4 expansion, while one subject harbored DMPK expansion without prior diagnosis of DM1.
Conclusions Our work suggests that DM1 patients are at risk for FECD. DMPK mutations contribute to the genetic burden of FECD but are uncommon. We establish a connection between two repeat expansion disorders converging upon RNA-MBNL1 foci and FECD.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Vinod Mootha
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States.,McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Brock Hansen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Ziye Rong
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Pradeep P Mammen
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Zhengyang Zhou
- McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Chao Xing
- McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States.,Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States.,Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Xin Gong
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
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24
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Foja S, Luther M, Hoffmann K, Rupprecht A, Gruenauer-Kloevekorn C. CTG18.1 repeat expansion may reduce TCF4 gene expression in corneal endothelial cells of German patients with Fuchs' dystrophy. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2017; 255:1621-1631. [PMID: 28608272 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-017-3697-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE It was the aim of this investigation to elucidate the functional effects of CTG18.1 trinucleotide repeat expansion and the polymorphism rs613872 in the transcription factor 4 (TCF4) in corneas of patients affected by Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). METHODS Sixty-one unrelated German patients with FECD and 113 unaffected controls were investigated and genotyped for the CTG18.1 locus by triplet primed PCR (TP-PCR) and the rs613872 polymorphism via Sanger sequencing and by employing genomic DNA from peripheral blood leucocytes. DNA and RNA retrieved from human corneal endothelial explants were examined for alterations in the gene expression of TCF4, ZEB1, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, as well as the CTG18.1 locus. RESULTS The CTG18.1 trinucleotide repeat expansion (>50 repeats) was detected in the peripheral blood in 77% of affected FECD patients and 11.5% of the healthy volunteers. Applying the TP-PCR method, the length of CTG18.1 repeat expansions correlates in the blood and corneal cells. We noted that the CTG18.1 trinucleotide repeat expansion was associated with reduced TCF4 and ZEB1 gene expression, especially in the explanted corneal endothelial cells. While E-cadherin gene expression was not detected in any corneal endothelial cells, expression of CDH2 (N-cadherin) was detected in FECD-affected endothelium and in our controls. CONCLUSIONS The CTG18.1 repeat expansion may reduce gene expression of TCF4 and ZEB1, suggesting that a mechanism triggering a loss of function may contribute to FECD. The correlation of CTG18.1 repeat expansion from blood and the cornea may represent the first step toward investigating the potential relevance of testing the blood of cornea donors to minimize the risk of transplanting grafts potentially affected with FECD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Foja
- Department of Human Genetics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112, Halle, Germany.
| | - Mirjam Luther
- Department of Human Genetics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112, Halle, Germany
| | - Katrin Hoffmann
- Department of Human Genetics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112, Halle, Germany
| | - Andreas Rupprecht
- Opthalmic Surgery, Augenärzte am Markt, Halle; in affilation with Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Claudia Gruenauer-Kloevekorn
- Opthalmic Surgery, Augenärzte am Markt, Halle; in affilation with Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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25
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Khuc E, Bainer R, Wolf M, Clay SM, Weisenberger DJ, Kemmer J, Weaver VM, Hwang DG, Chan MF. Comprehensive characterization of DNA methylation changes in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175112. [PMID: 28384203 PMCID: PMC5383226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transparency of the human cornea is necessary for vision. Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD) is a bilateral, heritable degeneration of the corneal endothelium, and a leading indication for corneal transplantation in developed countries. While the early onset, and rarer, form of FECD has been linked to COL8A2 mutations, the more common, late onset form of FECD has genetic mutations linked to only a minority of cases. Epigenetic modifications that occur in FECD are unknown. Here, we report on and compare the DNA methylation landscape of normal human corneal endothelial (CE) tissue and CE from FECD patients using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 (HM450) DNA methylation array. We show that DNA methylation profiles are distinct between control and FECD samples. Differentially methylated probes (10,961) were identified in the FECD samples compared with the control samples, with the majority of probes being hypermethylated in the FECD samples. Genes containing differentially methylated sites were disproportionately annotated to ontological categories involving cytoskeletal organization, ion transport, hematopoetic cell differentiation, and cellular metabolism. Our results suggest that altered DNA methylation patterns may contribute to loss of corneal transparency in FECD through a global accumulation of sporadic DNA methylation changes in genes critical to basic CE biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Khuc
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Russell Bainer
- Department of Surgery and Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Bay Area Physical Sciences-Oncology Program, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Marie Wolf
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Selene M. Clay
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Weisenberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Jacquelyn Kemmer
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Valerie M. Weaver
- Department of Surgery and Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Bay Area Physical Sciences-Oncology Program, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Departments of Anatomy and Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences and Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - David G. Hwang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Matilda F. Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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26
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Wang LH, Baker NE. E Proteins and ID Proteins: Helix-Loop-Helix Partners in Development and Disease. Dev Cell 2016; 35:269-80. [PMID: 26555048 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 10/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) proteins represent a well-known class of transcriptional regulators. Many bHLH proteins act as heterodimers with members of a class of ubiquitous partners, the E proteins. A widely expressed class of inhibitory heterodimer partners-the Inhibitor of DNA-binding (ID) proteins-also exists. Genetic and molecular analyses in humans and in knockout mice implicate E proteins and ID proteins in a wide variety of diseases, belying the notion that they are non-specific partner proteins. Here, we explore relationships of E proteins and ID proteins to a variety of disease processes and highlight gaps in knowledge of disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Hsin Wang
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Nicholas E Baker
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
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27
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Abstract
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is the most common corneal dystrophy and frequently results in vision loss. Hallmarks of the disease include loss of corneal endothelial cells and formation of excrescences of Descemet's membrane. Later stages involve all layers of the cornea. Impairment of endothelial barrier and pump function and cell death from oxidative and unfolded protein stress contribute to disease progression. The genetic basis of FECD includes numerous genes and chromosomal loci, although alterations in the transcription factor 4 gene are associated with the majority of cases. Definitive treatment of FECD is corneal transplantation. In this paper, we highlight advances that have been made in understanding FECD's clinical features, pathophysiology, and genetics. We also discuss recent advances in endothelial keratoplasty and potential future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Vedana
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Albert S Jun
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
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28
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Nita M, Grzybowski A. The Role of the Reactive Oxygen Species and Oxidative Stress in the Pathomechanism of the Age-Related Ocular Diseases and Other Pathologies of the Anterior and Posterior Eye Segments in Adults. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2016; 2016:3164734. [PMID: 26881021 PMCID: PMC4736974 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3164734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 814] [Impact Index Per Article: 101.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The reactive oxygen species (ROS) form under normal physiological conditions and may have both beneficial and harmful role. We search the literature and current knowledge in the aspect of ROS participation in the pathogenesis of anterior and posterior eye segment diseases in adults. ROS take part in the pathogenesis of keratoconus, Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy, and granular corneal dystrophy type 2, stimulating apoptosis of corneal cells. ROS play a role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma stimulating apoptotic and inflammatory pathways on the level of the trabecular meshwork and promoting retinal ganglion cells apoptosis and glial dysfunction in the posterior eye segment. ROS play a role in the pathogenesis of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy and traumatic optic neuropathy. ROS induce apoptosis of human lens epithelial cells. ROS promote apoptosis of vascular and neuronal cells and stimulate inflammation and pathological angiogenesis in the course of diabetic retinopathy. ROS are associated with the pathophysiological parainflammation and autophagy process in the course of the age-related macular degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Nita
- Domestic and Specialized Medicine Centre “Dilmed”, Ulica Bohaterów Monte Cassino 3, 40-231 Katowice, Poland
| | - Andrzej Grzybowski
- Department of Ophthalmology, Poznan City Hospital, Ulica Szwajcarska 3, 61-285 Poznań, Poland
- Chair of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty, University of Warmia and Mazury, Ulica Żołnierska 14 C, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
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29
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Mootha VV, Hussain I, Cunnusamy K, Graham E, Gong X, Neelam S, Xing C, Kittler R, Petroll WM. TCF4 Triplet Repeat Expansion and Nuclear RNA Foci in Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2015; 56:2003-11. [PMID: 25722209 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.14-16222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Expansion of the intronic CTG18.1 triplet repeat locus within TCF4 contributes significant risk to the development of Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) in Eurasian populations, but the mechanisms by which the expanded repeats result in degeneration of the endothelium have been hitherto unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine FECD endothelial samples for the presence of RNA nuclear foci, the hallmark of toxic RNA, as well as evidence of haploinsufficiency of TCF4. METHODS Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, we examined for the presence of nuclear RNA foci containing expanded CUG transcripts in corneal endothelial samples from FECD subjects with CTG18.1 expansion. We also examined for any changes in expression levels of TCF4 by quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS Numerous discrete nuclear RNA foci were identified in endothelial samples of FECD subjects (n = 8) harboring the CTG18.1 expansion, but not in controls lacking the expansion (n = 5) (P = 7.8 × 10(-4)). Percentage of cells with foci in expansion-positive endothelial samples ranged from 33% to 88%. RNA foci were absent in endothelial samples from an FECD subject without CTG18.1 expansion and a subject with endothelial dysfunction without FECD. Expression of the constitutive TCF4 exon encoding the basic helix-loop-helix domain was unaltered with CTG18.1 expansion. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the RNA nuclear foci are pathognomonic for CTG18.1 expansion-mediated endothelial disease. The RNA nuclear foci have been previously found only in rare neurodegenerative disorders caused by repeat expansions. Our detection of abundant ribonuclear foci in FECD implicates a role for toxic RNA in this common disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Vinod Mootha
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development/Center for Human Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Imran Hussain
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Khrishen Cunnusamy
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Eric Graham
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Xin Gong
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Sudha Neelam
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Chao Xing
- McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development/Center for Human Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - Ralf Kittler
- McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development/Center for Human Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - W Matthew Petroll
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States
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