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Lin F, Lin ST, Wang J, Geisert EE. Optimizing retinal ganglion cell nuclear staining for automated cell counting. Exp Eye Res 2024; 242:109881. [PMID: 38554800 PMCID: PMC11055661 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109881] [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: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) serve as the critical pathway for transmitting visual information from the retina to the brain, yet they can be dramatically impacted by diseases such as glaucoma. When investigating disease processes affecting RGCs in mouse models, accurately quantifying affected cells becomes essential. However, the use of pan RGC markers like RBPMS or THY1 presents challenges in accurate total cell counting. While Brn3a serves as a reliable RGC nuclear marker for automated counting, it fails to encompass all RGC subtypes in mice. To address this limitation and enable precise automated counting, our research endeavors to develop a method for labeling nuclei in all RGC subtypes. Investigating RGC subtypes labeled with the nuclear marker POU6F2 revealed that numerous RGCs unlabeled by Brn3a were, in fact, labeled with POU6F2. We hypothesize that using antibodies against both Brn3a and POU6F2 would label virtually all RGC nuclei in the mouse retina. Our experiments confirmed that staining retinas with both markers resulted in the labeling of all RGCs. Additionally, when using the cell body marker RBPMS known to label all mouse RGCs, all RBPMS-labeled cells also exhibited Brn3a or POU6F2 labeling. This combination of Brn3a and POU6F2 antibodies provides a pan-RGC nuclear stain, facilitating accurate automated counting by labeling cell nuclei in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyu Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, 1365B Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Su-Ting Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, 1365B Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Jiaxing Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, 1365B Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Eldon E Geisert
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, 1365B Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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Nagaishi M, Miyoshi H, Kugler M, Sato K, Kohno K, Takeuchi M, Yamada K, Furuta T, Hashimoto N, Takeuchi I, Hontani H, Ohshima K. The Detection of Neoplastic Cells Using Objective Cytomorphologic Parameters in Malignant Lymphoma. J Transl Med 2024; 104:100302. [PMID: 38092181 DOI: 10.1016/j.labinv.2023.100302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathologic evaluation is the most crucial method for diagnosing malignant lymphomas. However, there are no established diagnostic criteria for evaluating pathologic morphology. We manually circled cell nuclei in the lesions of 10 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma, and reactive lymphadenitis. Seventeen parameters related to nuclear shape, color, and other characteristics were measured. We attempted to compare the statistical differences between these subtypes and extract distinctive disease-specific populations on the basis of these parameters. Statistically significant differences were observed between the different types of lymphoma for many of the 17 parameters. Through t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding analysis, we extracted a cluster of cells that showed distinctive features of DLBCL and were not found in follicular lymphoma or reactive lymphadenitis. We created a decision tree to identify the characteristics of the cells within that cluster. Based on a 5-fold cross-validation study, the average sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy obtained were 84.1%, 98.4%, and 97.3%, respectively. A similar result was achieved using a validation experiment. Important parameters that indicate the features of DLBCL include Area, ConcaveCount, MaxGray, and ModeGray. By quantifying pathologic morphology, it was possible to objectively represent the cell morphology specific to each lymphoma subtype using quantitative indicators. The quantified morphologic information has the potential to serve as a reproducible and flexible diagnostic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miharu Nagaishi
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Miyoshi
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.
| | - Mauricio Kugler
- Department of Computer Science, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kensaku Sato
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Kei Kohno
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Mai Takeuchi
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Kyohei Yamada
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Takuya Furuta
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | | | - Ichiro Takeuchi
- Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, RIKEN, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hidekata Hontani
- Department of Computer Science, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Koichi Ohshima
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
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Zhang P, Vafaeva O, Dolf C, Ma Y, Wang G, Cho J, Chan HHL, Marsh-Armstrong N, Zawadzki RJ. Evaluating the performance of OCT in assessing static and potential dynamic properties of the retinal ganglion cells and nerve fiber bundles in the living mouse eye. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2023; 14:6422-6441. [PMID: 38420317 PMCID: PMC10898556 DOI: 10.1364/boe.504637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by the thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), which is primarily caused by the progressive death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Precise monitoring of these changes at a cellular resolution in living eyes is significant for glaucoma research. In this study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of temporal speckle averaging optical coherence tomography (TSA-OCT) and dynamic OCT (dOCT) in examining the static and potential dynamic properties of RGCs and RNFL in living mouse eyes. We evaluated parameters such as RNFL thickness and possible dynamics, as well as compared the ganglion cell layer (GCL) soma density obtained from in vivo OCT, fluorescence scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), and ex vivo histology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Zhang
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
- UC Davis EyePod Small Animals Ocular Imaging Laboratory, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Olga Vafaeva
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis Eye Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Christian Dolf
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis Eye Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Yanhong Ma
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Guozhen Wang
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Jessicca Cho
- UC Davis EyePod Small Animals Ocular Imaging Laboratory, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Henry Ho-Lung Chan
- Laboratory of Experimental Optometry (Neuroscience), School of Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
- Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nicholas Marsh-Armstrong
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis Eye Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Robert J Zawadzki
- UC Davis EyePod Small Animals Ocular Imaging Laboratory, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Center for Human Ocular Imaging Research (CHOIR), Dept. of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
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Hedberg-Buenz A, Meyer KJ, van der Heide CJ, Deng W, Lee K, Soukup DA, Kettelson M, Pellack D, Mercer H, Wang K, Garvin MK, Abramoff MD, Anderson MG. Biological Correlations and Confounders for Quantification of Retinal Ganglion Cells by Optical Coherence Tomography Based on Studies of Outbred Mice. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2022; 11:17. [PMID: 36135979 PMCID: PMC9513741 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.11.9.17] [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: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Despite popularity of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in glaucoma studies, it's unclear how well OCT-derived metrics compare to traditional measures of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) abundance. Here, Diversity Outbred (J:DO) mice are used to directly compare ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness measured by OCT to metrics of retinal anatomy measured ex vivo with retinal wholemounts and optic nerve histology. Methods J:DO mice (n = 48) underwent fundoscopic and OCT examinations, with automated segmentation of GCC thickness. RGC axons were quantified from para-phenylenediamine-stained optic nerve cross-sections and somas from BRN3A-immunolabeled retinal wholemounts, with total inner retinal cellularity assessed by TO-PRO and subsequent hematoxylin staining. Results J:DO tissues lacked overt disease. GCC thickness, RGC abundance, and total cell abundance varied broadly across individuals. GCC thickness correlated significantly to RGC somal density (r = 0.58) and axon number (r = 0.44), but not total cell density. Retinal area and nerve cross-sectional area varied widely. No metrics were significantly influenced by sex. In bilateral comparisons, GCC thickness (r = 0.95), axon (r = 0.72), and total cell density (r = 0.47) correlated significantly within individuals. Conclusions Amongst outbred mice, OCT-derived measurements of GCC thickness correlate significantly to RGC somal and axon abundance. Factors limiting correlation are likely both biological and methodological, including differences in retinal area that distort sampling-based estimates of RGC abundance. Translational Relevance There are significant-but imperfect-correlations between GCC thickness and RGC abundance across genetic contexts in mice, highlighting valid uses and ongoing challenges for meaningful use of OCT-derived metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Hedberg-Buenz
- VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kacie J. Meyer
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Carly J. van der Heide
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Wenxiang Deng
- VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kyungmoo Lee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Dana A. Soukup
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Monica Kettelson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Danielle Pellack
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Hannah Mercer
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Mona K. Garvin
- VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Michael D. Abramoff
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Michael G. Anderson
- VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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5
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Differential susceptibility of retinal ganglion cell subtypes against neurodegenerative diseases. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2022; 260:1807-1821. [PMID: 35038014 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-022-05556-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are essential to propagate external visual information from the retina to the brain. Death of RGCs is speculated to be closely correlated with blinding retinal diseases, such as glaucoma and traumatic optic neuropathy (TON). Emerging innovative technologies have helped refine and standardize the classification of RGCs; at present, they are classified into more than 40 subpopulations in mammals. These RGC subtypes are identified by a combination of anatomical morphologies, electrophysiological functions, and genetic profiles. Increasing evidence suggests that neurodegenerative diseases do not collectively affect the RGCs. In fact, which RGC subtype exhibits the strongest or weakest susceptibility is hotly debated. Although a consensus has not yet been reached, it is certain that assorted RGCs display differential susceptibility against irreversible degeneration. Interestingly, a single RGC subtype can exhibit various vulnerabilities to optic nerve damage in diverse injury models. Thus, elucidating how susceptible RGC subtypes are to various injuries can protect vulnerable RGCs from damage and improve the possibility of preventing and treating visual impairment caused by neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we summarize in detail the progress and status quo of research on the type-specific susceptibility of RGCs and point out current limitations and the possible directions for future research in this field.
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Deng W, Hedberg-Buenz A, Soukup DA, Taghizadeh S, Wang K, Anderson MG, Garvin MK. AxonDeep: Automated Optic Nerve Axon Segmentation in Mice With Deep Learning. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2021; 10:22. [PMID: 34932117 PMCID: PMC8709929 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.10.14.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Optic nerve damage is the principal feature of glaucoma and contributes to vision loss in many diseases. In animal models, nerve health has traditionally been assessed by human experts that grade damage qualitatively or manually quantify axons from sampling limited areas from histologic cross sections of nerve. Both approaches are prone to variability and are time consuming. First-generation automated approaches have begun to emerge, but all have significant shortcomings. Here, we seek improvements through use of deep-learning approaches for segmenting and quantifying axons from cross-sections of mouse optic nerve. Methods Two deep-learning approaches were developed and evaluated: (1) a traditional supervised approach using a fully convolutional network trained with only labeled data and (2) a semisupervised approach trained with both labeled and unlabeled data using a generative-adversarial-network framework. Results From comparisons with an independent test set of images with manually marked axon centers and boundaries, both deep-learning approaches outperformed an existing baseline automated approach and similarly to two independent experts. Performance of the semisupervised approach was superior and implemented into AxonDeep. Conclusions AxonDeep performs automated quantification and segmentation of axons from healthy-appearing nerves and those with mild to moderate degrees of damage, similar to that of experts without the variability and constraints associated with manual performance. Translational Relevance Use of deep learning for axon quantification provides rapid, objective, and higher throughput analysis of optic nerve that would otherwise not be possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiang Deng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Iowa City VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Adam Hedberg-Buenz
- Iowa City VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Dana A Soukup
- Iowa City VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Sima Taghizadeh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Michael G Anderson
- Iowa City VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Mona K Garvin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Iowa City VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
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7
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van der Heide CJ, Meyer KJ, Hedberg-Buenz A, Pellack D, Pomernackas N, Mercer HE, Anderson MG. Quantification and image-derived phenotyping of retinal ganglion cell nuclei in the nee mouse model of congenital glaucoma. Exp Eye Res 2021; 212:108774. [PMID: 34597676 PMCID: PMC8608716 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The nee mouse model exhibits characteristic features of congenital glaucoma, a common cause of childhood blindness. The current study of nee mice had two components. First, the time course of neurodegeneration in nee retinal flat-mounts was studied over time using a retinal ganglion cell (RGC)-marker, BRN3A; a pan-nuclear marker, TO-PRO-3; and H&E staining. Based on segmentation of nuclei using ImageJ and RetFM-J, this analysis identified a rapid loss of BRN3A+ nuclei from 4 to 15 weeks of age, with the first statistically significant difference in average density compared to age-matched controls detected in 8-week-old cohorts (49% reduction in nee). Consistent with a model of glaucoma, no reductions in BRN3A- nuclei were detected, but the combined analysis indicated that some RGCs lost BRN3A marker expression prior to actual cell loss. These results have a practical application in the design of experiments using nee mice to study mechanisms or potential therapies for congenital glaucoma. The second component of the study pertains to a discovery-based analysis of the large amount of image data with 748,782 segmented retinal nuclei. Using the automatedly collected region of interest feature data captured by ImageJ, we tested whether RGC density of glaucomatous mice was significantly correlated to average nuclear area, perimeter, Feret diameter, or MinFeret diameter. These results pointed to two events influencing nuclear size. For variations in RGC density above approximately 3000 nuclei/mm2 apparent spreading was observed, in which BRN3A- nuclei-regardless of genotype-became slightly larger as RGC density decreased. This same spreading occurred in BRN3A+ nuclei of wild-type mice. For variation in RGC density below 3000 nuclei/mm2, which only occurred in glaucomatous nee mutants, BRN3A+ nuclei became smaller as disease was progressively severe. These observations have relevance to defining RGCs of relatively higher sensitivity to glaucomatous cell death and the nuclear dynamics occurring during their demise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly J van der Heide
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Kacie J Meyer
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Adam Hedberg-Buenz
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA; VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, 601 Hwy 6 West (151), Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA.
| | - Danielle Pellack
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Nicholas Pomernackas
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Hannah E Mercer
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Michael G Anderson
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA; VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, 601 Hwy 6 West (151), Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Dr., Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
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Early Functional Impairment in Experimental Glaucoma Is Accompanied by Disruption of the GABAergic System and Inceptive Neuroinflammation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147581. [PMID: 34299211 PMCID: PMC8306430 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, and increased intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor. We aimed to determine if early functional and molecular differences in the glaucomatous retina manifest before significant retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss is apparent. Adenoviral vectors expressing a pathogenic form of myocilin (Ad5.MYOC) were used to induce IOP elevation in C57BL/6 mice. IOP and pattern electroretinograms (pERG) were recorded, and retinas were prepared for RNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry, or to determine RGC loss. Ocular injection of Ad5.MYOC leads to reliable IOP elevation, resulting in significant loss of RGC after nine weeks. A significant decrease in the pERG amplitude was evident in eyes three weeks after IOP elevation. Retinal gene expression analysis revealed increased expression for 291 genes related to complement cascade, inflammation, and antigen presentation in hypertensive eyes. Decreased expression was found for 378 genes associated with the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic and glutamatergic systems and axon guidance. These data suggest that early functional changes in RGC might be due to reduced GABAA receptor signaling and neuroinflammation that precedes RGC loss in this glaucoma model. These initial changes may offer new targets for early detection of glaucoma and the development of new interventions.
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9
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Axonopathy precedes cell death in ocular damage mediated by blast exposure. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11774. [PMID: 34083587 PMCID: PMC8175471 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90412-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) of varied types are common across all populations and can cause visual problems. For military personnel in combat settings, injuries from blast exposures (bTBI) are prevalent and arise from a myriad of different situations. To model these diverse conditions, we are one of several groups modeling bTBI using mice in varying ways. Here, we report a refined analysis of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) damage in male C57BL/6J mice exposed to a blast-wave in an enclosed chamber. Ganglion cell layer thickness, RGC density (BRN3A and RBPMS immunoreactivity), cellular density of ganglion cell layer (hematoxylin and eosin staining), and axon numbers (paraphenylenediamine staining) were quantified at timepoints ranging from 1 to 17-weeks. RNA sequencing was performed at 1-week and 5-weeks post-injury. Earliest indices of damage, evident by 1-week post-injury, are a loss of RGC marker expression, damage to RGC axons, and increase in glial markers expression. Blast exposure caused a loss of RGC somas and axons—with greatest loss occurring by 5-weeks post-injury. While indices of glial involvement are prominent early, they quickly subside as RGCs are lost. The finding that axonopathy precedes soma loss resembles pathology observed in mouse models of glaucoma, suggesting similar mechanisms.
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10
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Masin L, Claes M, Bergmans S, Cools L, Andries L, Davis BM, Moons L, De Groef L. A novel retinal ganglion cell quantification tool based on deep learning. Sci Rep 2021; 11:702. [PMID: 33436866 PMCID: PMC7804414 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80308-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a disease associated with the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), and remains one of the primary causes of blindness worldwide. Major research efforts are presently directed towards the understanding of disease pathogenesis and the development of new therapies, with the help of rodent models as an important preclinical research tool. The ultimate goal is reaching neuroprotection of the RGCs, which requires a tool to reliably quantify RGC survival. Hence, we demonstrate a novel deep learning pipeline that enables fully automated RGC quantification in the entire murine retina. This software, called RGCode (Retinal Ganglion Cell quantification based On DEep learning), provides a user-friendly interface that requires the input of RBPMS-immunostained flatmounts and returns the total RGC count, retinal area and density, together with output images showing the computed counts and isodensity maps. The counting model was trained on RBPMS-stained healthy and glaucomatous retinas, obtained from mice subjected to microbead-induced ocular hypertension and optic nerve crush injury paradigms. RGCode demonstrates excellent performance in RGC quantification as compared to manual counts. Furthermore, we convincingly show that RGCode has potential for wider application, by retraining the model with a minimal set of training data to count FluoroGold-traced RGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Masin
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Biology, Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marie Claes
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Biology, Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven Bergmans
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Biology, Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lien Cools
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Biology, Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lien Andries
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Biology, Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Benjamin M. Davis
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201Glaucoma and Retinal Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK ,grid.496779.2Central Laser Facility, Science and Technologies Facilities Council, UK Research and Innovation, Didcot, Oxfordshire UK
| | - Lieve Moons
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Biology, Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lies De Groef
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Department of Biology, Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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11
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Davis BM, Guo L, Ravindran N, Shamsher E, Baekelandt V, Mitchell H, Bharath AA, De Groef L, Cordeiro MF. Dynamic changes in cell size and corresponding cell fate after optic nerve injury. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21683. [PMID: 33303775 PMCID: PMC7730151 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77760-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying disease-specific patterns of retinal cell loss in pathological conditions has been highlighted by the emergence of techniques such as Detection of Apoptotic Retinal Cells and Adaptive Optics confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy which have enabled single-cell visualisation in vivo. Cell size has previously been used to stratify Retinal Ganglion Cell (RGC) populations in histological samples of optic neuropathies, and early work in this field suggested that larger RGCs are more susceptible to early loss than smaller RGCs. More recently, however, it has been proposed that RGC soma and axon size may be dynamic and change in response to injury. To address this unresolved controversy, we applied recent advances in maximising information extraction from RGC populations in retinal whole mounts to evaluate the changes in RGC size distribution over time, using three well-established rodent models of optic nerve injury. In contrast to previous studies based on sampling approaches, we examined the whole Brn3a-positive RGC population at multiple time points over the natural history of these models. The morphology of over 4 million RGCs was thus assessed to glean novel insights from this dataset. RGC subpopulations were found to both increase and decrease in size over time, supporting the notion that RGC cell size is dynamic in response to injury. However, this study presents compelling evidence that smaller RGCs are lost more rapidly than larger RGCs despite the dynamism. Finally, using a bootstrap approach, the data strongly suggests that disease-associated changes in RGC spatial distribution and morphology could have potential as novel diagnostic indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Davis
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
- Western Eye Hospital, ICORG, Imperial College London, London, NW1 5QH, UK
| | - Li Guo
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Nivedita Ravindran
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Ehtesham Shamsher
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Veerle Baekelandt
- Laboratory for Neurobiology and Gene Therapy, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 33, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hannah Mitchell
- School of Mathematics and Physics, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, Ireland
| | - Anil A Bharath
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Lies De Groef
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - M Francesca Cordeiro
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
- Western Eye Hospital, ICORG, Imperial College London, London, NW1 5QH, UK.
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12
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Guymer C, Damp L, Chidlow G, Wood J, Tang YF, Casson R. Software for Quantifying and Batch Processing Images of Brn3a and RBPMS Immunolabelled Retinal Ganglion Cells in Retinal Wholemounts. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2020; 9:28. [PMID: 32821525 PMCID: PMC7409150 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.6.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The ability to accurately quantify immunohistochemically labeled retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) on wholemounts is an important histopathological determinant in experimental retinal research. Traditionally, this has been performed by manual or semi-automated counting of RGCs. Here, we describe an automated software that accurately and efficiently counts immunolabeled RGCs with the ability to batch process images and perform whole-retinal analysis to permit isodensity map generation. Methods Retinal wholemounts from control rat eyes, and eyes subjected to either chronic ocular hypertension or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxicity, were labeled by immunohistochemistry for two different RGC-specific markers, Brn3a and RNA-binding protein with multiple splicing (RBPMS). For feasibility of manual counting, images were sampled from predefined retinal sectors, totaling 160 images for Brn3a and 144 images for RBPMS. The automated program was initially calibrated for each antibody prior to batch analysis to ensure adequate cell capture. Blinded manual RGC counts were performed by three independent observers. Results The automated counts of RGCs labeled for Brn3a and RBPMS closely matched manual counts. The automated script accurately quantified both physiological and damaged retinas. Efficiency in counting labeled RGC wholemount images is accelerated 40-fold with the automated software. Whole-retinal analysis was demonstrated with integrated retinal isodensity map generation. Conclusions This automated cell counting software dramatically accelerates data acquisition while maintaining accurate RGC counts across different immunolabels, methods of injury, and spatial heterogeneity of RGC loss. This software likely has potential for wider application. Translational Relevance This study provides a valuable tool for preclinical RGC neuroprotection studies that facilitates the translation of neuroprotection to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea Guymer
- Ophthalmic Research Laboratories, Discipline of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Glyn Chidlow
- Ophthalmic Research Laboratories, Discipline of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
| | - John Wood
- Ophthalmic Research Laboratories, Discipline of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Yi Fan Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Robert Casson
- Ophthalmic Research Laboratories, Discipline of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building, North Terrace, Adelaide, Australia.,Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
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13
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A Dietary Combination of Forskolin with Homotaurine, Spearmint and B Vitamins Protects Injured Retinal Ganglion Cells in a Rodent Model of Hypertensive Glaucoma. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12041189. [PMID: 32340314 PMCID: PMC7230514 DOI: 10.3390/nu12041189] [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: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
There is indication that nutritional supplements protect retinal cells from degeneration. In a previous study, we demonstrated that dietary supplementation with an association of forskolin, homotaurine, spearmint extract and B vitamins efficiently counteracts retinal dysfunction associated with retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death caused by optic nerve crush. We extended our investigation on the efficacy of dietary supplementation with the use of a mouse model in which RGC degeneration depends as closely as possible on intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. In this model, injecting the anterior chamber of the eye with methylcellulose (MCE) causes IOP elevation leading to RGC dysfunction. The MCE model was characterized in terms of IOP elevation, retinal dysfunction as determined by electrophysiological recordings, RGC loss as determined by brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 3A immunoreactivity and dysregulated levels of inflammatory and apoptotic markers. Except for IOP elevation, dysfunctional retinal parameters were all recovered by dietary supplementation indicating the involvement of non-IOP-related neuroprotective mechanisms of action. Our hypothesis is that the diet supplement may be used to counteract the inflammatory processes triggered by glial cell activation, thus leading to spared RGC loss and the preservation of visual dysfunction. In this respect, the present compound may be viewed as a potential remedy to be added to the currently approved drug therapies for improving RGC protection.
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14
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The M 1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtype is important for retinal neuron survival in aging mice. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5222. [PMID: 30914695 PMCID: PMC6435680 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41425-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors have been implicated as potential neuroprotective targets for glaucoma. We tested the hypothesis that the lack of a single muscarinic receptor subtype leads to age-dependent neuron reduction in the retinal ganglion cell layer. Mice with targeted disruption of single muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtype genes (M1 to M5) and wild-type controls were examined at two age categories, 5 and 15 months, respectively. We found no differences in intraocular pressure between individual mouse groups. Remarkably, in 15-month-old mice devoid of the M1 receptor, neuron number in the retinal ganglion cell layer and axon number in the optic nerve were markedly reduced. Moreover, mRNA expression for the prooxidative enzyme, NOX2, was increased, while mRNA expression for the antioxidative enzymes, SOD1, GPx1 and HO-1, was reduced in aged M1 receptor-deficient mice compared to age-matched wild-type mice. In line with these findings, the reactive oxygen species level was also elevated in the retinal ganglion cell layer of aged M1 receptor-deficient mice. In conclusion, M1 receptor deficiency results in retinal ganglion cell loss in aged mice via involvement of oxidative stress. Based on these findings, activation of M1 receptor signaling may become therapeutically useful to promote retinal ganglion cell survival.
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15
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Hathout RM, Gad HA, Abdel-Hafez SM, Nasser N, Khalil N, Ateyya T, Amr A, Yasser N, Nasr S, Metwally AA. Gelatinized core liposomes: A new Trojan horse for the development of a novel timolol maleate glaucoma medication. Int J Pharm 2019; 556:192-199. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2018.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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16
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Automated quantitative image analysis for ex vivo metastasis assays reveals differing lung composition requirements for metastasis suppression by KISS1. Clin Exp Metastasis 2018; 35:77-86. [PMID: 29582202 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-018-9882-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Imaging is broadly used in biomedical research, but signal variation complicates automated analysis. Using the Pulmonary Metastasis Assay (PuMA) to study metastatic colonization by the metastasis suppressor KISS1, we cultured GFP-expressing melanoma cells in living mouse lung ex vivo for 3 weeks. Epifluorescence images of cells were used to measure growth, creating large datasets which were time consuming and challenging to quantify manually due to scattering of light from outside the focal plane. To address these challenges, we developed an automated workflow to standardize the measurement of disseminated cancer cell growth by applying statistical quality control to remove unanalyzable images followed and a filtering algorithm to quantify only in-focus cells. Using this tool, we demonstrate that expression of the metastasis suppressor KISS1 does not suppress growth of melanoma cells in the PuMA, in contrast to the robust suppression of lung metastasis observed in vivo. This result may suggest that a factor required for metastasis suppression is present in vivo but absent in the PuMA, or that KISS1 suppresses lung metastasis at a step in the metastatic cascade not tested by the PuMA. Together, these data provide a new tool for quantification of metastasis assays and further insight into the mechanism of KISS1 mediated metastasis suppression in the lung.
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17
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Fiedorowicz M, Orzel J, Kossowski B, Welniak-Kaminska M, Choragiewicz T, Swiatkiewicz M, Rejdak R, Bogorodzki P, Grieb P. Anterograde Transport in Axons of the Retinal Ganglion Cells and its Relationship to the Intraocular Pressure during Aging in Mice with Hereditary Pigmentary Glaucoma. Curr Eye Res 2017; 43:539-546. [PMID: 29283693 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2017.1416147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To establish a relationship between impairment of the anterograde axonal transport (AAT) in the axons of the retinal ganglion cells and the intraocular pressure (IOP) during aging in mice with hereditary glaucoma. METHODS Quantitative in vivo approach based on manganese enhanced magnetic resonance imaging was developed in order to evaluate AAT in 3-, 6-, and 14-month old DBA/2J mice that develop age-dependent pigmentary glaucoma or age-matched C57Bl/6 mice that do not develop any retinal disease. Unilateral intravitreous administration of MnCl2 solution was followed 24 h later by MRI performed to obtain spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) for regions of interest encompassing the superior colliculi (SC) and the lateral geniculate nuclei (LGN). From the MRI scans, the estimates of Mn2+ concentrations in SC and LGN contralateral to the injection site, hence the efficiency of AAT in ON, were obtained. IOP and eye morphology was also monitored. RESULTS In C57Bl/6 mice, AAT to SC was decreasing with age, 30% decrease was noted between 3 and 14 months. The decrease in axonal transport to LGN was less pronounced in this strain. In 3-month-old DBA/2J mice, axonal transport to SC was 30% lower than in 3-month-old C57Bl/6 mice but no significant decrease was noted in 6-month-old animals. However, a decrease of over 95% in axonal transport both to SC and LGN was noted in 14-month-old DBA/2J mice. DBA/2J mice exhibited a sharp increase in IOP at 6 months, which reversed at 14 months but displayed age-dependent elongation of the eyeball and deepening of the anterior chamber. CONCLUSION Failure of AAT to SC of DBA/2J mice during development of pigmentary glaucoma does not follow closely changes in IOP and eye morphology. The relationship between IOP and AAT in optic nerve and tract is complex and may reflect preconditioning mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Fiedorowicz
- a Mossakowski Medical Research Centre , Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland
| | - Jaroslaw Orzel
- a Mossakowski Medical Research Centre , Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland.,b Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology , Warsaw University of Technology , Warsaw , Poland
| | - Bartosz Kossowski
- a Mossakowski Medical Research Centre , Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland.,b Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology , Warsaw University of Technology , Warsaw , Poland.,c Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology , Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland
| | | | | | - Maciej Swiatkiewicz
- a Mossakowski Medical Research Centre , Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland
| | - Robert Rejdak
- a Mossakowski Medical Research Centre , Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland.,d 1st Eye Hospital, Medical University of Lublin , Lublin , Poland
| | - Piotr Bogorodzki
- a Mossakowski Medical Research Centre , Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland.,b Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology , Warsaw University of Technology , Warsaw , Poland
| | - Pawel Grieb
- a Mossakowski Medical Research Centre , Polish Academy of Sciences , Warsaw , Poland
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18
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Gendarme M, Baumann J, Ignashkova TI, Lindemann RK, Reiling JH. Image-based drug screen identifies HDAC inhibitors as novel Golgi disruptors synergizing with JQ1. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 28:3756-3772. [PMID: 29074567 PMCID: PMC5739293 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e17-03-0176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Golgi apparatus is increasingly recognized as a major hub for cellular signaling and is involved in numerous pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. The study of Golgi stress-induced signaling pathways relies on the selectivity of the available tool compounds of which currently only a few are known. To discover novel Golgi-fragmenting agents, transcriptomic profiles of cells treated with brefeldin A, golgicide A, or monensin were generated and compared with a database of gene expression profiles from cells treated with other bioactive small molecules. In parallel, a phenotypic screen was performed for compounds that alter normal Golgi structure. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and DNA-damaging agents were identified as novel Golgi disruptors. Further analysis identified HDAC1/HDAC9 as well as BRD8 and DNA-PK as important regulators of Golgi breakdown mediated by HDAC inhibition. We provide evidence that combinatorial HDACi/(+)-JQ1 treatment spurs synergistic Golgi dispersal in several cancer cell lines, pinpointing a possible link between drug-induced toxicity and Golgi morphology alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan Baumann
- BioMed X Innovation Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Ralph K Lindemann
- Translational Innovation Platform Oncology, Merck Biopharma, Merck KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jan H Reiling
- BioMed X Innovation Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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19
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Nickells RW, Schmitt HM, Maes ME, Schlamp CL. AAV2-Mediated Transduction of the Mouse Retina After Optic Nerve Injury. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 58:6091-6104. [PMID: 29204649 PMCID: PMC5716181 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.17-22634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Gene therapy of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) has promise as a powerful therapeutic for the rescue and regeneration of these cells after optic nerve damage. However, early after damage, RGCs undergo atrophic changes, including gene silencing. It is not known if these changes will deleteriously affect transduction and transgene expression, or if the therapeutic protein can influence reactivation of the endogenous genome. Methods Double-transgenic mice carrying a Rosa26-(LoxP)-tdTomato reporter, and a mutant allele for the proapoptotic Bax gene were reared. The Bax mutant blocks apoptosis, but RGCs still exhibit nuclear atrophy and gene silencing. At times ranging from 1 hour to 4 weeks after optic nerve crush (ONC), eyes received an intravitreal injection of AAV2 virus carrying the Cre recombinase. Successful transduction was monitored by expression of the tdTomato reporter. Immunostaining was used to localize tdTomato expression in select cell types. Results Successful transduction of RGCs was achieved at all time points after ONC using AAV2 expressing Cre from the phosphoglycerate kinase (Pgk) promoter, but not the CMV promoter. ONC promoted an increase in the transduction of cell types in the inner nuclear layer, including Müller cells and rod bipolar neurons. There was minimal evidence of transduction of amacrine cells and astrocytes in the inner retina or optic nerve. Conclusions Damaged RGCs can be transduced and at least some endogenous genes can be subsequently activated. Optic nerve damage may change retinal architecture to allow greater penetration of an AAV2 virus to transduce several additional cell types in the inner nuclear layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Nickells
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Heather M Schmitt
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.,Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Margaret E Maes
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.,Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneurberg, Austria
| | - Cassandra L Schlamp
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
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20
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Fingert JH, Miller K, Hedberg-Buenz A, Roos BR, Lewis CJ, Mullins RF, Anderson MG. Transgenic TBK1 mice have features of normal tension glaucoma. Hum Mol Genet 2017; 26:124-132. [PMID: 28025332 PMCID: PMC6075615 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 10/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Duplication of the TBK1 gene is associated with 1-2% of normal tension glaucoma, a common cause of vision loss and blindness that occurs without grossly abnormal intraocular pressure. We generated a transgenic mouse that has one copy of the human TBK1 gene (native promoter and gene structure) incorporated into the mouse genome (Tg-TBK1). Expression of the TBK1 transgene in the retinae of these mice was demonstrated by real-time PCR. Using immunohistochemistry TBK1 protein was predominantly localized to the ganglion cell layer of the retina, the cell type most affected by glaucoma. More intense TBK1 labelling was detected in the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) of Tg-TBK1 mice than in wild-type littermates. Tg-TBK1 mice exhibit the cardinal sign of glaucoma, a progressive loss of RGCs. Hemizygous Tg-TBK1 mice (with one TBK1 transgene per genome) had a 13% loss of RGCs by 18 months of age (P = 1.5 × 10-8). Homozygous Tg-TBK1 mice had 7.6% fewer RGCs than hemizygous Tg-TBK1 mice and 20% fewer RGCs than wild-type mice (P = 1.9 × 10-5) at 6 months of age. No difference in intraocular pressures was detected between Tg-TBK1 mice and wild-type littermates as they aged (P > 0.05). Tg-TBK1 mice with extra doses of the TBK1 gene recapitulate the phenotype of normal tension glaucoma in human patients with a TBK1 gene duplication. Together, these studies confirm the pathogenicity of the TBK1 gene duplication in human glaucoma and suggest that excess production of TBK1 kinase may have a role in the pathology of glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H. Fingert
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kathy Miller
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Adam Hedberg-Buenz
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA and
| | - Ben R. Roos
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Carly J. Lewis
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA and
| | - Robert F. Mullins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Michael G. Anderson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA and
- VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA
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