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Cvekl A, Vijg J. Aging of the eye: Lessons from cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 99:102407. [PMID: 38977082 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102407] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Aging is the greatest risk factor for chronic human diseases, including many eye diseases. Geroscience aims to understand the effects of the aging process on these diseases, including the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms that underlie the increased risk of disease over the lifetime. Understanding of the aging eye increases general knowledge of the cellular physiology impacted by aging processes at various biological extremes. Two major diseases, age-related cataract and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are caused by dysfunction of the lens and retina, respectively. Lens transparency and light refraction are mediated by lens fiber cells lacking nuclei and other organelles, which provides a unique opportunity to study a single aging hallmark, i.e., loss of proteostasis, within an environment of limited metabolism. In AMD, local dysfunction of the photoreceptors/retinal pigmented epithelium/Bruch's membrane/choriocapillaris complex in the macula leads to the loss of photoreceptors and eventually loss of central vision, and is driven by nearly all the hallmarks of aging and shares features with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The aging eye can function as a model for studying basic mechanisms of aging and, vice versa, well-defined hallmarks of aging can be used as tools to understand age-related eye disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ales Cvekl
- Departments of Genetics and Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
| | - Jan Vijg
- Departments of Genetics and Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
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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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Somers FM, Malek G. Estrogen related receptor alpha: Potential modulator of age-related macular degeneration. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2024; 75:102439. [PMID: 38447458 PMCID: PMC10947805 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2024.102439] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
To develop effective therapies for complex blinding diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), identification of mechanisms involved in its initiation and progression is needed. The estrogen-related receptor alpha (ESRRA) is an orphan nuclear receptor that regulates several AMD-associated pathogenic pathways. However, it has not been investigated in detail in the ocular posterior pole during aging or in AMD. This review delves into the literature highlighting the significance of ESRRA as a molecular target that may be important in the pathobiology of AMD, and discusses data available supporting the targeting of this receptor signaling pathway as a therapeutic option for AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Goldis Malek
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
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Tomioka Y, Kitazawa K, Numa K, Hughes JWB, Yokoi N, Sotozono C. The existence of senescent cells in conjunctival epithelium from elderly individuals. Jpn J Ophthalmol 2024; 68:157-165. [PMID: 38311689 DOI: 10.1007/s10384-023-01047-x] [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: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The ocular surface microenvironment changes with aging. However, it remains unclear if cellular senescence influences the ocular surface. We investigated the presence of p16INK4a-expressing senescent cells in healthy human conjunctiva. STUDY DESIGN Clinical and experimental. METHODS Healthy conjunctival tissue samples were obtained from middle-aged and elderly subjects. RT-qPCR was performed to assess the expression of senescence markers CDKN2A (p16INK4a) and CDKN1A (p21CIP1/WAF1) and immunostaining was performed to examine the expression of the senescence marker p16INK4a, stem cell markers Ki67 and p63, tight-junction marker ZO-1. RESULTS Our study involved 19 conjunctival tissue samples (10 elderly and 9 middle-aged), mean age [elderly: 75.8 ± 3.7 years (72-81), middle-aged: 52.7 ± 7 years (38-59)], sex (elderly: 3 men, 7 women; middle-aged: 3 men, 6 women). The expression of p16INK4a was significantly increased at the RNA level in the elderly compared to middle-aged (p < 0.05). Positivity rate of p16INK4a was significantly elevated in the elderly (15.0 ± 7.8%) compared to middle-aged (0.2 ± 0.6%) (p < 0.05). Positivity rate of Ki67and p63 was significantly reduced in the elderly (1.7 ± 1.7% and 16.5 ± 9.5%) compared to middle-aged (3.9 ± 1.8% and 24.7 ± 5.7%) (p < 0.05). ZO-1 expression was reduced in tissue samples showing p16INK4a-positivity but retained in tissue samples in which p16INK4a was undetectable. CONCLUSIONS Senescent cells accumulate with age in the conjunctival epithelium, accompanied by a decrease in Ki67, p63 and ZO-1 expressing cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasufumi Tomioka
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Hirokoji-agaru, Kawaramachi-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Koji Kitazawa
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Hirokoji-agaru, Kawaramachi-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan.
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, 94945, USA.
| | - Kohsaku Numa
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Hirokoji-agaru, Kawaramachi-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, 94945, USA
| | | | - Norihiko Yokoi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Hirokoji-agaru, Kawaramachi-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
| | - Chie Sotozono
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Hirokoji-agaru, Kawaramachi-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-0841, Japan
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Spaide RF, Vavvas DG. COMPLEMENT INHIBITION FOR GEOGRAPHIC ATROPHY: Review of Salient Functional Outcomes and Perspective. Retina 2023; 43:1064-1069. [PMID: 36996460 DOI: 10.1097/iae.0000000000003796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate available rationale and outcomes of randomized trial results for complement inhibition for geographic atrophy. METHODS Data from recently completed randomized trials of complement inhibition, particularly for pegcetacoplan and avacincaptad pegol, were evaluated for both the outcome, area of autofluorescence loss, and functional vision tests. RESULTS Pegcetacoplan 2 mg showed statistically significant reduction in expansion of the area of autofluorescence loss with monthly, but not every-other-month dosing, in a 12-month phase two trial. Nearly 40% of patients recruited for the monthly arm did not complete the treatment. In two parallel phase 3 studies there was a statistically significant reduction in the area of atrophy in one but not both studies as compared with untreated controls. Data released at 24 months follow-up showed statistically significant reduction in the area of autofluorescence-detected atrophy in both studies compared with sham. Patients did not show functional difference in best-corrected visual acuity, maximum reading speed, Functional Reading Independence Index, and mean microperimetry threshold sensitivities in the treatment versus sham arms. Avacincaptad pegol was evaluated in two randomized pivotal studies and showed a statistically significant reduction in the expansion of autofluorescence loss at 12 months. Patients in the treatment arms did not show any difference as compared with sham in the best-corrected visual acuity or low luminance visual acuity, the only functional outcomes mentioned. Both drugs increased the risk of macular neovascularization. CONCLUSION Both avacincaptad pegol and pegcetacoplan show significant differences compared with sham in autofluorescence imaging but no benefit in visual function at 12 and 24 months, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard F Spaide
- The Vitreous Retina, Macula Consultants of New York, New York, New York; and
| | - Demetrios G Vavvas
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Sadda SR. Charting a research agenda for macular degeneration: Reviews from the Ryan Initiative for Macular Research. Exp Eye Res 2023; 226:109348. [PMID: 36526002 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- SriniVas R Sadda
- UCLA Department of Ophthalmology and Doheny Eye Institute, Pasadena, CA, United States.
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