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Amato R, Cammalleri M, Melecchi A, Bagnoli P, Porciatti V. Natural History of Glaucoma Progression in the DBA/2J Model: Early Contribution of Müller Cell Gliosis. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091272. [PMID: 37174673 PMCID: PMC10177096 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a chronic optic neuropathy characterized by progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and the resulting mechanical stress are classically considered the main causes of RGC death. However, RGC degeneration and ensuing vision loss often occur independent of IOP, indicating a multifactorial nature of glaucoma, with the likely contribution of glial and vascular function. The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the time course of neuro-glial-vascular changes associated with glaucoma progression. We used DBA/2J mice in the age range of 2-15 months as a spontaneous model of glaucoma with progressive IOP elevation and RGC loss typical of human open-angle glaucoma. We found that the onset of RGC degeneration at 10 months of age coincided with that of IOP elevation and vascular changes such as decreased density, increased lacunarity and decreased tight-junction protein zonula occludens (ZO)-1, while hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were already significantly upregulated at 6 months of age together with the onset of Müller cell gliosis. Astrocytes, however, underwent significant gliosis at 10 months. These results indicate that Müller cell activation occurs well before IOP elevation, with probable inflammatory consequences, and represents an early event in the glaucomatous process. Early upregulation of HIF-1α and VEGF is likely to contribute to blood retinal barrier failure, facilitating RGC loss. The different time courses of neuro-glial-vascular changes during glaucoma progression provide further insight into the nature of the disease and suggest potential targets for the development of efficient therapeutic intervention aside from IOP lowering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Amato
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | - Paola Bagnoli
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Vittorio Porciatti
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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Hua Y, Lu Y, Walker J, Lee PY, Tian Q, McDonald H, Pallares P, Ji F, Brazile BL, Yang B, Voorhees AP, Sigal IA. Eye-specific 3D modeling of factors influencing oxygen concentration in the lamina cribrosa. Exp Eye Res 2022; 220:109105. [PMID: 35568202 PMCID: PMC11007759 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109105] [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: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Our goal was to identify the factors with the strongest influence on the minimum lamina cribrosa (LC) oxygen concentration as potentially indicative of conditions increasing hypoxia risk. Because direct measurement of LC hemodynamics and oxygenation is not yet possible, we developed 3D eye-specific LC vasculature models. The vasculature of a normal monkey eye was perfusion-labeled post-mortem. Serial cryosections through the optic nerve head were imaged using fluorescence and polarized light microscopy to visualize the vasculature and collagen, respectively. The vasculature within a 450 μm-thick region containing the LC - identified from the collagen, was segmented, skeletonized, and meshed for simulations. Using Monte Carlo sampling, 200 vascular network models were generated with varying vessel diameter, neural tissue oxygen consumption rate, inflow hematocrit, and blood pressures (arteriole, venule, anterior boundary, and posterior boundary). Factors were varied over ranges of baseline ±20% with uniform probability. For each model we first obtained the blood flow, and from this the neural tissue oxygen concentration. ANOVA was used to identify the factors with the strongest influence on the minimum (10th percentile) oxygen concentration in the LC. The three most influential factors were, in ranked order, vessel diameter, neural tissue oxygen consumption rate, and arteriole pressure. There was a strong interaction between vessel diameter and arteriole pressure whereby the impact of one factor was larger when the other factor was small. Our results show that, for the eye analyzed, conditions that reduce vessel diameter, such as vessel compression due to elevated intraocular pressure or gaze-induced tissue deformation, may particularly contribute to decreased LC oxygen concentration. More eyes must be analyzed before generalizing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Hua
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Yuankai Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jason Walker
- Department of Biological Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Po-Yi Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Qi Tian
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Haiden McDonald
- Department of Biological Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Pedro Pallares
- Department of Biological Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Fengting Ji
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Bryn L Brazile
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Bin Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Engineering, Rangos School of Health Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Andrew P Voorhees
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Ian A Sigal
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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Yu H, Zhong H, Li N, Chen K, Chen J, Sun J, Xu L, Wang J, Zhang M, Liu X, Deng L, Huang P, Huang S, Shen X, Zhong Y. Osteopontin activates retinal microglia causing retinal ganglion cells loss via p38 MAPK signaling pathway in glaucoma. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21405. [PMID: 33559950 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002218r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Microglia activation and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been closely linked to glaucoma. However, the mechanisms that initiate these pathways remain unclear. Here, we investigated the role of a pro-inflammatory cytokine--osteopontin (OPN), in retinal microglia activation process along with the underlying mechanisms in glaucoma. A rat chronic ocular hypertension (COH) model was established presenting an increase in retinal OPN level and activation of microglia. Primary microglia cells were isolated and cultured under a pressure culture system showing heightened expressions of microglia-derived OPN with changes in inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6). OPN and OPN neutralizing antibody (Anti-OPN) interventions were both applied systems for comparison, and cross-referenced with OPN knockdown in vitro. JAK/STAT, NF-κB, ERK1/2, and p38 MAPK, recognized as the primary signaling pathways related to microglia activation, were then screened on whether they can facilitate OPN to act on microglia and their impact on specific inhibitors. Thereafter, retrograde labeling of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and flash visual evoked potentials (F-VEP) were used to investigate neuron protection in context of each blockade. Results suggest that OPN is able to enhance the proliferation and activation of retinal microglia in experimental glaucoma which may play a role in the glaucomatous optic neuropathy, and contribute to the eventual RGCs loss and vision function impairment. Such effect may be mediated through the regulation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huimin Zhong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaizhe Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junjue Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lili Xu
- Department of Emergency, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingui Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaohong Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lianfu Deng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shouyue Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Shen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yisheng Zhong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhoushan Branch of Ruijin Hospital Affiliated Medical School, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Zhoushan, China
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Wareham LK, Calkins DJ. The Neurovascular Unit in Glaucomatous Neurodegeneration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:452. [PMID: 32656207 PMCID: PMC7325980 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease of the visual system and leading cause of blindness worldwide. The disease is associated with sensitivity to intraocular pressure (IOP), which over a large range of magnitudes stresses retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons as they pass through the optic nerve head in forming the optic projection to the brain. Despite clinical efforts to lower IOP, which is the only modifiable risk factor for glaucoma, RGC degeneration and ensuing loss of vision often persist. A major contributor to failure of hypotensive regimens is the multifactorial nature of how IOP-dependent stress influences RGC physiology and structure. This stress is conveyed to the RGC axon through interactions with structural, glial, and vascular components in the nerve head and retina. These interactions promote pro-degenerative pathways involving biomechanical, metabolic, oxidative, inflammatory, immunological and vascular challenges to the microenvironment of the ganglion cell and its axon. Here, we focus on the contribution of vascular dysfunction and breakdown of neurovascular coupling in glaucoma. The vascular networks of the retina and optic nerve head have evolved complex mechanisms that help to maintain a continuous blood flow and supply of metabolites despite fluctuations in ocular perfusion pressure. In healthy tissue, autoregulation and neurovascular coupling enable blood flow to stay tightly controlled. In glaucoma patients evidence suggests these pathways are dysfunctional, thus highlighting a potential role for pathways involved in vascular dysfunction in progression and as targets for novel therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren K Wareham
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - David J Calkins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
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Wang AY, Lee PY, Bui BV, Jobling AI, Greferath U, Brandli A, Dixon MA, Findlay Q, Fletcher EL, Vessey KA. Potential mechanisms of retinal ganglion cell type-specific vulnerability in glaucoma. Clin Exp Optom 2019; 103:562-571. [PMID: 31838755 DOI: 10.1111/cxo.13031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease characterised by progressive damage to the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the output neurons of the retina. RGCs are a heterogenous class of retinal neurons which can be classified into multiple types based on morphological, functional and genetic characteristics. This review examines the body of evidence supporting type-specific vulnerability of RGCs in glaucoma and explores potential mechanisms by which this might come about. Studies of donor tissue from glaucoma patients have generally noted greater vulnerability of larger RGC types. Models of glaucoma induced in primates, cats and mice also show selective effects on RGC types - particularly OFF RGCs. Several mechanisms may contribute to type-specific vulnerability, including differences in the expression of calcium-permeable receptors (for example pannexin-1, P2X7, AMPA and transient receptor potential vanilloid receptors), the relative proximity of RGCs and their dendrites to blood supply in the inner plexiform layer, as well as differing metabolic requirements of RGC types. Such differences may make certain RGCs more sensitive to intraocular pressure elevation and its associated biomechanical and vascular stress. A greater understanding of selective RGC vulnerability and its underlying causes will likely reveal a rich area of investigation for potential treatment targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ym Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Pei Ying Lee
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bang V Bui
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Andrew I Jobling
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ursula Greferath
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alice Brandli
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael A Dixon
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Quan Findlay
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Erica L Fletcher
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kirstan A Vessey
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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