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Zhang CJ, Mou H, Yuan J, Wang YH, Sun SN, Wang W, Xu ZH, Yu SJ, Jin K, Jin ZB. Effects of fluorescent protein tdTomato on mouse retina. Exp Eye Res 2024; 243:109910. [PMID: 38663720 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/30/2024]
Abstract
Fluorescent proteins (FPs) have been widely used to investigate cellular and molecular interactions and trace biological events in many applications. Some of the FPs have been demonstrated to cause undesirable cellular damage by light-induced ROS production in vivo or in vitro. However, it remains unknown if one of the most popular FPs, tdTomato, has similar effects in neuronal cells. In this study, we discovered that tdTomato expression led to unexpected retinal dysfunction and ultrastructural defects in the transgenic mouse retina. The retinal dysfunction mainly manifested in the reduced photopic electroretinogram (ERG) responses and decreased contrast sensitivity in visual acuity, caused by mitochondrial damages characterized with cellular redistribution, morphological modifications and molecular profiling alterations. Taken together, our findings for the first time demonstrated the retinal dysfunction and ultrastructural defects in the retinas of tdTomato-transgenic mice, calling for a more careful design and interpretation of experiments involved in FPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Jun Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Hao Mou
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Ya-Han Wang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Shu-Ning Sun
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Ze-Hua Xu
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Si-Jian Yu
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Kangxin Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China.
| | - Zi-Bing Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China.
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2
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Fain GL. The mechanism of genetically inherited night blindness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2408254121. [PMID: 38768361 PMCID: PMC11145283 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2408254121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gordon L. Fain
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA90095
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3
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Chai Z, Ye Y, Silverman D, Rose K, Madura A, Reed RR, Chen J, Yau KW. Dark continuous noise from mutant G90D-rhodopsin predominantly underlies congenital stationary night blindness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2404763121. [PMID: 38743626 PMCID: PMC11127052 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2404763121] [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: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) is an inherited retinal disease that causes a profound loss of rod sensitivity without severe retinal degeneration. One well-studied rhodopsin point mutant, G90D-Rho, is thought to cause CSNB because of its constitutive activity in darkness causing rod desensitization. However, the nature of this constitutive activity and its precise molecular source have not been resolved for almost 30 y. In this study, we made a knock-in (KI) mouse line with a very low expression of G90D-Rho (equal in amount to ~0.1% of normal rhodopsin, WT-Rho, in WT rods), with the remaining WT-Rho replaced by REY-Rho, a mutant with a very low efficiency of activating transducin due to a charge reversal of the highly conserved ERY motif to REY. We observed two kinds of constitutive noise: one being spontaneous isomerization (R*) of G90D-Rho at a molecular rate (R* s-1) 175-fold higher than WT-Rho and the other being G90D-Rho-generated dark continuous noise comprising low-amplitude unitary events occurring at a very high molecular rate equivalent in effect to ~40,000-fold of R* s-1 from WT-Rho. Neither noise type originated from G90D-Opsin because exogenous 11-cis-retinal had no effect. Extrapolating the above observations at low (0.1%) expression of G90D-Rho to normal disease exhibited by a KI mouse model with RhoG90D/WTand RhoG90D/G90D genotypes predicts the disease condition very well quantitatively. Overall, the continuous noise from G90D-Rho therefore predominates, constituting the major equivalent background light causing rod desensitization in CSNB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuying Chai
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Yaqing Ye
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Daniel Silverman
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Kasey Rose
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
| | - Alana Madura
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
| | - Randall R. Reed
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (Emeritus), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Jeannie Chen
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90033
| | - King-Wai Yau
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
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4
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Cao B, Dahlen JV, Sen M, Beyer T, Leonhard T, Kilger E, Arango-Gonzalez B, Ueffing M. Mutant dominant-negative rhodopsin∆I256 causes protein aggregates degraded via ERAD and prevents normal rhodopsin from proper membrane trafficking. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1369000. [PMID: 38828393 PMCID: PMC11140085 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1369000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Dominant mutations in the rhodopsin gene (Rho) contribute to 25% of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), characterized by photoreceptor loss and progressive blindness. One such mutation, Rho ∆I256 , carries a 3-bp deletion, resulting in the loss of one of two isoleucines at codons 255 and 256. Our investigation, using recombinant expression in HEK293 and COS-7 cells, revealed that Rho ∆I256, akin to the known adRP mutation Rho P23H, induces the formation of rhodopsin protein (RHO) aggregates at the perinuclear region. Co-expression of Rho ∆I256 or Rho P23H with wild-type Rho WT, mimicking the heterozygous genotype of adRP patients, demonstrated the dominant-negative effect, as all isoforms were retained in perinuclear aggregates, impeding membrane trafficking. In retinal explants from WT mice, mislocalization of labeled adRP isoforms at the outer nuclear layer was observed. Further analysis revealed that RHO∆I256 aggregates are retained at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), undergo ER-associated degradation (ERAD), and colocalize with the AAA-ATPase escort chaperone valosin-containing protein (VCP). These aggregates are polyubiquitinated and partially colocalized with the 20S proteasome subunit beta-5 (PSMB5). Pharmacological inhibition of proteasome- or VCP activity increased RHO∆I256 aggregate size. In summary, RHO∆I256 exhibits dominant pathogenicity by sequestering normal RHOWT in ER aggregates, preventing its membrane trafficking and following the ERAD degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Cao
- Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Johanna Valentina Dahlen
- Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Merve Sen
- Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Tina Beyer
- Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Leonhard
- Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ellen Kilger
- Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Blanca Arango-Gonzalez
- Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Marius Ueffing
- Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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5
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Xie Y, Wu N, Tang S, Zhou Z, Chen J, Li J, Wu F, Xu M, Xu X, Liu Y, Ma X. Endoplasmic Reticulum Dysfunction: An Emerging Mechanism of Vitiligo Pathogenesis. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2024; 17:1133-1144. [PMID: 38774812 PMCID: PMC11107934 DOI: 10.2147/ccid.s459070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the main site of protein synthesis, transport, and modification. Its abnormal status has now emerged as an established cause of many pathological processes, such as tumors and autoimmune diseases. Recent studies also demonstrated that the defective functions of ER may lead to pigmentary diseases. Vitiligo is a depigmenting ailment skin disorder whose pathogenesis is now found to be associated with ER. However, the detailed mechanism is still unclear. In this review, we try to link the association between ER with its inter- and intra-organellar interactions in vitiligo pathogenesis and focus on the function, mechanism, and clinical potential of ER with vitiligo. Expand ER is found in melanocytes of vitiligo and ER stress (ERS) might be a bridge between oxidative stress and innate and adaptive immunity. Meanwhile, the tight association between ER and mitochondria or melanosomes in organelles levels, as well as genes and cytokines, is the new paradigm in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. This undoubtedly adds a new aspect to the understanding of vitiligo, facilitating the design of targeted therapies for vitiligo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyi Xie
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nanhui Wu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Suwei Tang
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyu Zhou
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiashe Chen
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Li
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fei Wu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mingyuan Xu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxiang Xu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yeqiang Liu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Ma
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Institute of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Dermatology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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6
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Hsu WH, Sangkhathat C, Lu MK, Lin WY, Liu HP, Lin YL. Dendrobium nobile Polysaccharide Attenuates Blue Light-Induced Injury in Retinal Cells and In Vivo in Drosophila. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:603. [PMID: 38790708 PMCID: PMC11118839 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13050603] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Blue light is the higher-energy region of the visible spectrum. Excessive exposure to blue light is known to induce oxidative stress and is harmful to the eyes. The stems of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. (Orchidaceae), named Jinchaishihu, have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for nourishing yin, clearing heat, and brightening the eyes. The polysaccharide is one of the major components in D. nobile. However, the effect on ocular cells remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether the polysaccharide from D. nobile can protect the eyes from blue light-induced injury. A crude (DN-P) and a partially purified polysaccharide (DN-PP) from D. nobile were evaluated for their protective effects on blue light-induced damage in ARPE-19 and 661W cells. The in vivo study investigated the electroretinographic response and the expression of phototransduction-related genes in the retinas of a Drosophila model. The results showed that DN-P and DN-PP could improve blue light-induced damage in ARPE-19 and 661W cells, including cell viability, antioxidant activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS)/superoxide production, and reverse opsin 3 protein expression in a concentration-dependent manner. The in vivo study indicated that DN-P could alleviate eye damage and reverse the expression of phototransduction-related genes, including ninaE, norpA, Gαq, Gβ76C, Gγ30A, TRP, and TRPL, in a dose-dependent manner in blue light-exposed Drosophila. In conclusion, this is the first report demonstrating that D. nobile polysaccharide pretreatment can protect retinal cells and retinal photoreceptors from blue light-induced damage. These results provide supporting evidence for the beneficial potential of D. nobile in preventing blue light-induced eye damage and improving eyesight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Hsiang Hsu
- Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; (W.-H.H.); (C.S.)
| | - Chanikan Sangkhathat
- Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; (W.-H.H.); (C.S.)
| | - Mei-Kuang Lu
- National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei 11221, Taiwan;
| | - Wei-Yong Lin
- Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan;
| | - Hsin-Ping Liu
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Lian Lin
- Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; (W.-H.H.); (C.S.)
- Department of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10050, Taiwan
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7
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Georgiou M, Robson AG, Fujinami K, de Guimarães TAC, Fujinami-Yokokawa Y, Daich Varela M, Pontikos N, Kalitzeos A, Mahroo OA, Webster AR, Michaelides M. Phenotyping and genotyping inherited retinal diseases: Molecular genetics, clinical and imaging features, and therapeutics of macular dystrophies, cone and cone-rod dystrophies, rod-cone dystrophies, Leber congenital amaurosis, and cone dysfunction syndromes. Prog Retin Eye Res 2024; 100:101244. [PMID: 38278208 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2024.101244] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRD) are a leading cause of blindness in the working age population and in children. The scope of this review is to familiarise clinicians and scientists with the current landscape of molecular genetics, clinical phenotype, retinal imaging and therapeutic prospects/completed trials in IRD. Herein we present in a comprehensive and concise manner: (i) macular dystrophies (Stargardt disease (ABCA4), X-linked retinoschisis (RS1), Best disease (BEST1), PRPH2-associated pattern dystrophy, Sorsby fundus dystrophy (TIMP3), and autosomal dominant drusen (EFEMP1)), (ii) cone and cone-rod dystrophies (GUCA1A, PRPH2, ABCA4, KCNV2 and RPGR), (iii) predominant rod or rod-cone dystrophies (retinitis pigmentosa, enhanced S-Cone syndrome (NR2E3), Bietti crystalline corneoretinal dystrophy (CYP4V2)), (iv) Leber congenital amaurosis/early-onset severe retinal dystrophy (GUCY2D, CEP290, CRB1, RDH12, RPE65, TULP1, AIPL1 and NMNAT1), (v) cone dysfunction syndromes (achromatopsia (CNGA3, CNGB3, PDE6C, PDE6H, GNAT2, ATF6), X-linked cone dysfunction with myopia and dichromacy (Bornholm Eye disease; OPN1LW/OPN1MW array), oligocone trichromacy, and blue-cone monochromatism (OPN1LW/OPN1MW array)). Whilst we use the aforementioned classical phenotypic groupings, a key feature of IRD is that it is characterised by tremendous heterogeneity and variable expressivity, with several of the above genes associated with a range of phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michalis Georgiou
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| | - Anthony G Robson
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Kaoru Fujinami
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Laboratory of Visual Physiology, Division of Vision Research, National Institute of Sensory Organs, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Thales A C de Guimarães
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Yu Fujinami-Yokokawa
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Laboratory of Visual Physiology, Division of Vision Research, National Institute of Sensory Organs, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Health Policy and Management, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Malena Daich Varela
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Nikolas Pontikos
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Angelos Kalitzeos
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Omar A Mahroo
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Section of Ophthalmology, King s College London, St Thomas Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom; Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Translational Ophthalmology, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Andrew R Webster
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Michel Michaelides
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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8
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Li H, Li B, Zheng Y. Role of microglia/macrophage polarisation in intraocular diseases (Review). Int J Mol Med 2024; 53:45. [PMID: 38551157 PMCID: PMC10998719 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2024.5369] [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: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Macrophages form a crucial component of the innate immune system, and their activation is indispensable for various aspects of immune and inflammatory processes, tissue repair, and maintenance of the balance of the body's state. Macrophages are found in all ocular tissues, spanning from the front surface, including the cornea, to the posterior pole, represented by the choroid/sclera. The neural retina is also populated by specialised resident macrophages called microglia. The plasticity of microglia/macrophages allows them to adopt different activation states in response to changes in the tissue microenvironment. When exposed to various factors, microglia/macrophages polarise into distinct phenotypes, each exhibiting unique characteristics and roles. Furthermore, extensive research has indicated a close association between microglia/macrophage polarisation and the development and reversal of various intraocular diseases. The present article provides a review of the recent findings on the association between microglia/macrophage polarisation and ocular pathological processes (including autoimmune uveitis, optic neuritis, sympathetic ophthalmia, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, subretinal fibrosis, uveal melanoma, ischaemic optic neuropathy, retinopathy of prematurity and choroidal neovascularization). The paradoxical role of microglia/macrophage polarisation in retinopathy of prematurity is also discussed. Several studies have shown that microglia/macrophages are involved in the pathology of ocular diseases. However, it is required to further explore the relevant mechanisms and regulatory processes. The relationship between the functional diversity displayed by microglia/macrophage polarisation and intraocular diseases may provide a new direction for the treatment of intraocular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Li
- School of Opthalmology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, P.R. China
| | - Biao Li
- School of Opthalmology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, P.R. China
| | - Yanlin Zheng
- School of Opthalmology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, P.R. China
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9
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Kandoi S, Martinez C, Chen KX, Mehine M, Reddy LVK, Mansfield BC, Duncan JL, Lamba DA. Disease modeling and pharmacological rescue of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa associated with RHO copy number variation. eLife 2024; 12:RP90575. [PMID: 38661530 PMCID: PMC11045220 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a heterogenous group of inherited retinal disorder, causes slow progressive vision loss with no effective treatments available. Mutations in the rhodopsin gene (RHO) account for ~25% cases of autosomal dominant RP (adRP). In this study, we describe the disease characteristics of the first-ever reported mono-allelic copy number variation (CNV) in RHO as a novel cause of adRP. We (a) show advanced retinal degeneration in a male patient (68 years of age) harboring four transcriptionally active intact copies of rhodopsin, (b) recapitulated the clinical phenotypes using retinal organoids, and (c) assessed the utilization of a small molecule, Photoregulin3 (PR3), as a clinically viable strategy to target and modify disease progression in RP patients associated with RHO-CNV. Patient retinal organoids showed photoreceptors dysgenesis, with rod photoreceptors displaying stunted outer segments with occasional elongated cilia-like projections (microscopy); increased RHO mRNA expression (quantitative real-time PCR [qRT-PCR] and bulk RNA sequencing); and elevated levels and mislocalization of rhodopsin protein (RHO) within the cell body of rod photoreceptors (western blotting and immunohistochemistry) over the extended (300 days) culture time period when compared against control organoids. Lastly, we utilized PR3 to target NR2E3, an upstream regulator of RHO, to alter RHO expression and observed a partial rescue of RHO protein localization from the cell body to the inner/outer segments of rod photoreceptors in patient organoids. These results provide a proof-of-principle for personalized medicine and suggest that RHO expression requires precise control. Taken together, this study supports the clinical data indicating that RHO-CNV associated adRPdevelops as a result of protein overexpression, thereby overloading the photoreceptor post-translational modification machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangeetha Kandoi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Cassandra Martinez
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Kevin Xu Chen
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | | | - L Vinod K Reddy
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Brian C Mansfield
- Section on Cellular Differentiation, Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jacque L Duncan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Deepak A Lamba
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Immunology and Regenerative Medicine, GenentechSouth San FranciscoUnited States
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10
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Lin X, Liu ZL, Zhang X, Wang W, Huang ZQ, Sun SN, Jin ZB. Modeling autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa by using patient-specific retinal organoids with a class-3 RHO mutation. Exp Eye Res 2024; 241:109856. [PMID: 38479725 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109856] [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: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Rhodopsin-mediated autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RHO-adRP) causes progressive vision loss and is potentially incurable, accounting for 25% of adRP cases. Studies on RHO-adRP mechanism were at large based on the biochemical and cellular properties, especially class-3. Nonetheless, the absence of an appropriate model for class-3 RHO-adRP has impeded comprehensive exploration. Here, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were generated from a healthy control and two sibling RP patients with the same point mutation, c.403C>T (p.R135W). The first three-dimensional (3D) retinal organoid model of a class-3 RHO point mutation from patient-derived iPSCs was generated. Significant defects were observed in rod photoreceptors in terms of localization, morphology, transcriptional profiling and single cell resolution, to better understand the human disease resulting from RHO mutations from a developmental perspective. This first human model of class-3 RHO-adRP provides a representation of patient's retina in vitro and displays features of RHO-adRP retinal organoids relevant for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Lin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Zhuo-Lin Liu
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Zhi-Qin Huang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Shu-Ning Sun
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Zi-Bing Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China.
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11
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Zhuang J, Zhang R, Zhou B, Cao Z, Zhou J, Chen X, Zhang N, Zhu Y, Yang J. Mutation analysis of RHO in patients with non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa. Ophthalmic Genet 2024; 45:147-152. [PMID: 38284172 DOI: 10.1080/13816810.2023.2294843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To identify RHO mutations in patients with non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa (NS-RP). METHODS A total of 143 probands (46 family history and 97 sporadic cases) with NS-RP were recruited from Southeast China. The coding exons and adjacent intronic regions of RHO were PCR-amplified and sequenced by Sanger sequencing. The candidate variant was evaluated by the guidelines of American College of Medical Genetics and further validated through co-segregation analysis within the family. RESULTS Five heterozygous mutations in RHO were detected in 5 out of 143 probands, where the frequency of RHO mutations in our cohort was approximately 3.5% (5/143) and 10.8% (5/46) for probands and families with NS-RP, respectively. Three known disease-causing mutations including c.C1030T (p.Q344X), c.C173G (p.T58R), and c.G266A (p.G89D) were identified in three unrelated families. The other two previously unreported mutations c.557C>A (p.S186X) and c.944delA (p.N315TfsX43) were confirmed in Family RP-087 and Family RP-139, respectively. These mutations co-segregated with available affected individuals in each family were not observed in the unaffected family members or in the 112 unrelated controls. CONCLUSIONS This report expands the mutational spectrum of RHO gene associated with NS-RP and demonstrates the frequency of RP RHO mutations in Southeast Chinese populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfu Zhuang
- Ophthalmology, Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Rongcai Zhang
- Fujian Baimeng Biotechnology Research Center, Fujian BioMed Technology Co. LTD, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Biting Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zongfu Cao
- National Human Genetic Resources Center, National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaole Chen
- Department of Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Nanwen Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yihua Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Juhua Yang
- Department of Bioengineering and Biopharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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12
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Shorthouse D, Lister H, Freeman GS, Hall BA. Understanding large scale sequencing datasets through changes to protein folding. Brief Funct Genomics 2024:elae007. [PMID: 38521964 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elae007] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The expansion of high-quality, low-cost sequencing has created an enormous opportunity to understand how genetic variants alter cellular behaviour in disease. The high diversity of mutations observed has however drawn a spotlight onto the need for predictive modelling of mutational effects on phenotype from variants of uncertain significance. This is particularly important in the clinic due to the potential value in guiding clinical diagnosis and patient treatment. Recent computational modelling has highlighted the importance of mutation induced protein misfolding as a common mechanism for loss of protein or domain function, aided by developments in methods that make large computational screens tractable. Here we review recent applications of this approach to different genes, and how they have enabled and supported subsequent studies. We further discuss developments in the approach and the role for the approach in light of increasingly high throughput experimental approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Shorthouse
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Harris Lister
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Malet Place Engineering Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gemma S Freeman
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Malet Place Engineering Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Benjamin A Hall
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Malet Place Engineering Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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13
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Sun X, Liang C, Chen Y, Cui T, Han J, Dai M, Zhang Y, Zhou Q, Li W. Knockout and Replacement Gene Surgery to Treat Rhodopsin-Mediated Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa. Hum Gene Ther 2024; 35:151-162. [PMID: 38368562 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2023.201] [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] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the rhodopsin (RHO) gene are the predominant causes of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). Given the diverse gain-of-function mutations, therapeutic strategies targeting specific sequences face significant challenges. Here, we provide a universal approach to conquer this problem: we have devised a CRISPR-Cas12i-based, mutation-independent gene knockout and replacement compound therapy carried by a dual AAV2/8 system. In this study, we successfully delayed the progression of retinal degeneration in the classic mouse disease model RhoP23H, and also RhoP347S, a new native mouse mutation model we developed. Our research expands the horizon of potential options for future treatments of RHO-mediated adRP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; and
| | - Chen Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; and
| | - Yangcan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Tongtong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jiabao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; and
| | - Moyu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; and
| | - Ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; and
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; and
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
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14
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Vasudevan S, Senapati S, Pendergast M, Park PSH. Aggregation of rhodopsin mutants in mouse models of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1451. [PMID: 38365903 PMCID: PMC10873427 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45748-4] [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: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in rhodopsin can cause it to misfold and lead to retinal degeneration. A distinguishing feature of these mutants in vitro is that they mislocalize and aggregate. It is unclear whether or not these features contribute to retinal degeneration observed in vivo. The effect of P23H and G188R misfolding mutations were examined in a heterologous expression system and knockin mouse models, including a mouse model generated here expressing the G188R rhodopsin mutant. In vitro characterizations demonstrate that both mutants aggregate, with the G188R mutant exhibiting a more severe aggregation profile compared to the P23H mutant. The potential for rhodopsin mutants to aggregate in vivo was assessed by PROTEOSTAT, a dye that labels aggregated proteins. Both mutants mislocalize in photoreceptor cells and PROTEOSTAT staining was detected surrounding the nuclei of photoreceptor cells. The G188R mutant promotes a more severe retinal degeneration phenotype and greater PROTEOSTAT staining compared to that promoted by the P23H mutant. Here, we show that the level of PROTEOSTAT positive cells mirrors the progression and level of photoreceptor cell death, which suggests a potential role for rhodopsin aggregation in retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreelakshmi Vasudevan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Subhadip Senapati
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- Prayoga Institute of Education Research, Bengaluru, KA, 560116, India
| | - Maryanne Pendergast
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Paul S-H Park
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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15
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Bighinati A, Adani E, Stanzani A, D’Alessandro S, Marigo V. Molecular mechanisms underlying inherited photoreceptor degeneration as targets for therapeutic intervention. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1343544. [PMID: 38370034 PMCID: PMC10869517 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1343544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a form of retinal degeneration characterized by primary degeneration of rod photoreceptors followed by a secondary cone loss that leads to vision impairment and finally blindness. This is a rare disease with mutations in several genes and high genetic heterogeneity. A challenging effort has been the characterization of the molecular mechanisms underlying photoreceptor cell death during the progression of the disease. Some of the cell death pathways have been identified and comprise stress events found in several neurodegenerative diseases such as oxidative stress, inflammation, calcium imbalance and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Other cell death mechanisms appear more relevant to photoreceptor cells, such as high levels of cGMP and metabolic changes. Here we review some of the cell death pathways characterized in the RP mutant retina and discuss preclinical studies of therapeutic approaches targeting the molecular outcomes that lead to photoreceptor cell demise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Bighinati
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Elisa Adani
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Agnese Stanzani
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Sara D’Alessandro
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Valeria Marigo
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, Modena, Italy
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16
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Scott BM, Chen SK, Van Nynatten A, Liu J, Schott RK, Heon E, Peisajovich SG, Chang BSW. Scaling up Functional Analyses of the G Protein-Coupled Receptor Rhodopsin. J Mol Evol 2024; 92:61-71. [PMID: 38324225 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-024-10154-3] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells use G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to convert external stimuli into internal signals to elicit cellular responses. However, how mutations in GPCR-coding genes affect GPCR activation and downstream signaling pathways remain poorly understood. Approaches such as deep mutational scanning show promise in investigations of GPCRs, but a high-throughput method to measure rhodopsin activation has yet to be achieved. Here, we scale up a fluorescent reporter assay in budding yeast that we engineered to study rhodopsin's light-activated signal transduction. Using this approach, we measured the mutational effects of over 1200 individual human rhodopsin mutants, generated by low-frequency random mutagenesis of the GPCR rhodopsin (RHO) gene. Analysis of the data in the context of rhodopsin's three-dimensional structure reveals that transmembrane helices are generally less tolerant to mutations compared to flanking helices that face the lipid bilayer, which suggest that mutational tolerance is contingent on both the local environment surrounding specific residues and the specific position of these residues in the protein structure. Comparison of functional scores from our screen to clinically identified rhodopsin disease variants found many pathogenic mutants to be loss of function. Lastly, functional scores from our assay were consistent with a complex counterion mechanism involved in ligand-binding and rhodopsin activation. Our results demonstrate that deep mutational scanning is possible for rhodopsin activation and can be an effective method for revealing properties of mutational tolerance that may be generalizable to other transmembrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Scott
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Steven K Chen
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Jing Liu
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ryan K Schott
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology and Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Elise Heon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sergio G Peisajovich
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Belinda S W Chang
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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17
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Sechrest ER, Ma X, Cahill ME, Barbera RJ, Wang Y, Deng WT. Structural and functional rescue of cones carrying the most common cone opsin C203R missense mutation. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e172834. [PMID: 38060327 PMCID: PMC10906232 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.172834] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
An arginine to cysteine substitution at amino acid position 203 (C203R) is the most common missense mutation in human cone opsin. Linked to color blindness and blue cone monochromacy (BCM), C203 is involved in a crucial disulfide bond required for proper folding. It has previously been postulated that expression of mutant C203R cone opsin exerts a toxic effect on cone photoreceptors, similar to some well-characterized missense mutations in rhodopsin that lead to protein misfolding. In this study, we generated and characterized a BCM mouse model carrying the equivalent C203R mutation (Opn1mwC198R Opn1sw-/-) to investigate the disease mechanism and develop a gene therapy approach for this disorder. Untreated Opn1mwC198R Opn1sw-/- cones phenocopied affected cones in human patients with the equivalent mutation, exhibiting shortened or absent cone outer segments and loss of function. We determined that gene augmentation targeting cones specifically yielded robust rescue of cone function and structure when Opn1mwC198R Opn1sw-/- mice were treated at early ages. Importantly, treated cones displayed elaborated outer segments and replenished expression of crucial cone phototransduction proteins. Interestingly, we were unable to detect OPN1MWC198R mutant opsin at any age. We believe this is the first proof-of-concept study exploring the efficacy of gene therapy in BCM associated with a C203R mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R. Sechrest
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Xiaojie Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Marion E. Cahill
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Department of Biology and
| | - Robert J. Barbera
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Yixiao Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Wen-Tao Deng
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
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18
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Tsutsui S, Murakami Y, Fujiwara K, Koyanagi Y, Akiyama M, Takeda A, Ikeda Y, Sonoda KH. Genotypes and clinical features of RHO-associated retinitis pigmentosa in a Japanese population. Jpn J Ophthalmol 2024; 68:1-11. [PMID: 38070066 DOI: 10.1007/s10384-023-01036-0] [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: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To report the genotypes and clinical features of RHO-associated retinitis pigmentosa (RHO-RP) in the Kyushu region of Japan. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective, single-center study. METHODS Sixteen RP patients with pathogenic RHO variants seen at Kyushu University Hospital were investigated. Clinical data including age, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) units, visual field, fundus photography, and optical coherence tomography were retrospectively obtained. Visual outcomes were compared between classical and sector phenotypes and among genetic variants. RESULTS The mean age at the first visit was 54.0 ± 15.7 years, with a mean follow-up of 7.6 ± 4.0 years. Fourteen patients (87.5%) showed the classical RP phenotype, of whom four were associated with p.[Pro23Leu] and two had p.[Pro347Leu] variants. In addition, two patients with the sector phenotype harbored p.[Ala164Val] variants. Among the classical RHO-RP patients, the mean BCVA decreased from 0.60 to 1.08 logMAR over the follow-up period (7.4 ± 4.1 years) whereas BCVA was preserved at 0.04 logMAR in sector RHO-RP patients (9.0 ± 3.0 years). Genotype-to-phenotype analysis demonstrated that p.[Pro347Leu] was associated with severe vision loss at an earlier age. Macular complications such as epiretinal membrane and cystoid macular edema were observed in 5 classical RHO-RP patients. CONCLUSION p.[Pro23Leu], but not p.[Pro23His], was a frequent variant causing RHO-RP in the Kyushu region of Japan. As reported in previous studies, patients with the p.[Pro347Leu] variant showed a more severe phenotype, and variants causing sector RHO-RP were associated with a good prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saki Tsutsui
- Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yusuke Murakami
- Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
| | - Kohta Fujiwara
- Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yoshito Koyanagi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Masato Akiyama
- Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
- Department of Ocular Pathology and Imaging Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Atsunobu Takeda
- Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Ikeda
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan
| | - Koh-Hei Sonoda
- Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
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19
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Kandoi S, Martinez C, Chen KX, Reddy LVK, Mehine M, Mansfield BC, Duncan JL, Lamba DA. Disease modeling and pharmacological rescue of autosomal dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa associated with RHO copy number variation. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.02.27.23286248. [PMID: 36909455 PMCID: PMC10002783 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.27.23286248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a heterogenous group of inherited retinal disorder causes slow progressive vision loss with no effective treatments available. Mutations in the rhodopsin gene (RHO), account for ~25% cases of autosomal dominant RP (adRP). In this study, we describe the disease characteristics of the first ever reported mono-allelic copy number variation (CNV) in RHO as a novel cause of adRP. We (1) show advanced retinal degeneration in a male patient (60-70 year old) harboring four transcriptionally active intact copies of rhodopsin, (2) recapitulated the clinical phenotypes using retinal organoids, and (3) assessed the utilization of a small molecule, Photoregulin3 (PR3), as a clinically viable strategy to target and modify disease progression in RP patients associated with RHO-CNV. Patient retinal organoids showed photoreceptors dysgenesis, with rod photoreceptors displaying stunted outer segments with occasional elongated cilia-like projections (microscopy); increased RHO mRNA expression (qRT-PCR and bulk RNA-sequencing); and elevated levels and mislocalization of rhodopsin protein (RHO) within the cell body of rod photoreceptors (western blotting and immunohistochemistry) over the extended (300-days) culture time period when compared against control organoids. Lastly, we utilized PR3 to target NR2E3, an upstream regulator of RHO, to alter RHO expression and observed a partial rescue of RHO protein localization from the cell body to the inner/outer segments of rod photoreceptors in patient organoids. These results provide a proof-of-principle for personalized medicine and suggest that RHO expression requires precise control. Taken together, this study supports the clinical data indicating that adRP due to RHO-CNV develops due protein overexpression overloading the photoreceptor post-translational modification machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangeetha Kandoi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Cassandra Martinez
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Xu Chen
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - L Vinod K. Reddy
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Brian C. Mansfield
- Section on Cellular Differentiation, Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Jacque L. Duncan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Deepak A. Lamba
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine & Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
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20
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Kruczek K, Swaroop A. Patient stem cell-derived in vitro disease models for developing novel therapies of retinal ciliopathies. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 155:127-163. [PMID: 38043950 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.09.003] [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] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Primary cilia are specialized organelles on the surface of almost all cells in vertebrate tissues and are primarily involved in the detection of extracellular stimuli. In retinal photoreceptors, cilia are uniquely modified to form outer segments containing components required for the detection of light in stacks of membrane discs. Not surprisingly, vision impairment is a frequent phenotype associated with ciliopathies, a heterogeneous class of conditions caused by mutations in proteins required for formation, maintenance and/or function of primary cilia. Traditionally, immortalized cell lines and model organisms have been used to provide insights into the biology of ciliopathies. The advent of methods for reprogramming human somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells has enabled the generation of in vitro disease models directly from patients suffering from ciliopathies. Such models help us in investigating pathological mechanisms specific to human physiology and in developing novel therapeutic approaches. In this article, we review current protocols to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells into retinal cell types, and discuss how these cellular and/or organoid models can be utilized to interrogate pathobiology of ciliopathies affecting the retina and for testing prospective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Kruczek
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
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21
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Yang Q, Li J, Zeng S, Li Z, Liu X, Li J, Zhou W, Chai Y, Zhou D. Retinal Organoid Models Show Heterozygous Rhodopsin Mutation Favors Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Apoptosis in Rods. Stem Cells Dev 2023; 32:681-692. [PMID: 37470211 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2023.0034] [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] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a prevalent inherited retinal degenerative disease resulting from photoreceptor and pigment epithelial apoptosis. The Rhodopsin (RHO) is the most commonly associated pathogenic gene in RP. However, RHO mutations (c.512C>T P171L) have been infrequently reported, and the RP pathogenesis caused by these mutations remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of RHO (c.512C>T P171L) mutation on retinal cell differentiation and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of RP. An effective retinal organoid induction scheme for inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway was selected for further experiments, and the established cell line chHES-406 was demonstrated to be heterozygous for RHO c.512C>T, with a normal karyotype and pluripotency potential. Furthermore, the development of chHES-406 organoids may be delayed, and apoptosis detection and co-localization revealed that chHES-406 organoids had more apoptotic cells than chHES-90 in the outer nuclear layer (ONL), mutant RHO protein was mislocalized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and stress-related and apoptotic gene expression increased. Overall, our study elucidated a possible mechanism by which ER stress caused by RHO P171L protein mislocalization may lead to ONL cell apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaohui Yang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Changsha, China
| | - Jialin Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Development and Carcinogenesis, Changsha, China
| | - Sicong Zeng
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Changsha, China
- Hunan Guangxiu Hospital, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhuo Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, China
| | - Jin Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Development and Carcinogenesis, Changsha, China
| | - Wang Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Changsha, China
| | - Yujiao Chai
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Changsha, China
| | - Di Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Development and Carcinogenesis, Changsha, China
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22
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Kim Y, Li C, Gu C, Fang Y, Tycksen E, Puri A, Pietka TA, Sivapackiam J, Kidd K, Park SJ, Johnson BG, Kmoch S, Duffield JS, Bleyer AJ, Jackrel ME, Urano F, Sharma V, Lindahl M, Chen YM. MANF stimulates autophagy and restores mitochondrial homeostasis to treat autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease in mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6493. [PMID: 37838725 PMCID: PMC10576802 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42154-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Misfolded protein aggregates may cause toxic proteinopathy, including autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease due to uromodulin mutations (ADTKD-UMOD), a leading hereditary kidney disease. There are no targeted therapies. In our generated mouse model recapitulating human ADTKD-UMOD carrying a leading UMOD mutation, we show that autophagy/mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis are impaired, leading to cGAS-STING activation and tubular injury. Moreover, we demonstrate that inducible tubular overexpression of mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF), a secreted endoplasmic reticulum protein, after the onset of disease stimulates autophagy/mitophagy, clears mutant UMOD, and promotes mitochondrial biogenesis through p-AMPK enhancement, thus protecting kidney function in our ADTKD mouse model. Conversely, genetic ablation of MANF in the mutant thick ascending limb tubular cells worsens autophagy suppression and kidney fibrosis. Together, we have discovered MANF as a biotherapeutic protein and elucidated previously unknown mechanisms of MANF in the regulation of organelle homeostasis, which may have broad therapeutic applications to treat various proteinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeawon Kim
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Chuang Li
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Chenjian Gu
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yili Fang
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Eric Tycksen
- Genome Technology Access Center, McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Anuradhika Puri
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Terri A Pietka
- Nutrition and Geriatrics Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jothilingam Sivapackiam
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kendrah Kidd
- Section of Nephrology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Research Unit of Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Inherited Metabolic Disorders, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Sun-Ji Park
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Bryce G Johnson
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Inflammation & Immunology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stanislav Kmoch
- Section of Nephrology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Research Unit of Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Inherited Metabolic Disorders, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Anthony J Bleyer
- Section of Nephrology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Research Unit of Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Inherited Metabolic Disorders, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Fumihiko Urano
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipid Research, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Vijay Sharma
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Maria Lindahl
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ying Maggie Chen
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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23
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Kerschensteiner D. Losing, preserving, and restoring vision from neurodegeneration in the eye. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R1019-R1036. [PMID: 37816323 PMCID: PMC10575673 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
The retina is a part of the brain that sits at the back of the eye, looking out onto the world. The first neurons of the retina are the rod and cone photoreceptors, which convert changes in photon flux into electrical signals that are the basis of vision. Rods and cones are frequent targets of heritable neurodegenerative diseases that cause visual impairment, including blindness, in millions of people worldwide. This review summarizes the diverse genetic causes of inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) and their convergence onto common pathogenic mechanisms of vision loss. Currently, there are few effective treatments for IRDs, but recent advances in disparate areas of biology and technology (e.g., genome editing, viral engineering, 3D organoids, optogenetics, semiconductor arrays) discussed here enable promising efforts to preserve and restore vision in IRD patients with implications for neurodegeneration in less approachable brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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24
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Becherucci V, Bacci GM, Marziali E, Sodi A, Bambi F, Caputo R. The New Era of Therapeutic Strategies for the Treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa: A Narrative Review of Pathomolecular Mechanisms for the Development of Cell-Based Therapies. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2656. [PMID: 37893030 PMCID: PMC10604477 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102656] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa, defined more properly as cone-rod dystrophy, is a paradigm of inherited diffuse retinal dystrophies, one of the rare diseases with the highest prevalence in the worldwide population and one of the main causes of low vision in the pediatric and elderly age groups. Advancements in and the understanding of molecular biology and gene-editing technologies have raised interest in laying the foundation for new therapeutic strategies for rare diseases. As a consequence, new possibilities for clinicians and patients are arising due to the feasibility of treating such a devastating disorder, reducing its complications. The scope of this review focuses on the pathomolecular mechanisms underlying RP better to understand the prospects of its treatment using innovative approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Becherucci
- Cell Factory Meyer, Children’s Hospital A. Meyer Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.B.)
| | - Giacomo Maria Bacci
- Pediatric Ophthalmology Unit, Children’s Hospital A. Meyer Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (E.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Elisa Marziali
- Pediatric Ophthalmology Unit, Children’s Hospital A. Meyer Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (E.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Andrea Sodi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy;
| | - Franco Bambi
- Cell Factory Meyer, Children’s Hospital A. Meyer Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.B.)
| | - Roberto Caputo
- Pediatric Ophthalmology Unit, Children’s Hospital A. Meyer Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (E.M.); (R.C.)
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25
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Yan Z, Yao Y, Li L, Cai L, Zhang H, Zhang S, Xiao Q, Wang X, Zuo E, Xu C, Wu J, Yang H. Treatment of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa caused by RHO-P23H mutation with high-fidelity Cas13X in mice. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 33:750-761. [PMID: 37621413 PMCID: PMC10445100 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in Rhodopsin (RHO) gene commonly cause autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) without effective therapeutic treatment so far. Compared with genomic DNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas9 system, Cas13 edits RNA for therapeutic applications, avoiding the risk of causing permanent changes in the genome. In particular, a compact and high-fidelity Cas13X (hfCas13X) recently has been developed to degrade targeted RNA with minimal collateral effects and could also be packaged in a single adeno-associated virus for efficient in vivo delivery. In this study, we engineered single-guide RNA for hfCas13X to specifically knock down human mutant Rhodopsin transcripts RHO-P23H with minimal effect on wild-type transcripts. Moreover, treatment with hfCas13X alleviated the adRP progression in both RHO-P23H overexpression-induced and humanized hRHOP23H/WT mouse models. Our study indicates the potential of hfCas13X in treating adRP caused by RHO mutations and other genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixiang Yan
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yuqin Yao
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Luyao Li
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Lingqiong Cai
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Haiwei Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Shenghai Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Health Commission, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingquan Xiao
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Xing Wang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Erwei Zuo
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Chunlong Xu
- Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai 201210, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jihong Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Health Commission, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Yang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200131, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai 201210, China
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26
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Sadee W. Ligand-Free Signaling of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors: Physiology, Pharmacology, and Genetics. Molecules 2023; 28:6375. [PMID: 37687205 PMCID: PMC10489045 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176375] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are ubiquitous sensors and regulators of cellular functions. Each GPCR exists in complex aggregates with multiple resting and active conformations. Designed to detect weak stimuli, GPCRs can also activate spontaneously, resulting in basal ligand-free signaling. Agonists trigger a cascade of events leading to an activated agonist-receptor G-protein complex with high agonist affinity. However, the ensuing signaling process can further remodel the receptor complex to reduce agonist affinity, causing rapid ligand dissociation. The acutely activated ligand-free receptor can continue signaling, as proposed for rhodopsin and μ opioid receptors, resulting in robust receptor activation at low agonist occupancy with enhanced agonist potency. Continued receptor stimulation can further modify the receptor complex, regulating sustained ligand-free signaling-proposed to play a role in opioid dependence. Basal, acutely agonist-triggered, and sustained elevated ligand-free signaling could each have distinct functions, reflecting multi-state conformations of GPCRs. This review addresses basal and stimulus-activated ligand-free signaling, its regulation, genetic factors, and pharmacological implications, focusing on opioid and serotonin receptors, and the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). The hypothesis is proposed that ligand-free signaling of 5-HT2A receptors mediate therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs. Research avenues are suggested to close the gaps in our knowledge of ligand-free GPCR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Sadee
- Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
- Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Aether Therapeutics Inc., Austin, TX 78756, USA
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27
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Jung YH, Kwak JJ, Joo K, Lee HJ, Park KH, Kim MS, Lee EK, Byeon SH, Lee CS, Han J, Lee J, Yoon CK, Woo SJ. Clinical and genetic features of Koreans with retinitis pigmentosa associated with mutations in rhodopsin. Front Genet 2023; 14:1240067. [PMID: 37712069 PMCID: PMC10497939 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1240067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the clinical features, natural course, and genetic characteristics of Koreans with rhodopsin-associated retinitis pigmentosa (RHO-associated RP). Design: We conducted a retrospective, multicenter, observational cohort study. Participants: We reviewed the medical records of 42 patients with RHO-associated RP of 36 families who visited 4 hospitals in Korea. Methods: Patients with molecular confirmation of pathogenic variants of the RHO gene were included. The patients were divided into two subgroups: the generalized and sector RP groups. A central visual field of the better-seeing eye of <10° or a best-corrected visual acuity of the better-seeing eye <20/40 indicated the progression to late-stage RP. Results: The mean age at which symptoms first appeared was 26.3 ± 17.9 years (range: 8-78 years), and the mean follow-up period was 80.9 ± 68.7 months (range: 6-268 months). At the last follow-up visit, the generalized RP group showed a significantly higher rate of visual field impairment progression to late-stage RP than that of the sector RP group (22 of 35 [62.9%] vs. 0 of 7 [0.0%], p = 0.003). No cases in the sector RP group progressed to generalized RP. Best-corrected visual acuity deterioration to late-stage RP was observed only in the generalized RP group (13 of 35 patients; 37.1%), whereas no deterioration was observed in the sector RP group. We identified 16 known and three novel RHO mutations, including two missense mutations (p.T108P and p.G121R) and one deletion mutation (p.P347_A348del). The pathogenic variants were most frequently detected in exon 1 (14 of 36 [38.9%]). The most common pathogenic variants were p.P347L and T17M (5 of 36 [13.9%] families). Among 42 patients of 36 families, 35 patients of 29 families (80.6%) presented with the generalized RP phenotype, and seven patients of seven families (19.4%) presented with the sector RP phenotype. Three variants (p.T17M, p.G101E, and p.E181K) presented with both the generalized and sector RP phenotypes. Conclusion: This multicenter cohort study provided information on the clinical and genetic features of RHO-associated RP in Koreans. It is clinically important to expand the genetic spectrum and understand genotype-phenotype correlations to ultimately facilitate the development of gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Hoon Jung
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Jay Jiyong Kwak
- Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Severance Eye Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwangsic Joo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyuk Jun Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu Hyung Park
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Seok Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Kyoung Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk Ho Byeon
- Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Severance Eye Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Christopher Seungkyu Lee
- Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Severance Eye Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinu Han
- Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Junwon Lee
- Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Ki Yoon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Se Joon Woo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
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28
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Rosa JGS, Disner GR, Pinto FJ, Lima C, Lopes-Ferreira M. Revisiting Retinal Degeneration Hallmarks: Insights from Molecular Markers and Therapy Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13079. [PMID: 37685886 PMCID: PMC10488251 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713079] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual impairment and blindness are a growing public health problem as they reduce the life quality of millions of people. The management and treatment of these diseases represent scientific and therapeutic challenges because different cellular and molecular actors involved in the pathophysiology are still being identified. Visual system components, particularly retinal cells, are extremely sensitive to genetic or metabolic alterations, and immune responses activated by local insults contribute to biological events, culminating in vision loss and irreversible blindness. Several ocular diseases are linked to retinal cell loss, and some of them, such as retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, are characterized by pathophysiological hallmarks that represent possibilities to study and develop novel treatments for retinal cell degeneration. Here, we present a compilation of revisited information on retinal degeneration, including pathophysiological and molecular features and biochemical hallmarks, and possible research directions for novel treatments to assist as a guide for innovative research. The knowledge expansion upon the mechanistic bases of the pathobiology of eye diseases, including information on complex interactions of genetic predisposition, chronic inflammation, and environmental and aging-related factors, will prompt the identification of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Monica Lopes-Ferreira
- Immunoregulation Unit, Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503900, Brazil; (J.G.S.R.); (G.R.D.); (F.J.P.); (C.L.)
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29
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Sun C, Ruzycki PA, Chen S. Rho enhancers play unexpectedly minor roles in Rhodopsin transcription and rod cell integrity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12899. [PMID: 37558693 PMCID: PMC10412641 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39979-6] [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: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhancers function with a basal promoter to control the transcription of target genes. Enhancer regulatory activity is often studied using reporter-based transgene assays. However, unmatched results have been reported when selected enhancers are silenced in situ. In this study, using genomic deletion analysis in mice, we investigated the roles of two previously identified enhancers and the promoter of the Rho gene that codes for the visual pigment rhodopsin. The Rho gene is robustly expressed by rod photoreceptors of the retina, and essential for the subcellular structure and visual function of rod photoreceptors. Mutations in RHO cause severe vision loss in humans. We found that each Rho regulatory region can independently mediate local epigenomic changes, but only the promoter is absolutely required for establishing active Rho chromatin configuration and transcription and maintaining the cell integrity and function of rod photoreceptors. To our surprise, two Rho enhancers that enable strong promoter activation in reporter assays are largely dispensable for Rho expression in vivo. Only small and age-dependent impact is detectable when both enhancers are deleted. Our results demonstrate context-dependent roles of enhancers and highlight the importance of studying functions of cis-regulatory regions in the native genomic context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Philip A Ruzycki
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Washington University, 660 South Euclid Avenue, MSC 8096-0006-11, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - Shiming Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University, 660 South Euclid Avenue, MSC 8096-0006-06, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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30
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Ail D, Nava D, Hwang IP, Brazhnikova E, Nouvel-Jaillard C, Dentel A, Joffrois C, Rousseau L, Dégardin J, Bertin S, Sahel JA, Goureau O, Picaud S, Dalkara D. Inducible nonhuman primate models of retinal degeneration for testing end-stage therapies. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg8163. [PMID: 37531424 PMCID: PMC10396314 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg8163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
The anatomical differences between the retinas of humans and most animal models pose a challenge for testing novel therapies. Nonhuman primate (NHP) retina is anatomically closest to the human retina. However, there is a lack of relevant NHP models of retinal degeneration (RD) suitable for preclinical studies. To address this unmet need, we generated three distinct inducible cynomolgus macaque models of RD. We developed two genetically targeted strategies using optogenetics and CRISPR-Cas9 to ablate rods and mimic rod-cone dystrophy. In addition, we created an acute model by physical separation of the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium using a polymer patch. Among the three models, the CRISPR-Cas9-based approach was the most advantageous model in view of recapitulating disease-specific features and its ease of implementation. The acute model, however, resulted in the fastest degeneration, making it the most relevant model for testing end-stage vision restoration therapies such as stem cell transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Ail
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Diane Nava
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - In Pyo Hwang
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Elena Brazhnikova
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
| | | | - Alexandre Dentel
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
- CHNO des Quinze-Vingts, INSERM-DGOS CIC 1423, F-75012 Paris, France
- Department of Ophthalmology, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Corentin Joffrois
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Lionel Rousseau
- ESYCOM, Université Eiffel, CNRS, CNAM, ESIEE Paris, F-77454 Marne-la-Vallée, France
| | - Julie Dégardin
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Stephane Bertin
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
- CHNO des Quinze-Vingts, INSERM-DGOS CIC 1423, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - José-Alain Sahel
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
- CHNO des Quinze-Vingts, INSERM-DGOS CIC 1423, F-75012 Paris, France
- Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild, F-75019 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Goureau
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Serge Picaud
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Deniz Dalkara
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France
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Rudinskiy M, Molinari M. ER-to-lysosome-associated degradation in a nutshell: mammalian, yeast, and plant ER-phagy as induced by misfolded proteins. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:1928-1945. [PMID: 37259628 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Conserved catabolic pathways operate to remove aberrant polypeptides from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the major biosynthetic organelle of eukaryotic cells. The best known are the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathways that control the retrotranslocation of terminally misfolded proteins across the ER membrane for clearance by the cytoplasmic ubiquitin/proteasome system. In this review, we catalog folding-defective mammalian, yeast, and plant proteins that fail to engage ERAD machineries. We describe that they rather segregate in ER subdomains that eventually vesiculate. These ER-derived vesicles are captured by double membrane autophagosomes, engulfed by endolysosomes/vacuoles, or fused with degradative organelles to clear cells from their toxic cargo. These client-specific, mechanistically diverse ER-phagy pathways are grouped under the umbrella term of ER-to-lysosome-associated degradation for description in this essay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Rudinskiy
- Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maurizio Molinari
- Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
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Sp S, Mitra RN, Zheng M, Chrispell JD, Wang K, Kwon YS, Weiss ER, Han Z. Gene augmentation for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa using rhodopsin genomic loci nanoparticles in the P23H +/- knock-in murine model. Gene Ther 2023; 30:628-640. [PMID: 36935427 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-023-00394-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) is challenged by the dominant inheritance of the mutant genes, which would seemingly require a combination of mutant suppression and wild-type replacement of the appropriate gene. We explore the possibility that delivery of a nanoparticle (NP)-mediated full-length mouse genomic rhodopsin (gRho) or human genomic rhodopsin (gRHO) locus can overcome the dominant negative effects of the mutant rhodopsin in the clinically relevant P23H+/--knock-in heterozygous mouse model. Our results demonstrate that mice in both gRho and gRHO NP-treated groups exhibit significant structural and functional recovery of the rod photoreceptors, which lasted for 3 months post-injection, indicating a promising reduction in photoreceptor degeneration. We performed miRNA transcriptome analysis using next generation sequencing and detected differentially expressed miRNAs as a first step towards identifying miRNAs that could potentially be used as rhodopsin gene expression enhancers or suppressors for sustained photoreceptor rescue. Our results indicate that delivering an intact genomic locus as a transgene has a greater chance of success compared to the use of the cDNA for treatment of this model of adRP, emphasizing the importance of gene augmentation using a gDNA that includes regulatory elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simna Sp
- Department of Ophthalmology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Rajendra N Mitra
- Department of Ophthalmology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Min Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jared D Chrispell
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Yong-Su Kwon
- Department of Ophthalmology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Ellen R Weiss
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Zongchao Han
- Department of Ophthalmology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Carolina Institute for NanoMedicine, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Division of Pharmacoengineering & Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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33
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Nguyen MN, Chakraborty D, Rao SR, Onysk A, Radkiewicz M, Surmacz L, Swiezewska E, Soubeyrand E, Akhtar TA, Kraft TW, Sherry DM, Fliesler SJ, Pittler SJ. A Dhdds K42E knock-in RP59 mouse model shows inner retina pathology and defective synaptic transmission. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:420. [PMID: 37443173 PMCID: PMC10345138 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05936-4] [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: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) defines a group of hereditary progressive rod-cone degenerations that exhibit a common phenotype caused by variants in over 70 genes. While most variants in the dehydrodolichyl diphosphate synthase (DHDDS) gene result in syndromic abnormalities, some variants cause non-syndromic RP (RP59). DHDDS encodes one subunit of the enzyme cis-prenyltransferase (CPT), which is required for the synthesis of dolichol (Dol), that is a necessary protein glycosylation cofactor. We previously reported the creation and initial characterization of a knock-in (KI) mouse model harboring the most prevalent RP59-associated DHDDS variant (K42E) to understand how defects in DHDDS lead to retina-specific pathology. This model exhibited no profound retinal degeneration, nor protein N-glycosylation defects. Here, we report that the Dol isoprenylogue species in retina, liver, and brain of the K42E mouse model are statistically shorter than in the corresponding tissues of age-matched controls, as reported in blood and urine of RP59 patients. Retinal transcriptome analysis demonstrated elevation of many genes encoding proteins involved in synaptogenesis and synaptic function. Quantitative retinal cell layer thickness measurements demonstrated a significant reduction in the inner nuclear layer (INL) and total retinal thickness (TRT) beginning at postnatal (PN) ∼2 months, progressively increasing to PN 18-mo. Histological analysis revealed cell loss in the INL, outer plexiform layer (OPL) disruption, and ectopic localization of outer nuclear layer (ONL) nuclei into the OPL of K42E mutant retinas, relative to controls. Electroretinograms (ERGs) of mutant mice exhibited reduced b-wave amplitudes beginning at PN 1-mo, progressively declining through PN 18-mo, without appreciable a-wave attenuation, relative to controls. Our results suggest that the underlying cause of DHDDS K42E variant driven RP59 retinal pathology is defective synaptic transmission from outer to inner retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai N Nguyen
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, Vision Science Research Center, School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Dibyendu Chakraborty
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, Vision Science Research Center, School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Sriganesh Ramachandra Rao
- Research Service, VA Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry and Neuroscience Graduate Program, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Agnieszka Onysk
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 02106, Poland
| | - Mariusz Radkiewicz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 02106, Poland
| | - Liliana Surmacz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 02106, Poland
| | - Ewa Swiezewska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 02106, Poland
| | - Eric Soubeyrand
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Tariq A Akhtar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Timothy W Kraft
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, Vision Science Research Center, School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - David M Sherry
- Departments of Cell Biology, Neurosurgery, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Steven J Fliesler
- Research Service, VA Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry and Neuroscience Graduate Program, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Steven J Pittler
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, Vision Science Research Center, School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
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Majid N, Khan RH. Protein aggregation: Consequences, mechanism, characterization and inhibitory strategies. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 242:125123. [PMID: 37270122 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Proteins play a major role in the regulation of various cellular functions including the synthesis of structural components. But proteins are stable under physiological conditions only. A slight variation in environmental conditions can cost them huge in terms of conformational stability ultimately leading to aggregation. Under normal conditions, aggregated proteins are degraded or removed from the cell by a quality control system including ubiquitin-proteasomal machinery and autophagy. But they are burdened under diseased conditions or are impaired by the aggregated proteins leading to the generation of toxicity. The misfolding and aggregation of protein such as amyloid-β, α-synuclein, human lysozyme etc., are responsible for certain diseases including Alzheimer, Parkinson, and non- neuropathic systemic amyloidosis respectively. Extensive research has been done to find the therapeutics for such diseases but till now we have got only symptomatic treatment that will reduce the disease severity but will not target the initial formation of nucleus responsible for disease progression and propagation. Hence there is an urgent need to develop the drugs targeting the cause of the disease. For this, a wide knowledge related to misfolding and aggregation under the same heading is required as described in this review alongwith the strategies hypothesized and implemented till now. This will contribute a lot to the work of researchers in the field of neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabeela Majid
- Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| | - Rizwan Hasan Khan
- Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India.
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35
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Spencer WJ. Extracellular vesicles highlight many cases of photoreceptor degeneration. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1182573. [PMID: 37273908 PMCID: PMC10233141 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1182573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The release of extracellular vesicles is observed across numerous cell types and serves a range of biological functions including intercellular communication and waste disposal. One cell type which stands out for its robust capacity to release extracellular vesicles is the vertebrate photoreceptor cell. For decades, the release of extracellular vesicles by photoreceptors has been documented in many different animal models of photoreceptor degeneration and, more recently, in wild type photoreceptors. Here, I review all studies describing extracellular vesicle release by photoreceptors and discuss the most unifying theme among them-a photoreceptor cell fully, or partially, diverts its light sensitive membrane material to extracellular vesicles when it has defects in the delivery or morphing of this material into the photoreceptor's highly organized light sensing organelle. Because photoreceptors generate an enormous amount of light sensitive membrane every day, the diversion of this material to extracellular vesicles can cause a massive accumulation of these membranes within the retina. Little is known about the uptake of photoreceptor derived extracellular vesicles, although in some cases the retinal pigment epithelial cells, microglia, Müller glia, and/or photoreceptor cells themselves have been shown to phagocytize them.
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Zhao N, Li N, Wang T. PERK prevents rhodopsin degradation during retinitis pigmentosa by inhibiting IRE1-induced autophagy. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:e202208147. [PMID: 37022709 PMCID: PMC10082367 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202208147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is the underlying cause of many degenerative diseases, including autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). In adRP, mutant rhodopsins accumulate and cause ER stress. This destabilizes wild-type rhodopsin and triggers photoreceptor cell degeneration. To reveal the mechanisms by which these mutant rhodopsins exert their dominant-negative effects, we established an in vivo fluorescence reporter system to monitor mutant and wild-type rhodopsin in Drosophila. By performing a genome-wide genetic screen, we found that PERK signaling plays a key role in maintaining rhodopsin homeostasis by attenuating IRE1 activities. Degradation of wild-type rhodopsin is mediated by selective autophagy of ER, which is induced by uncontrolled IRE1/XBP1 signaling and insufficient proteasome activities. Moreover, upregulation of PERK signaling prevents autophagy and suppresses retinal degeneration in the adRP model. These findings establish a pathological role for autophagy in this neurodegenerative condition and indicate that promoting PERK activity could be used to treat ER stress-related neuropathies, including adRP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zhao
- Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Li
- College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
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37
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Justin GA, Girach A, Maldonado RS. Antisense oligonucleotide therapy for proline-23-histidine autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2023; 34:226-231. [PMID: 36924362 DOI: 10.1097/icu.0000000000000947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To discuss antisense oligonucleotide (ASON) therapy for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) caused by the proline-23-histidine (P23H) mutation in the rhodopsin gene. RECENT FINDINGS Viral and nonviral therapies to treat adRP are currently under investigation. A promising therapeutic option is a nonviral approach using ASONs. This form of genetic therapy has demonstrated a dose-dependent and highly selective reduction of P23H mutant rhodopsin mRNA in animal models, and it is currently being investigated as a human phase 1/2 clinical trial. SUMMARY There are promising new therapies to treat adRP. ASON has shown encouraging results in animal models and has undergone a phase 1 clinical trial. ASON does not use a viral vector, is delivered with standard intravitreal injection, and its effects are reversible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant A Justin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Ramiro S Maldonado
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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38
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Bhokisham N, Laudermilch E, Traeger LL, Bonilla TD, Ruiz-Estevez M, Becker JR. CRISPR-Cas System: The Current and Emerging Translational Landscape. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081103. [PMID: 37190012 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas technology has rapidly changed life science research and human medicine. The ability to add, remove, or edit human DNA sequences has transformative potential for treating congenital and acquired human diseases. The timely maturation of the cell and gene therapy ecosystem and its seamless integration with CRISPR-Cas technologies has enabled the development of therapies that could potentially cure not only monogenic diseases such as sickle cell anemia and muscular dystrophy, but also complex heterogenous diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Here, we review the current landscape of clinical trials involving the use of various CRISPR-Cas systems as therapeutics for human diseases, discuss challenges, and explore new CRISPR-Cas-based tools such as base editing, prime editing, CRISPR-based transcriptional regulation, CRISPR-based epigenome editing, and RNA editing, each promising new functionality and broadening therapeutic potential. Finally, we discuss how the CRISPR-Cas system is being used to understand the biology of human diseases through the generation of large animal disease models used for preclinical testing of emerging therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ethan Laudermilch
- Corporate Research Material Labs, 3M Center, 3M Company, Maplewood, MN 55144, USA
| | - Lindsay L Traeger
- Corporate Research Material Labs, 3M Center, 3M Company, Maplewood, MN 55144, USA
| | - Tonya D Bonilla
- Corporate Research Material Labs, 3M Center, 3M Company, Maplewood, MN 55144, USA
| | | | - Jordan R Becker
- Corporate Research Material Labs, 3M Center, 3M Company, Maplewood, MN 55144, USA
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Massoudi D, Gorman S, Kuo YM, Iwawaki T, Oakes SA, Papa FR, Gould DB. Deletion of the Unfolded Protein Response Transducer IRE1α Is Detrimental to Aging Photoreceptors and to ER Stress-Mediated Retinal Degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:30. [PMID: 37097227 PMCID: PMC10148664 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.4.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The unfolded protein response (UPR) is triggered when the protein folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is overwhelmed and misfolded proteins accumulate in the ER, a condition referred to as ER stress. IRE1α is an ER-resident protein that plays major roles in orchestrating the UPR. Several lines of evidence implicate the UPR and its transducers in neurodegenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a group of inherited diseases that cause progressive dysfunction and loss of rod and cone photoreceptors. This study evaluated the contribution of IRE1α to photoreceptor development, homeostasis, and degeneration. Methods We used a conditional gene targeting strategy to selectively inactivate Ire1α in mouse rod photoreceptors. We used a combination of optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, histology, and electroretinography (ERG) to assess longitudinally the effect of IRE1α deficiency in retinal development and function. Furthermore, we evaluated the IRE1α-deficient retina responses to tunicamycin-induced ER stress and in the context of RP caused by the rhodopsin mutation RhoP23H. Results OCT imaging, histology, and ERG analyses did not reveal abnormalities in IRE1α-deficient retinas up to 3 months old. However, by 6 months of age, the Ire1α mutant animals showed reduced outer nuclear layer thickness and deficits in retinal function. Furthermore, conditional inactivation of Ire1α in rod photoreceptors accelerated retinal degeneration caused by the RhoP23H mutation. Conclusions These data suggest that IRE1α is dispensable for photoreceptor development but important for photoreceptor homeostasis in aging retinas and for protecting against ER stress-mediated photoreceptor degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawiyat Massoudi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Seán Gorman
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Yien-Ming Kuo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Takao Iwawaki
- Division of Cell Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Scott A. Oakes
- Department of Pathology, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Feroz R. Papa
- Department of Medicine, Diabetes Center, Quantitative Biosciences Institute and Lung Biology Center University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Douglas B. Gould
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
- Department of Anatomy, Institute for Human Genetics, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Bakar Aging Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States
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40
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Zhen F, Zou T, Wang T, Zhou Y, Dong S, Zhang H. Rhodopsin-associated retinal dystrophy: Disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1132179. [PMID: 37077319 PMCID: PMC10106759 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1132179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhodopsin is a light-sensitive G protein-coupled receptor that initiates the phototransduction cascade in rod photoreceptors. Mutations in the rhodopsin-encoding gene RHO are the leading cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP). To date, more than 200 mutations have been identified in RHO. The high allelic heterogeneity of RHO mutations suggests complicated pathogenic mechanisms. Here, we discuss representative RHO mutations as examples to briefly summarize the mechanisms underlying rhodopsin-related retinal dystrophy, which include but are not limited to endoplasmic reticulum stress and calcium ion dysregulation resulting from protein misfolding, mistrafficking, and malfunction. Based on recent advances in our understanding of disease mechanisms, various treatment methods, including adaptation, whole-eye electrical stimulation, and small molecular compounds, have been developed. Additionally, innovative therapeutic treatment strategies, such as antisense oligonucleotide therapy, gene therapy, optogenetic therapy, and stem cell therapy, have achieved promising outcomes in preclinical disease models of rhodopsin mutations. Successful translation of these treatment strategies may effectively ameliorate, prevent or rescue vision loss related to rhodopsin mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Zhen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial Ophthalmic Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
- The Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study of Sichuan Province and Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tongdan Zou
- The Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study of Sichuan Province and Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Wang
- The Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study of Sichuan Province and Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yongwei Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial Ophthalmic Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shuqian Dong
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial Ophthalmic Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Shuqian Dong, ; Houbin Zhang,
| | - Houbin Zhang
- The Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study of Sichuan Province and Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Research Unit for Blindness Prevention, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU026), Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- *Correspondence: Shuqian Dong, ; Houbin Zhang,
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Sakai D, Hiraoka M, Matsuzaki M, Yokota S, Hirami Y, Onishi A, Nakamura M, Takahashi M, Kurimoto Y, Maeda A. Genotype and phenotype characteristics of RHO-associated retinitis pigmentosa in the Japanese population. Jpn J Ophthalmol 2023; 67:138-148. [PMID: 36648560 DOI: 10.1007/s10384-023-00975-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To identify the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of rhodopsin (RHO)-associated retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in the Japanese population. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional, single-center study METHODS: The medical records of 1336 patients with RP who underwent genetic testing at our clinic between November 2008 and September 2021 were reviewed, and patients with RHO variants were included. The patients were divided into class A and class B to assess genotype-phenotype correlations based on previous reports. The clinical findings, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), OCT parameters (ellipsoid zone [EZ] width and central retinal thickness [CRT]), and presence of macular degeneration, of the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS The study included 28 patients diagnosed with RHO-associated RP (class A, 19; class B, 9). The BCVA was significantly worse in class A patients than in class B patients (P = 0.045). Superior EZ width was significantly shorter in class A than in class B patients (P = 0.016). Class A patients tended to have thinner CRT and shorter inferior EZ width than those of class B patients, although this difference was not significant. Macular degeneration was observed in 61.5% of class A and 12.5% of class B patients, demonstrating that macular degeneration can be a common complication in class A variants. CONCLUSION Patients with class A variants presented with a severer form of RP than that of patients with class B variants in the Japanese population. These results suggest that the phenotype of RHO-associated RP is linked to the location of the variants and that such a genotype-phenotype correlation is less affected by ethnicities with different genetic backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki Sakai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, 2-1-8 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan. .,Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Japan. .,Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
| | - Masakazu Hiraoka
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, 2-1-8 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.,Department of Ophthalmology, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Matsuzaki
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, 2-1-8 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.,Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yokota
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, 2-1-8 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.,Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Hirami
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, 2-1-8 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.,Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Japan
| | - Akishi Onishi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, 2-1-8 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.,Vision Care Inc., Kobe, Japan
| | - Makoto Nakamura
- Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Masayo Takahashi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, 2-1-8 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.,Vision Care Inc., Kobe, Japan
| | - Yasuo Kurimoto
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, 2-1-8 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.,Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Japan
| | - Akiko Maeda
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, 2-1-8 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.,Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Japan
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42
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Wu KY, Kulbay M, Toameh D, Xu AQ, Kalevar A, Tran SD. Retinitis Pigmentosa: Novel Therapeutic Targets and Drug Development. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:685. [PMID: 36840007 PMCID: PMC9963330 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous group of hereditary diseases characterized by progressive degeneration of retinal photoreceptors leading to progressive visual decline. It is the most common type of inherited retinal dystrophy and has a high burden on both patients and society. This condition causes gradual loss of vision, with its typical manifestations including nyctalopia, concentric visual field loss, and ultimately bilateral central vision loss. It is one of the leading causes of visual disability and blindness in people under 60 years old and affects over 1.5 million people worldwide. There is currently no curative treatment for people with RP, and only a small group of patients with confirmed RPE65 mutations are eligible to receive the only gene therapy on the market: voretigene neparvovec. The current therapeutic armamentarium is limited to retinoids, vitamin A supplements, protection from sunlight, visual aids, and medical and surgical interventions to treat ophthalmic comorbidities, which only aim to slow down the progression of the disease. Considering such a limited therapeutic landscape, there is an urgent need for developing new and individualized therapeutic modalities targeting retinal degeneration. Although the heterogeneity of gene mutations involved in RP makes its target treatment development difficult, recent fundamental studies showed promising progress in elucidation of the photoreceptor degeneration mechanism. The discovery of novel molecule therapeutics that can selectively target specific receptors or specific pathways will serve as a solid foundation for advanced drug development. This article is a review of recent progress in novel treatment of RP focusing on preclinical stage fundamental research on molecular targets, which will serve as a starting point for advanced drug development. We will review the alterations in the molecular pathways involved in the development of RP, mainly those regarding endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptotic pathways, maintenance of the redox balance, and genomic stability. We will then discuss the therapeutic approaches under development, such as gene and cell therapy, as well as the recent literature identifying novel potential drug targets for RP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Y. Wu
- Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1G 2E8, Canada
| | - Merve Kulbay
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Dana Toameh
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1, Canada
| | - An Qi Xu
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Ananda Kalevar
- Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1G 2E8, Canada
| | - Simon D. Tran
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
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43
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Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis Underlying Inherited Retinal Dystrophies. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020271. [PMID: 36830640 PMCID: PMC9953031 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are congenital retinal degenerative diseases that have various inheritance patterns, including dominant, recessive, X-linked, and mitochondrial. These diseases are most often the result of defects in rod and/or cone photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium function, development, or both. The genes associated with these diseases, when mutated, produce altered protein products that have downstream effects in pathways critical to vision, including phototransduction, the visual cycle, photoreceptor development, cellular respiration, and retinal homeostasis. The aim of this manuscript is to provide a comprehensive review of the underlying molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of IRDs by delving into many of the genes associated with IRD development, their protein products, and the pathways interrupted by genetic mutation.
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44
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Ortega JT, Parmar T, Jastrzebska B. Galanin receptor 3 - A new pharmacological target in retina degeneration. Pharmacol Res 2023; 188:106675. [PMID: 36693600 PMCID: PMC9918719 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptide galanin receptor 3 (GALR3) is a class A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) broadly expressed in the nervous system, including the retina. GALR3 is involved in the modulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Tight control of these processes is critical for maintaining homeostasis in the retina and is required to sustain vision. Here, we investigated the role of GALR3 in retina pathologies triggered by bright light and P23H mutation in the rhodopsin (RHO) gene, associated with the activation of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. We used a multiphase approach involving pharmacological inhibition of GALR3 with its antagonist SNAP-37889 and genetic depletion of GALR3 to modulate the GALR3 signaling. Our in vitro experiments in the retinal pigment epithelium-derived cells (ARPE19) susceptible to all-trans-retinal toxicity indicated that GALR3 could be involved in the cellular stress response to this phototoxic product. Indeed, blocking the GALR3 signaling in Abca4-/-/Rdh8-/- and wild-type Balb/cJ mice, sensitive to bright light-induced retina damage, protected retina health in these mice exposed to light. The retina morphology and function were substantially improved, and stress response processes were reduced in these mouse models compared to the controls. Furthermore, in P23H Rho knock-in mice, a model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), both pharmacological inhibition and genetic ablation of GALR3 prolonged the survival of photoreceptors. These results indicate that GALR3 signaling contributes to acute light-induced and chronic RP-linked retinopathies. Together, this work provides the pharmacological knowledge base to evaluate GALR3 as a potential target for developing novel therapies to combat retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph T Ortega
- Department of Pharmacology and Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Tanu Parmar
- Department of Pharmacology and Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Beata Jastrzebska
- Department of Pharmacology and Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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45
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Abstract
Inherited ocular diseases comprise a heterogeneous group of rare and complex diseases, including inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) and inherited optic neuropathies. Recent success in adeno-associated virus-based gene therapy, voretigene neparvovec (Luxturna®) for RPE65-related IRDs, has heralded rapid evolution in gene therapy platform technologies and strategies, from gene augmentation to RNA editing, as well as gene agnostic approaches such as optogenetics. This review discusses the fundamentals underlying the mode of inheritance, natural history studies and clinical trial outcomes, as well as current and emerging therapies covering gene therapy strategies, cell-based therapies and bionic vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwei Wuen Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, National University Hospital, Singapore,Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore,Correspondence: Dr Hwei Wuen Chan, Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology (Eye), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, Level 7, 119228, Singapore. E-mail:
| | - Jaslyn Oh
- Department of Ophthalmology, National University Hospital, Singapore
| | - Bart Leroy
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium,Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium,Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium,Division of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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46
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Kim Y, Li C, Gu C, Tycksen E, Puri A, Pietka TA, Sivapackiam J, Fang Y, Kidd K, Park SJ, Johnson BG, Kmoch S, Duffield JS, Bleyer AJ, Jackrel ME, Urano F, Sharma V, Lindahl M, Chen YM. MANF stimulates autophagy and restores mitochondrial homeostasis to treat toxic proteinopathy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.10.523171. [PMID: 36711449 PMCID: PMC9882049 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.10.523171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Misfolded protein aggregates may cause toxic proteinopathy, including autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease due to uromodulin mutations (ADTKD- UMOD ), one of the leading hereditary kidney diseases, and Alzheimer’s disease etc. There are no targeted therapies. ADTKD is also a genetic form of renal fibrosis and chronic kidney disease, which affects 500 million people worldwide. For the first time, in our newly generated mouse model recapitulating human ADTKD- UMOD carrying a leading UMOD deletion mutation, we show that autophagy/mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis are severely impaired, leading to cGAS- STING activation and tubular injury. Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is a novel endoplasmic reticulum stress-regulated secreted protein. We provide the first study that inducible tubular overexpression of MANF after the onset of disease stimulates autophagy/mitophagy and clearance of the misfolded UMOD, and promotes mitochondrial biogenesis through p-AMPK enhancement, resulting in protection of kidney function. Conversely, genetic ablation of endogenous MANF upregulated in the mutant mouse and human tubular cells worsens autophagy suppression and kidney fibrosis. Together, we discover MANF as a novel biotherapeutic protein and elucidate previously unknown mechanisms of MANF in regulating organelle homeostasis to treat ADTKD, which may have broad therapeutic application to treat various proteinopathies.
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47
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Pedraza-González L, Barneschi L, Marszałek M, Padula D, De Vico L, Olivucci M. Automated QM/MM Screening of Rhodopsin Variants with Enhanced Fluorescence. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:293-310. [PMID: 36516450 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c00928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We present a computational protocol for the fast and automated screening of excited-state hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) models of rhodopsins to be used as fluorescent probes based on the automatic rhodopsin modeling protocol (a-ARM). Such "a-ARM fluorescence screening protocol" is implemented through a general Python-based driver, PyARM, that is also proposed here. The implementation and performance of the protocol are benchmarked using different sets of rhodopsin variants whose absorption and, more relevantly, emission spectra have been experimentally measured. We show that, despite important limitations that make unsafe to use it as a black-box tool, the protocol reproduces the observed trends in fluorescence and it is capable of selecting novel potentially fluorescent rhodopsins. We also show that the protocol can be used in mechanistic investigations to discern fluorescence enhancement effects associated with a near degeneracy of the S1/S2 states or, alternatively, with a barrier generated via coupling of the S0/S1 wave functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Pedraza-González
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Università degli Studi di Siena, Via A. Moro 2, I-53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Leonardo Barneschi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Università degli Studi di Siena, Via A. Moro 2, I-53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Michał Marszałek
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Università degli Studi di Siena, Via A. Moro 2, I-53100 Siena, Italy.,Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiaǹskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Daniele Padula
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Università degli Studi di Siena, Via A. Moro 2, I-53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Luca De Vico
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Università degli Studi di Siena, Via A. Moro 2, I-53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Massimo Olivucci
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Università degli Studi di Siena, Via A. Moro 2, I-53100 Siena, Italy.,Department of Chemistry, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403, United States
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48
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John MC, Quinn J, Hu ML, Cehajic-Kapetanovic J, Xue K. Gene-agnostic therapeutic approaches for inherited retinal degenerations. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 15:1068185. [PMID: 36710928 PMCID: PMC9881597 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1068185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are associated with mutations in over 250 genes and represent a major cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. While gene augmentation or gene editing therapies could address the underlying genetic mutations in a small subset of patients, their utility remains limited by the great genetic heterogeneity of IRDs and the costs of developing individualised therapies. Gene-agnostic therapeutic approaches target common pathogenic pathways that drive retinal degeneration or provide functional rescue of vision independent of the genetic cause, thus offering potential clinical benefits to all IRD patients. Here, we review the key gene-agnostic approaches, including retinal cell reprogramming and replacement, neurotrophic support, immune modulation and optogenetics. The relative benefits and limitations of these strategies and the timing of clinical interventions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly C. John
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Joel Quinn
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Monica L. Hu
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jasmina Cehajic-Kapetanovic
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kanmin Xue
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
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49
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Liu Y, Wang X, Gong R, Xu G, Zhu M. Overexpression of Rhodopsin or Its Mutants Leads to Energy Metabolism Dysfunction in 661w Cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:2. [PMID: 36469028 PMCID: PMC9730732 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.13.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders characterized by photoreceptor degeneration. The rhodopsin gene (RHO) is the most frequent cause of autosomal dominant RP (ADRP), yet it remains unclear how RHO mutations cause heterogeneous phenotypes. Energy failure is a main cause of the secondary cone death during RP progression; however, its role in primary rod death induced by ADRP RHO mutants is unknown. Methods Three RHO missense mutations were chosen from different clinical classes. Wild-type (WT) RHO and its mutants, P23H (class B1), R135L (class A), and G188R (class B2), were overexpressed in 661w cells, a mouse photoreceptor cell line, and their effects on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and aerobic glycolysis were compared separately. Results Here, we report that energy failure is an early event in the cell death caused by overexpression of WT RHO and its mutants. RHO overexpression leads to OXPHOS deficiency, which might be a result of mitochondrial loss. Nonetheless, only in WT RHO and P23H groups, energy stress triggers AMP-activated protein kinase activation and metabolic reprogramming to increase glycolysis. Metabolic reprogramming impairment in R135L and G188R groups might be the reason why energy failure and cell injury are much more severe in those groups. Conclusions Our results imply that overexpression of RHO missense mutants have distinct impacts on the two energy metabolic pathways, which might be related to their heterogeneous phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruowen Gong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Gezhi Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Zhu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
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50
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Picarazzi F, Zuanon M, Pasqualetto G, Cammarone S, Romeo I, Young MT, Brancale A, Bassetto M, Mori M. Identification of Small Molecular Chaperones Binding P23H Mutant Opsin through an In Silico Structure-Based Approach. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:5794-5805. [PMID: 36367985 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
N-terminal P23H opsin mutation accounts for most of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) cases. P23H functions and folding can be rescued by small chaperone ligands, which contributes to validate mutant opsin as a suitable target for pharmacological treatment of RP. However, the lack of structural details on P23H mutant opsin strongly impairs drug design, and new chemotypes of effective chaperones of P23H opsin are in high demand. Here, a computational-boosted workflow combining homology modeling with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and virtual screening was used to select putative P23H opsin chaperones among different libraries through a structure-based approach. In vitro studies corroborated the reliability of the structural model generated in this work and identified a number of novel chemotypes of safe and effective chaperones able to promote P23H opsin trafficking to the outer cell membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Picarazzi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Marika Zuanon
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Gaia Pasqualetto
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK
| | - Silvia Cammarone
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Facoltà di Farmacia e Medicina, "Sapienza" Università di Roma, P. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Isabella Romeo
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Facoltà di Farmacia e Medicina, "Sapienza" Università di Roma, P. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Mark T Young
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Andrea Brancale
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK.,Vysoká Škola Chemicko-Technologiká v Praze, Prague 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Marcella Bassetto
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Mattia Mori
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
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