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Davis BM, Guo L, Ravindran N, Shamsher E, Baekelandt V, Mitchell H, Bharath AA, De Groef L, Cordeiro MF. Dynamic changes in cell size and corresponding cell fate after optic nerve injury. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21683. [PMID: 33303775 PMCID: PMC7730151 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77760-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying disease-specific patterns of retinal cell loss in pathological conditions has been highlighted by the emergence of techniques such as Detection of Apoptotic Retinal Cells and Adaptive Optics confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy which have enabled single-cell visualisation in vivo. Cell size has previously been used to stratify Retinal Ganglion Cell (RGC) populations in histological samples of optic neuropathies, and early work in this field suggested that larger RGCs are more susceptible to early loss than smaller RGCs. More recently, however, it has been proposed that RGC soma and axon size may be dynamic and change in response to injury. To address this unresolved controversy, we applied recent advances in maximising information extraction from RGC populations in retinal whole mounts to evaluate the changes in RGC size distribution over time, using three well-established rodent models of optic nerve injury. In contrast to previous studies based on sampling approaches, we examined the whole Brn3a-positive RGC population at multiple time points over the natural history of these models. The morphology of over 4 million RGCs was thus assessed to glean novel insights from this dataset. RGC subpopulations were found to both increase and decrease in size over time, supporting the notion that RGC cell size is dynamic in response to injury. However, this study presents compelling evidence that smaller RGCs are lost more rapidly than larger RGCs despite the dynamism. Finally, using a bootstrap approach, the data strongly suggests that disease-associated changes in RGC spatial distribution and morphology could have potential as novel diagnostic indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Davis
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
- Western Eye Hospital, ICORG, Imperial College London, London, NW1 5QH, UK
| | - Li Guo
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Nivedita Ravindran
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Ehtesham Shamsher
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Veerle Baekelandt
- Laboratory for Neurobiology and Gene Therapy, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 33, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hannah Mitchell
- School of Mathematics and Physics, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, Ireland
| | - Anil A Bharath
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Lies De Groef
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - M Francesca Cordeiro
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
- Western Eye Hospital, ICORG, Imperial College London, London, NW1 5QH, UK.
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Guo L, Davis BM, Ravindran N, Galvao J, Kapoor N, Haamedi N, Shamsher E, Luong V, Fico E, Cordeiro MF. Topical recombinant human Nerve growth factor (rh-NGF) is neuroprotective to retinal ganglion cells by targeting secondary degeneration. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3375. [PMID: 32099056 PMCID: PMC7042238 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60427-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Optic neuropathy is a major cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, and no effective treatment is currently available. Secondary degeneration is believed to be the major contributor to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death, the endpoint of optic neuropathy. Partial optic nerve transection (pONT) is an established model of optic neuropathy. Although the mechanisms of primary and secondary degeneration have been delineated in this model, until now how this is influenced by therapy is not well-understood. In this article, we describe a clinically translatable topical, neuroprotective treatment (recombinant human nerve growth factor, rh-NGF) predominantly targeting secondary degeneration in a pONT rat model. Topical application of rh-NGF twice daily for 3 weeks significantly improves RGC survival as shown by reduced RGC apoptosis in vivo and increased RGC population in the inferior retina, which is predominantly affected in this model by secondary degeneration. Topical rh-NGF also promotes greater axonal survival and inhibits astrocyte activity in the optic nerve. Collectively, these results suggest that topical rh-NGF exhibits neuroprotective effects on retinal neurons via influencing secondary degeneration process. As topical rh-NGF is already involved in early clinical trials, this highlights its potential in multiple indications in patients, including those affected by glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Guo
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Benjamin M Davis
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nivedita Ravindran
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joana Galvao
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Neel Kapoor
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nasrin Haamedi
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ehtesham Shamsher
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Vy Luong
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Fico
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - M Francesca Cordeiro
- Glaucoma & Retinal Neurodegeneration Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom. .,Western Eye Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
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Topical Curcumin Nanocarriers are Neuroprotective in Eye Disease. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11066. [PMID: 30038334 PMCID: PMC6056418 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29393-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Curcumin (1,7-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5dione) is a polyphenol extracted from turmeric that has long been advocated for the treatment of a variety of conditions including neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders. Despite this promise, the clinical use of curcumin has been limited by the poor solubility and low bioavailability of this molecule. In this article, we describe a novel nanocarrier formulation comprising Pluronic-F127 stabilised D-α-Tocopherol polyethene glycol 1000 succinate nanoparticles, which were used to successfully solubilize high concentrations (4.3 mg/mL) of curcumin. Characterisation with x-ray diffraction and in vitro release assays localise curcumin to the nanocarrier interior, with each particle measuring <20 nm diameter. Curcumin-loaded nanocarriers (CN) were found to significantly protect against cobalt chloride induced hypoxia and glutamate induced toxicity in vitro, with CN treatment significantly increasing R28 cell viability. Using established glaucoma-related in vivo models of ocular hypertension (OHT) and partial optic nerve transection (pONT), topical application of CN twice-daily for three weeks significantly reduced retinal ganglion cell loss compared to controls. Collectively, these results suggest that our novel topical CN formulation has potential as an effective neuroprotective therapy in glaucoma and other eye diseases with neuronal pathology.
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Davis BM, Tian K, Pahlitzsch M, Brenton J, Ravindran N, Butt G, Malaguarnera G, Normando EM, Guo L, Cordeiro MF. Topical Coenzyme Q10 demonstrates mitochondrial-mediated neuroprotection in a rodent model of ocular hypertension. Mitochondrion 2017; 36:114-123. [PMID: 28549843 PMCID: PMC5645575 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2017.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2016] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant with known neuroprotective activity. Its ocular effects when co-solubilised with α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) were evaluated. In vitro studies confirmed that CoQ10 was significantly protective in different retinal ganglion cell (RGC) models. In vivo studies in Adult Dark Agouti (DA) rats with unilateral surgically-induced ocular hypertension (OHT) treated with either CoQ10/TPGS micelles or TPGS vehicle twice daily for three weeks were performed, following which retinal cell health was assessed in vivo using DARC (Detection of Apoptotic Retinal Cells) and post-mortem with Brn3a histological assessment on whole retinal mounts. CoQ10/TPGS showed a significant neuroprotective effect compared to control with DARC (p<0.05) and Brn3 (p<0.01). Topical CoQ10 appears an effective therapy preventing RGC apoptosis and loss in glaucoma-related models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Michael Davis
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Kailin Tian
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Milena Pahlitzsch
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Brenton
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Nivedita Ravindran
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Gibran Butt
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Giulia Malaguarnera
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Eduardo M Normando
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom; Western Eye Hospital, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Li Guo
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - M Francesca Cordeiro
- Department of Visual Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom; Western Eye Hospital, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
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Davis BM, Salinas-Navarro M, Cordeiro MF, Moons L, De Groef L. Characterizing microglia activation: a spatial statistics approach to maximize information extraction. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1576. [PMID: 28484229 PMCID: PMC5431479 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01747-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia play an important role in the pathology of CNS disorders, however, there remains significant uncertainty about the neuroprotective/degenerative role of these cells due to a lack of techniques to adequately assess their complex behaviour in response to injury. Advancing microscopy techniques, transgenic lines and well-characterized molecular markers, have made histological assessment of microglia populations more accessible. However, there is a distinct lack of tools to adequately extract information from these images to fully characterise microglia behaviour. This, combined with growing economic pressures and the ethical need to minimise the use of laboratory animals, led us to develop tools to maximise the amount of information obtained. This study describes a novel approach, combining image analysis with spatial statistical techniques. In addition to monitoring morphological parameters and global changes in microglia density, nearest neighbour distance, and regularity index, we used cluster analyses based on changes in soma size and roundness to yield novel insights into the behaviour of different microglia phenotypes in a murine optic nerve injury model. These methods should be considered a generic tool to quantitatively assess microglia activation, to profile phenotypic changes into microglia subpopulations, and to map spatial distributions in virtually every CNS region and disease state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Davis
- Glaucoma and Retinal Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Manual Salinas-Navarro
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Naamsestraat 61 box 2464, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - M Francesca Cordeiro
- Glaucoma and Retinal Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom.,Western Eye Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, 171 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5QH, United Kingdom
| | - Lieve Moons
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Naamsestraat 61 box 2464, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lies De Groef
- Glaucoma and Retinal Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom. .,Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Naamsestraat 61 box 2464, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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