1
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Lu F, Leach LL, Gross JM. A CRISPR-Cas9-mediated F0 screen to identify pro-regenerative genes in the zebrafish retinal pigment epithelium. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3142. [PMID: 36823429 PMCID: PMC9950062 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29046-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Ocular diseases resulting in death of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) lead to vision loss and blindness. There are currently no FDA-approved strategies to restore damaged RPE cells. Stimulating intrinsic regenerative responses within damaged tissues has gained traction as a possible mechanism for tissue repair. Zebrafish possess remarkable regenerative abilities, including within the RPE; however, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains limited. Here, we conducted an F0 in vivo CRISPR-Cas9-mediated screen of 27 candidate RPE regeneration genes. The screen involved injection of a ribonucleoprotein complex containing three highly mutagenic guide RNAs per target gene followed by PCR-based genotyping to identify large intragenic deletions and MATLAB-based automated quantification of RPE regeneration. Through this F0 screening pipeline, eight positive and seven negative regulators of RPE regeneration were identified. Further characterization of one candidate, cldn7b, revealed novel roles in regulating macrophage/microglia infiltration after RPE injury and in clearing RPE/pigment debris during late-phase RPE regeneration. Taken together, these data support the utility of targeted F0 screens for validating pro-regenerative factors and reveal novel factors that could regulate regenerative responses within the zebrafish RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Lu
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA ,grid.452708.c0000 0004 1803 0208Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011 Hunan China
| | - Lyndsay L. Leach
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA ,grid.89336.370000 0004 1936 9924Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Gross
- grid.21925.3d0000 0004 1936 9000Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA ,grid.89336.370000 0004 1936 9924Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
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2
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Grigoryan EN. Cell Sources for Retinal Regeneration: Implication for Data Translation in Biomedicine of the Eye. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233755. [PMID: 36497013 PMCID: PMC9738527 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The main degenerative diseases of the retina include macular degeneration, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, and glaucoma. Novel approaches for treating retinal diseases are based on cell replacement therapy using a variety of exogenous stem cells. An alternative and complementary approach is the potential use of retinal regeneration cell sources (RRCSs) containing retinal pigment epithelium, ciliary body, Müller glia, and retinal ciliary region. RRCSs in lower vertebrates in vivo and in mammals mostly in vitro are able to proliferate and exhibit gene expression and epigenetic characteristics typical for neural/retinal cell progenitors. Here, we review research on the factors controlling the RRCSs' properties, such as the cell microenvironment, growth factors, cytokines, hormones, etc., that determine the regenerative responses and alterations underlying the RRCS-associated pathologies. We also discuss how the current data on molecular features and regulatory mechanisms of RRCSs could be translated in retinal biomedicine with a special focus on (1) attempts to obtain retinal neurons de novo both in vivo and in vitro to replace damaged retinal cells; and (2) investigations of the key molecular networks stimulating regenerative responses and preventing RRCS-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora N Grigoryan
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia
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3
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Tangeman JA, Pérez-Estrada JR, Van Zeeland E, Liu L, Danciutiu A, Grajales-Esquivel E, Smucker B, Liang C, Del Rio-Tsonis K. A Stage-Specific OTX2 Regulatory Network and Maturation-Associated Gene Programs Are Inherent Barriers to RPE Neural Competency. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:875155. [PMID: 35517508 PMCID: PMC9062105 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.875155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) exhibits a diverse range of plasticity across vertebrates and is a potential source of cells for the regeneration of retinal neurons. Embryonic amniotes possess a transitory ability to regenerate neural retina through the reprogramming of RPE cells in an FGF-dependent manner. Chicken RPE can regenerate neural retina at embryonic day 4 (E4), but RPE neural competence is lost by embryonic day 5 (E5). To identify mechanisms that underlie loss of regenerative competence, we performed RNA and ATAC sequencing using E4 and E5 chicken RPE, as well as at both stages following retinectomy and FGF2 treatment. We find that genes associated with neural retina fate remain FGF2-inducible in the non-regenerative E5 RPE. Coinciding with fate restriction, RPE cells stably exit the cell cycle and dampen the expression of cell cycle progression genes normally expressed during regeneration, including E2F1. E5 RPE exhibits progressive activation of gene pathways associated with mature function independently of retinectomy or FGF2 treatment, including retinal metabolism, pigmentation synthesis, and ion transport. Moreover, the E5 RPE fails to efficiently repress OTX2 expression in response to FGF2. Predicted OTX2 binding motifs undergo robust accessibility increases in E5 RPE, many of which coincide with putative regulatory elements for genes known to facilitate RPE differentiation and maturation. Together, these results uncover widespread alterations in gene regulation that culminate in the loss of RPE neural competence and implicate OTX2 as a key determinant in solidifying the RPE fate. These results yield valuable insight to the basis of RPE lineage restriction during early development and will be of importance in understanding the varying capacities for RPE-derived retinal regeneration observed among vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared A. Tangeman
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - J. Raúl Pérez-Estrada
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Emily Van Zeeland
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Lin Liu
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Alexandra Danciutiu
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Erika Grajales-Esquivel
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Byran Smucker
- Department of Statistics, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Chun Liang
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Katia Del Rio-Tsonis
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
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4
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Lu F, Leach LL, Gross JM. mTOR activity is essential for retinal pigment epithelium regeneration in zebrafish. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009628. [PMID: 35271573 PMCID: PMC8939802 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays numerous critical roles in maintaining vision and this is underscored by the prevalence of degenerative blinding diseases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in which visual impairment is caused by progressive loss of RPE cells. In contrast to mammals, zebrafish possess the ability to intrinsically regenerate a functional RPE layer after severe injury. The molecular underpinnings of this regenerative process remain largely unknown yet hold tremendous potential for developing treatment strategies to stimulate endogenous regeneration in the human eye. In this study, we demonstrate that the mTOR pathway is activated in RPE cells post-genetic ablation. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of mTOR activity impaired RPE regeneration, while mTOR activation enhanced RPE recovery post-injury, demonstrating that mTOR activity is essential for RPE regeneration in zebrafish. RNA-seq of RPE isolated from mTOR-inhibited larvae identified a number of genes and pathways dependent on mTOR activity at early and late stages of regeneration; amongst these were components of the immune system, which is emerging as a key regulator of regenerative responses across various tissue and model systems. Our results identify crosstalk between macrophages/microglia and the RPE, wherein mTOR activity is required for recruitment of macrophages/microglia to the RPE injury site. Macrophages/microglia then reinforce mTOR activity in regenerating RPE cells. Interestingly, the function of macrophages/microglia in maintaining mTOR activity in the RPE appeared to be inflammation-independent. Taken together, these data identify mTOR activity as a key regulator of RPE regeneration and link the mTOR pathway to immune responses in facilitating RPE regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lyndsay L. Leach
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey M. Gross
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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5
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Gurumoorthy N, Nordin F, Tye GJ, Wan Kamarul Zaman WS, Ng MH. Non-Integrating Lentiviral Vectors in Clinical Applications: A Glance Through. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10010107. [PMID: 35052787 PMCID: PMC8773317 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10010107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors (LVs) play an important role in gene therapy and have proven successful in clinical trials. LVs are capable of integrating specific genetic materials into the target cells and allow for long-term expression of the cDNA of interest. The use of non-integrating LVs (NILVs) reduces insertional mutagenesis and the risk of malignant cell transformation over integrating lentiviral vectors. NILVs enable transient expression or sustained episomal expression, especially in non-dividing cells. Important modifications have been made to the basic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) structures to improve the safety and efficacy of LVs. NILV-aided transient expression has led to more pre-clinical studies on primary immunodeficiencies, cytotoxic cancer therapies, and hemoglobinopathies. Recently, the third generation of self-inactivating LVs was applied in clinical trials for recombinant protein production, vaccines, gene therapy, cell imaging, and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) generation. This review discusses the basic lentiviral biology and the four systems used for generating NILV designs. Mutations or modifications in LVs and their safety are addressed with reference to pre-clinical studies. The detailed application of NILVs in promising pre-clinical studies is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narmatha Gurumoorthy
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CTERM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; (N.G.); (M.H.N.)
| | - Fazlina Nordin
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CTERM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; (N.G.); (M.H.N.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Gee Jun Tye
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), 11800 Gelugor, Malaysia;
| | | | - Min Hwei Ng
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CTERM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; (N.G.); (M.H.N.)
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6
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Chen DD, Peng X, Wang Y, Jiang M, Xue M, Shang G, Liu X, Jia X, Liu B, Lu Y, Mu H, Zhang F, Hu Y. HSP90 acts as a senomorphic target in senescent retinal pigmental epithelial cells. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:21547-21570. [PMID: 34495872 PMCID: PMC8457597 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The senescence of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in the world. HSP90 is a predominant chaperone that regulates cellular homeostasis under divergent physio-pathological conditions including senescence. However, the role of HSP90 in senescent RPE cells still remains unclear. Here, we reported that HSP90 acts as a senomorphic target of senescent RPE cells in vitro. Using H2O2-induced senescent ARPE-19 cells and replicative senescent primary RPE cells from rhesus monkey, we found that HSP90 upregulates the expression of IKKα, and HIF1α in senescent ARPE-19 cells and subsequently controls the induction of distinct senescence-associated inflammatory factors. Senescent ARPE-19 cells are more resistant to the cytotoxic HSP90 inhibitor IPI504 (IC50 = 36.78 μM) when compared to normal ARPE-19 cells (IC50 = 6.16 μM). Administration of IPI504 at 0.5–5 μM can significantly inhibit the induction of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and VEGFA in senescent ARPE-19 and the senescence-mediated migration of retinal capillary endothelial cells in vitro. In addition, we found that inhibition of HSP90 by IPI504 reduces SA-β-Gal’s protein expression and enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. HSP90 interacts with and regulates SA-β-Gal protein stabilization in senescent ARPE-19 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that HSP90 regulates the SASP and SA-β-Gal activity in senescent RPE cells through associating with distinctive mechanism including NF-κB, HIF1α and lysosomal SA-β-Gal. HSP90 inhibitors (e.g. IPI504) could be a promising senomorphic drug candidate for AMD intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Dan Chen
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xuyan Peng
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuxuan Wang
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Mingjun Jiang
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Mengjiao Xue
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guohui Shang
- Department of Medical Genetics and Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Henan 450001, China
| | - Xuhui Liu
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaolin Jia
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Baixue Liu
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yingwei Lu
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hongmei Mu
- Kaifeng Key laboratory of Cataracts and Myopia, Eye Disease Institute, Kaifeng Central Hospital, Kaifeng, China
| | - Fengyan Zhang
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanzhong Hu
- The Division of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,The jointed National Laboratory of Antibody Drug Engineering, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, The College of Basic Medical Science of Henan University, Kaifeng, China.,Kaifeng Key laboratory of Cataracts and Myopia, Eye Disease Institute, Kaifeng Central Hospital, Kaifeng, China
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7
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Cortijo-Gutiérrez M, Sánchez-Hernández S, Tristán-Manzano M, Maldonado-Pérez N, Lopez-Onieva L, Real PJ, Herrera C, Marchal JA, Martin F, Benabdellah K. Improved Functionality of Integration-Deficient Lentiviral Vectors (IDLVs) by the Inclusion of IS 2 Protein Docks. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13081217. [PMID: 34452178 PMCID: PMC8401568 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13081217] [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: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Integration-deficient lentiviral vectors (IDLVs) have recently generated increasing interest, not only as a tool for transient gene delivery, but also as a technique for detecting off-target cleavage in gene-editing methodologies which rely on customized endonucleases (ENs). Despite their broad potential applications, the efficacy of IDLVs has historically been limited by low transgene expression and by the reduced sensitivity to detect low-frequency off-target events. We have previously reported that the incorporation of the chimeric sequence element IS2 into the long terminal repeat (LTR) of IDLVs increases gene expression levels, while also reducing the episome yield inside transduced cells. Our study demonstrates that the effectiveness of IDLVs relies on the balance between two parameters which can be modulated by the inclusion of IS2 sequences. In the present study, we explore new IDLV configurations harboring several elements based on IS2 modifications engineered to mediate more efficient transgene expression without affecting the targeted cell load. Of all the insulators and configurations analysed, the insertion of the IS2 into the 3′LTR produced the best results. After demonstrating a DAPI-low nuclear gene repositioning of IS2-containing episomes, we determined whether, in addition to a positive effect on transcription, the IS2 could improve the capture of IDLVs on double strand breaks (DSBs). Thus, DSBs were randomly generated, using the etoposide or locus-specific CRISPR-Cas9. Our results show that the IS2 element improved the efficacy of IDLV DSB detection. Altogether, our data indicate that the insertion of IS2 into the LTR of IDLVs improved, not only their transgene expression levels, but also their ability to be inserted into existing DSBs. This could have significant implications for the development of an unbiased detection tool for off-target cleavage sites from different specific nucleases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Cortijo-Gutiérrez
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Sabina Sánchez-Hernández
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - María Tristán-Manzano
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Noelia Maldonado-Pérez
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Lourdes Lopez-Onieva
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Molecular Oncology Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (L.L.-O.); (P.J.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Avenida Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Pedro J. Real
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Molecular Oncology Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (L.L.-O.); (P.J.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Avenida Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
- Personalized Oncology Group, Bio-Health Research Institute (ibs Granada), 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Concha Herrera
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research in Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Cordoba, Spain;
- Department of Haematology, Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Marchal
- Biomedical Research Institute (ibs. Granada), 18012 Granada, Spain;
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Excellence Research Unit: Modeling Nature (MNat), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco Martin
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Karim Benabdellah
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-958-715-500
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8
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Zhang N, Zhang X, Girardot PE, Chrenek MA, Sellers JT, Li Y, Kim YK, Summers VR, Ferdous S, Shelton DA, Boatright JH, Nickerson JM. Electrophysiologic and Morphologic Strain Differences in a Low-Dose NaIO3-Induced Retinal Pigment Epithelium Damage Model. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2021; 10:10. [PMID: 34251426 PMCID: PMC8287050 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.10.8.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose We aimed to explore differences in the NaIO3-elicited responses of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and other retinal cells associated with mouse strains and dosing regimens. Methods One dose of NaIO3 at 10 or 15 mg/kg was given intravenously to adult male C57BL/6J and 129/SV-E mice. Control animals were injected with PBS. Morphologic and functional changes were characterized by spectral domain optical coherence tomography, electroretinography, histologic, and immunofluorescence techniques. Results Injection with 10 mg/kg of NaIO3 did not cause consistent RPE or retinal changes in either strain. Administration of 15 mg/kg of NaIO3 initially induced a large transient increase in scotopic electroretinography a-, b-, and c-wave amplitudes within 12 hours of injection, followed by progressive structural and functional degradation at 3 days after injection in C57BL/6J mice and at 1 week after injection in 129/SV-E mice. RPE cell loss occurred in a large posterior-central lesion with a ring-like transition zone of abnormally shaped cells starting 12 hours after NaIO3 treatment. Conclusions NaIO3 effects depended on the timing, dosage, and mouse strain. The RPE in the periphery was spared from damage compared with the central RPE. The large transient increase in the electroretinography was remarkable. Translational Relevance This study is a phase T1 translational research study focusing on the development and validation of a mouse model of RPE damage. It provides a detailed foundation for future research, informing choices of mouse strain, dosage, and time points to establish NaIO3-induced RPE damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Preston E Girardot
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Micah A Chrenek
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jana T Sellers
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yong-Kyu Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Vivian R Summers
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Salma Ferdous
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Debresha A Shelton
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Boatright
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - John M Nickerson
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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9
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The immune response is a critical regulator of zebrafish retinal pigment epithelium regeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2017198118. [PMID: 34006636 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2017198118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) because of dysfunction or disease can lead to blindness in humans. Harnessing the intrinsic ability of the RPE to self-repair is an attractive therapeutic strategy; however, mammalian RPE is limited in its regenerative capacity. Zebrafish possess tremendous intrinsic regenerative potential in ocular tissues, including the RPE, but little is known about the mechanisms driving RPE regeneration. Here, utilizing transgenic and mutant zebrafish lines, pharmacological manipulations, transcriptomics, and imaging analyses, we identified elements of the immune response as critical mediators of intrinsic RPE regeneration. After genetic ablation, the RPE express immune-related genes, including leukocyte recruitment factors such as interleukin 34 We demonstrate that macrophage/microglia cells are responsive to RPE damage and that their function is required for the timely progression of the regenerative response. These data identify the molecular and cellular underpinnings of RPE regeneration and hold significant potential for translational approaches aimed toward promoting a pro-regenerative environment in mammalian RPE.
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10
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Abstract
E2F transcription factor 2 (E2F2) is a member of the E2F family of transcription factors. The classical view is that some E2Fs act as "activators" and others "inhibitors" of cell cycle gene expression. However, the so-called "activator" E2F2 is particularly enigmatic, with seemingly contradictory roles in the cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and cell migration and invasion. How can we rationalize the apparently opposing functions of E2F2 in different situations? This is difficult because different methods of studying E2F2 have yielded conflicting results, so extrapolating mechanisms from an observed endpoint is challenging. This review will attempt to summarize and clarify these issues. This review focuses on genetic studies that have helped elucidate the biological functions of E2F2 and that have enhanced our understanding of how E2F2 is integrated into pathways controlling the cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and cell migration and invasion. This review will also discuss the function of E2F2 in cancer and other diseases. This review provides a strong basis for further research on the biological function and clinical potential of E2F2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luwen Li
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University, Ji'nan, China.,Key Lab for Biotech-Drugs of National Health Commission, Ji'nan, China.,Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Shandong First Medical University, Ji'nan, China
| | - Shiguan Wang
- Medical College, Shandong University, Ji'nan, China
| | - Yihang Zhang
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University, Ji'nan, China.,Key Lab for Biotech-Drugs of National Health Commission, Ji'nan, China.,Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Shandong First Medical University, Ji'nan, China
| | - Jihong Pan
- Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University, Ji'nan, China.,Key Lab for Biotech-Drugs of National Health Commission, Ji'nan, China.,Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Shandong First Medical University, Ji'nan, China
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11
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George SM, Lu F, Rao M, Leach LL, Gross JM. The retinal pigment epithelium: Development, injury responses, and regenerative potential in mammalian and non-mammalian systems. Prog Retin Eye Res 2021; 85:100969. [PMID: 33901682 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2021.100969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Diseases that result in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are among the leading causes of blindness worldwide. Atrophic (dry) AMD is the most prevalent form of AMD and there are currently no effective therapies to prevent RPE cell death or restore RPE cells lost from AMD. An intriguing approach to treat AMD and other RPE degenerative diseases is to develop therapies focused on stimulating endogenous RPE regeneration. For this to become feasible, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying RPE development, injury responses and regenerative potential is needed. In mammals, RPE regeneration is extremely limited; small lesions can be repaired by the expansion of adjacent RPE cells, but large lesions cannot be repaired as remaining RPE cells are unable to functionally replace lost RPE tissue. In some injury paradigms, RPE cells proliferate but do not regenerate a morphologically normal monolayer, while in others, proliferation is pathogenic and results in further disruption to the retina. This is in contrast to non-mammalian vertebrates, which possess tremendous RPE regenerative potential. Here, we discuss what is known about RPE formation during development in mammalian and non-mammalian vertebrates, we detail the processes by which RPE cells respond to injury, and we describe examples of RPE-to-retina and RPE-to-RPE regeneration in non-mammalian vertebrates. Finally, we outline barriers to RPE-dependent regeneration in mammals that could potentially be overcome to stimulate a regenerative response from the RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M George
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Fangfang Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Mishal Rao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Lyndsay L Leach
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Gross
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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12
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MacLaren RE. A 2020 vision of ocular gene therapy. Gene Ther 2020; 28:217-219. [PMID: 32601358 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-020-0170-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert E MacLaren
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, West Wing John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
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13
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Storm T, Wilson I, Campbell R, Bolinches-Amorós A, Russell AJ, Davies SG, Barnard AR, MacLaren RE. A Semiautomated, Phenotypic, In Vitro Scratch Assay for Assessing Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Wound Healing. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 2020; 36:257-266. [PMID: 32027217 DOI: 10.1089/jop.2019.0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration leads to retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell death and loss of central vision. In vivo studies have shown that the RPE layer has an innate, but limited, ability to repopulate atrophic areas. We aimed to establish a semiautomated, in vitro, wound healing assay workflow for targeted screening of compounds able to influence RPE wound healing. Methods: The ARPE-19 phenotype was evaluated using bright-field microscopy, immunocytochemistry, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. ARPE-19 monolayers were simultaneously scratched in a 96-well format and treated with Hoechst-33342 and an array of compounds. Initial wound dimensions and wound healing were subsequently evaluated using the EVOS FL Auto 2.0 imaging platform combined with automated image analyses. Results: Long-term cultured ARPE-19 cells displayed a more in vivo RPE-like phenotype compared with recently seeded or short-term cultured cells. No statistical difference of initial scratch width was observed between short-term and long-term cultured cells, but more wells were excluded from analyses in total in the latter case due to scratch width, scratch smoothness, and imaging errors. Furthermore, the previous time spent in continuous culture had an effect on the observation of an altered wound healing response to different treatment conditions. Conclusions: We have established a semiautomated, 96-well format, in vitro wound healing assay with a reproducible workflow. This would enable screening of a significant number of compounds and greatly advances the potential of identifying novel therapeutics that may enhance the innate ability of RPE cells to repopulate atrophic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Storm
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Iain Wilson
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ross Campbell
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Arantxa Bolinches-Amorós
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Angela J Russell
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen G Davies
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alun R Barnard
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Robert E MacLaren
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
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14
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Abalem MF, Omari AA, Schlegel D, Khan NW, Jayasundera T. Macular hyperpigmentary changes in ABCA4-Stargardt disease. Int J Retina Vitreous 2019; 5:9. [PMID: 30984415 PMCID: PMC6442436 DOI: 10.1186/s40942-019-0160-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Stargardt disease (STGD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) share clinical and pathophysiological features. In AMD, macular hyperpigmentary changes are associated to a worse prognosis. The purpose of this study was to characterize macular hyperpigmentary changes in patients with STGD and associate them with the severity of phenotype. Materials and methods This retrospective cross-sectional study included 141 patients with STGD. Hyperpigmentary changes were evaluated on color fundus photography and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Severity of phenotype was assessed by full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) patterns, and visual acuity (VA). Results Thirty patients (21.7%) showed macular hyperpigmentary changes in four distinct patterns. Out of seventeen patients who had follow-up images, eleven patients demonstrated increases of the hyperpigmented lesions, and progression of the underlying RPE atrophy overtime. VA remained stable. Of 28 patients who had ffERG, 17 patients presented with reduction of photopic and scotopic responses, while 8 presented with reduction of photopic responses only, and 3 presented with preserved photopic and scotopic responses. Of 25 patients who had FAF available, 12 presented with widespread disease extending anteriorly to the vascular arcades, while eight presented with widespread disease, extending beyond the vascular arcades, and 5 presented with disease confined to the foveal area. Conclusion In this study, we demonstrated that patients with STGD with macular hyperpigmented lesions had a severe phenotype. Overtime, hyperpigmented lesions increased in size, spread across the retina, and migrated to different retinal layers. Macular hyperpigmentation may be a marker of advanced stage of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Fernanda Abalem
- 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, W. K. Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, 1000 Wall Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48150 USA.,2Department of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amro A Omari
- 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, W. K. Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, 1000 Wall Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48150 USA
| | - Dana Schlegel
- 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, W. K. Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, 1000 Wall Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48150 USA
| | - Naheed W Khan
- 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, W. K. Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, 1000 Wall Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48150 USA
| | - Thiran Jayasundera
- 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, W. K. Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, 1000 Wall Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48150 USA
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