1
|
Salzman MM, Takimoto T, Foster ML, Mowat FM. Differential gene expression between central and peripheral retinal regions in dogs and comparison with humans. Exp Eye Res 2024; 245:109980. [PMID: 38914302 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109980] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
The dog retina contains a central macula-like region, and there are reports of central retinal disorders in dogs with shared genetic etiologies with humans. Defining central/peripheral gene expression profiles may provide insight into the suitability of dogs as models for human disorders. We determined central/peripheral posterior eye gene expression profiles in dogs and interrogated inherited retinal and macular disease-associated genes for differential expression between central and peripheral regions. Bulk tissue RNA sequencing was performed on 8 mm samples of the dog central and superior peripheral regions, sampling retina and retinal pigmented epithelium/choroid separately. Reads were mapped to CanFam3.1, read counts were analyzed to determine significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A similar analytic pipeline was used with a published bulk-tissue RNA sequencing human dataset. Pathways and processes involved in significantly DEGs were identified (Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery). Dogs and humans shared the extent and direction of central retinal differential gene expression, with multiple shared biological pathways implicated in differential expression. Many genes implicated in heritable retinal disorders in dogs and humans were differentially expressed between central and periphery. Approximately half of genes associated with human age-related macular degeneration were differentially expressed in human and dog tissues. We have identified similarities and differences in central/peripheral gene expression profiles between dogs and humans which can be applied to further define the relevance of dogs as models for human retinal disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michele M Salzman
- Dept. Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
| | - Tetsuya Takimoto
- Medical Genetics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA; Division of Gene Regulation, Division of Data Science, Research Promotion Headquarters, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Melanie L Foster
- Dept. Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Freya M Mowat
- Dept. Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA; Dept. Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; Dept. Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Miyagishima KJ, Qiao F, Stasheff SF, Nadal-Nicolás FM. Visual Deficits and Diagnostic and Therapeutic Strategies for Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Bridging Science and Patient-Centered Care. Vision (Basel) 2024; 8:31. [PMID: 38804352 PMCID: PMC11130890 DOI: 10.3390/vision8020031] [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: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an inherited autosomal dominant disorder primarily affecting children and adolescents characterized by multisystemic clinical manifestations. Mutations in neurofibromin, the protein encoded by the Nf1 tumor suppressor gene, result in dysregulation of the RAS/MAPK pathway leading to uncontrolled cell growth and migration. Neurofibromin is highly expressed in several cell lineages including melanocytes, glial cells, neurons, and Schwann cells. Individuals with NF1 possess a genetic predisposition to central nervous system neoplasms, particularly gliomas affecting the visual pathway, known as optic pathway gliomas (OPGs). While OPGs are typically asymptomatic and benign, they can induce visual impairment in some patients. This review provides insight into the spectrum and visual outcomes of NF1, current diagnostic techniques and therapeutic interventions, and explores the influence of NF1-OPGS on visual abnormalities. We focus on recent advancements in preclinical animal models to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of NF1 pathology and therapies targeting NF1-OPGs. Overall, our review highlights the involvement of retinal ganglion cell dysfunction and degeneration in NF1 disease, and the need for further research to transform scientific laboratory discoveries to improved patient outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kiyoharu J. Miyagishima
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.J.M.); (F.Q.); (S.F.S.)
| | - Fengyu Qiao
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.J.M.); (F.Q.); (S.F.S.)
| | - Steven F. Stasheff
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.J.M.); (F.Q.); (S.F.S.)
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine, Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Institute, Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC 20010, USA
- Neurology Department, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Francisco M. Nadal-Nicolás
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.J.M.); (F.Q.); (S.F.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang Q, Lin X, Wang J. An optimized method for retrograde labelling and quantification of rabbit retinal ganglion cells. Exp Eye Res 2023; 229:109432. [PMID: 36822495 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109432] [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: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Rabbits are a commonly used animal model in glaucoma research, but their application has been limited by the techniques used to assess optic nerve injury (ONI). Our study devised an optimized method for retrograde labelling and analysing rabbit retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). This method involved improvements over the conventional method regarding the stereotaxic device, the positioning of superior colliculi, the target of axonal tracer delivery, and the visualization and analysis of labelled RGCs. To evaluate its efficacy, eight New Zealand White rabbits were divided into naïve and ONI groups. Unilateral limbal buckling surgery was performed in each animal of the ONI group to induce chronic ocular hypertension (OHT). The animals of both groups were injected with indocyanine green (ICG) into the interstice between the superior colliculus and occipital lobe on each side of the brain, and their eyes were examined by confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (CSLO) after 48 h. The acquired images were then analysed to quantify the number of ICG-labelled RGCs in these eyes and their loss induced by OHT. To verify the identity and changes of the labelled RGCs, the retinas of the rabbits were subjected to immunofluorescence analyses. In addition, three animals were subjected to a second ICG labelling after 12 months to determine the influence of this procedure on the long-term viability of the labelled RGCs. Our results showed that ICG-labelled RGCs were detected by CSLO throughout the retinas of all animals. These RGCs showed a distinctly higher density below the ONH and were defective in sectorial areas in OHT eyes. Their average number in the cell counting area was 3989.2 ± 414.2 and 4023.3 ± 603.4 in the right and left eyes, respectively, of the naïve animals and 2590.9 ± 1474.2 and 3966.7 ± 24.0 in the OHT and non-OHT eyes, respectively, of the ONI animals. Immunofluorescence analyses showed positive staining with Brn3a and RBPMS in the ICG-labelled RGCs and sectorial defects of the cells in the OHT eyes, similarly as observed by CSLO. The second ICG labelling after 12 months in three animals showed no appreciable changes in RGC density compared with the first one. In summary, the optimized method of rabbit RGC retrograde labelling is reliable and accurate in both naïve and ONI animals and offers an approach for longitudinal observation of RGCs in the same eyes, which suggests its potential as a powerful tool for glaucoma and optic nerve research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qilin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
| | - Xingyan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Juanjuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nadal-Nicolás FM, Galindo-Romero C, Lucas-Ruiz F, Marsh-Amstrong N, Li W, Vidal-Sanz M, Agudo-Barriuso M. Pan-retinal ganglion cell markers in mice, rats, and rhesus macaques. Zool Res 2023; 44:226-248. [PMID: 36594396 PMCID: PMC9841181 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Univocal identification of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is an essential prerequisite for studying their degeneration and neuroprotection. Before the advent of phenotypic markers, RGCs were normally identified using retrograde tracing of retinorecipient areas. This is an invasive technique, and its use is precluded in higher mammals such as monkeys. In the past decade, several RGC markers have been described. Here, we reviewed and analyzed the specificity of nine markers used to identify all or most RGCs, i.e., pan-RGC markers, in rats, mice, and macaques. The best markers in the three species in terms of specificity, proportion of RGCs labeled, and indicators of viability were BRN3A, expressed by vision-forming RGCs, and RBPMS, expressed by vision- and non-vision-forming RGCs. NEUN, often used to identify RGCs, was expressed by non-RGCs in the ganglion cell layer, and therefore was not RGC-specific. γ-SYN, TUJ1, and NF-L labeled the RGC axons, which impaired the detection of their somas in the central retina but would be good for studying RGC morphology. In rats, TUJ1 and NF-L were also expressed by non-RGCs. BM88, ERRβ, and PGP9.5 are rarely used as markers, but they identified most RGCs in the rats and macaques and ERRβ in mice. However, PGP9.5 was also expressed by non-RGCs in rats and macaques and BM88 and ERRβ were not suitable markers of viability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco M Nadal-Nicolás
- Grupo de Oftalmología Experimental, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria Pascual Parrilla (IMIB), Murcia 30120, Spain
- Dpto. Oftalmología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia 30120, Spain
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-2510, USA
| | - Caridad Galindo-Romero
- Grupo de Oftalmología Experimental, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria Pascual Parrilla (IMIB), Murcia 30120, Spain
- Dpto. Oftalmología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia 30120, Spain
| | - Fernando Lucas-Ruiz
- Grupo de Oftalmología Experimental, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria Pascual Parrilla (IMIB), Murcia 30120, Spain
- Dpto. Oftalmología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia 30120, Spain
| | - Nicholas Marsh-Amstrong
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-2510, USA
| | - Manuel Vidal-Sanz
- Grupo de Oftalmología Experimental, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria Pascual Parrilla (IMIB), Murcia 30120, Spain
- Dpto. Oftalmología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia 30120, Spain. E-mail:
| | - Marta Agudo-Barriuso
- Grupo de Oftalmología Experimental, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria Pascual Parrilla (IMIB), Murcia 30120, Spain
- Dpto. Oftalmología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia 30120, Spain. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kandoi S, Martinez C, Merriman DK, Lamba DA. Characterization of Retinal Development in 13-Lined Ground Squirrels. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2022; 11:17. [DOI: 10.1167/tvst.11.11.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sangeetha Kandoi
- Department of Ophthalmology, UCSF Medical Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Cassandra Martinez
- Department of Ophthalmology, UCSF Medical Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dana K. Merriman
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI, USA
| | - Deepak A. Lamba
- Department of Ophthalmology, UCSF Medical Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Haverkamp S, Mietsch M, Briggman KL. Developmental errors in the common marmoset retina. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:1000693. [PMID: 36204677 PMCID: PMC9531312 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.1000693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although retinal organization is remarkably conserved, morphological anomalies can be found to different extents and varieties across animal species with each presenting unique characteristics and patterns of displaced and misplaced neurons. One of the most widely used non-human primates in research, the common marmoset (Callithrix jaccus) could potentially also be of interest for visual research, but is unfortunately not well characterized in this regard. Therefore, the aim of our study was to provide a first time description of structural retinal layering including morphological differences and distinctive features in this species. Retinas from animals (n = 26) of both sexes and different ages were immunostained with cell specific antibodies to label a variety of bipolar, amacrine and ganglion cells. Misplaced ganglion cells with somata in the outermost part of the inner nuclear layer and rod bipolar cells with axon terminals projecting into the outer plexiform layer instead of the inner plexiform layer independent of age or sex of the animals were the most obvious findings, whereas misplaced amacrine cells and misplaced cone bipolar axon terminals occurred to a lesser extent. With this first time description of developmental retinal errors over a wide age range, we provide a basic characterization of the retinal system of the common marmosets, which can be taken into account for future studies in this and other animal species. The finding of misplaced ganglion cells and misplaced bipolar cell axon terminals was not reported before and displays an anatomic variation worthwhile for future analyzes of their physiological and functional impact.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silke Haverkamp
- Department of Computational Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar, Bonn, Germany
- *Correspondence: Silke Haverkamp
| | - Matthias Mietsch
- Laboratory Animal Science Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kevin L. Briggman
- Department of Computational Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar, Bonn, Germany
| |
Collapse
|