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Zhang SX, Wang JJ, Starr CR, Lee EJ, Park KS, Zhylkibayev A, Medina A, Lin JH, Gorbatyuk M. The endoplasmic reticulum: Homeostasis and crosstalk in retinal health and disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2024; 98:101231. [PMID: 38092262 PMCID: PMC11056313 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2023.101231] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the largest intracellular organelle carrying out a broad range of important cellular functions including protein biosynthesis, folding, and trafficking, lipid and sterol biosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and calcium storage and gated release. In addition, the ER makes close contact with multiple intracellular organelles such as mitochondria and the plasma membrane to actively regulate the biogenesis, remodeling, and function of these organelles. Therefore, maintaining a homeostatic and functional ER is critical for the survival and function of cells. This vital process is implemented through well-orchestrated signaling pathways of the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR is activated when misfolded or unfolded proteins accumulate in the ER, a condition known as ER stress, and functions to restore ER homeostasis thus promoting cell survival. However, prolonged activation or dysregulation of the UPR can lead to cell death and other detrimental events such as inflammation and oxidative stress; these processes are implicated in the pathogenesis of many human diseases including retinal disorders. In this review manuscript, we discuss the unique features of the ER and ER stress signaling in the retina and retinal neurons and describe recent advances in the research to uncover the role of ER stress signaling in neurodegenerative retinal diseases including age-related macular degeneration, inherited retinal degeneration, achromatopsia and cone diseases, and diabetic retinopathy. In some chapters, we highlight the complex interactions between the ER and other intracellular organelles focusing on mitochondria and illustrate how ER stress signaling regulates common cellular stress pathways such as autophagy. We also touch upon the integrated stress response in retinal degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Finally, we provide an update on the current development of pharmacological agents targeting the UPR response and discuss some unresolved questions and knowledge gaps to be addressed by future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah X Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States; Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States.
| | - Josh J Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Christopher R Starr
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Eun-Jin Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology and Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, United States; Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Karen Sophia Park
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Assylbek Zhylkibayev
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Andy Medina
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Jonathan H Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, United States; Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Marina Gorbatyuk
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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Adhikari S, Qiao Y, Singer M, Sagare A, Jiang X, Shi Y, Ringman JM, Kashani AH. Retinotopic degeneration of the retina and optic tracts in autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:5103-5113. [PMID: 37102308 PMCID: PMC10603214 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13100] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We investigated the correlation between retinal thickness and optic tract integrity in subjects with autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD) causing mutations. METHODS Retinal thicknesses and diffusion tensor images (DTI) were obtained using optical coherence tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, respectively. The association between retinal thickness and DTI measures was adjusted for age, sex, retinotopy, and correlation between eyes. RESULTS Optic tract mean diffusivity and axial diffusivity were negatively correlated with retinotopically defined ganglion cell inner plexiform thickness (GCIPL). Fractional anisotropy was negatively correlated with retinotopically defined retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. There was no correlation between outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness and any DTI measure. DISCUSSION In ADAD, GCIPL thickness is significantly associated with retinotopic optic tract DTI measures even in minimally symptomatic subjects. Similar associations were not present with ONL thickness or when ignoring retinotopy. We provide in vivo evidence for optic tract changes resulting from ganglion cell pathology in ADAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Adhikari
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yuchuan Qiao
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Maxwell Singer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Abhay Sagare
- Zilkha Neurogenetics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Xuejuan Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yonggang Shi
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - John M Ringman
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Amir H Kashani
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Greiner JV, Glonek T. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Protein Aggregation in Age-Related Vision-Threatening Ocular Diseases. Metabolites 2023; 13:1100. [PMID: 37887425 PMCID: PMC10609282 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13101100] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation is the etiopathogenesis of the three most profound vision-threatening eye diseases: age-related cataract, presbyopia, and age-related macular degeneration. This perspective organizes known information on ATP and protein aggregation with a fundamental unrecognized function of ATP. With recognition that maintenance of protein solubility is related to the high intracellular concentration of ATP in cells, tissues, and organs, we hypothesize that (1) ATP serves a critical molecular function for organismal homeostasis of proteins and (2) the hydrotropic feature of ATP prevents pathological protein aggregation while assisting in the maintenance of protein solubility and cellular, tissue, and organismal function. As such, the metabolite ATP plays an extraordinarily important role in the prevention of protein aggregation in the leading causes of vision loss or blindness worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack V. Greiner
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Clinical Eye Research of Boston, Boston, MA 01890, USA;
| | - Thomas Glonek
- Clinical Eye Research of Boston, Boston, MA 01890, USA;
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Chen X, Shi C, He M, Xiong S, Xia X. Endoplasmic reticulum stress: molecular mechanism and therapeutic targets. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:352. [PMID: 37709773 PMCID: PMC10502142 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01570-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 64.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) functions as a quality-control organelle for protein homeostasis, or "proteostasis". The protein quality control systems involve ER-associated degradation, protein chaperons, and autophagy. ER stress is activated when proteostasis is broken with an accumulation of misfolded and unfolded proteins in the ER. ER stress activates an adaptive unfolded protein response to restore proteostasis by initiating protein kinase R-like ER kinase, activating transcription factor 6, and inositol requiring enzyme 1. ER stress is multifaceted, and acts on aspects at the epigenetic level, including transcription and protein processing. Accumulated data indicates its key role in protein homeostasis and other diverse functions involved in various ocular diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, achromatopsia, cataracts, ocular tumors, ocular surface diseases, and myopia. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms underlying the aforementioned ocular diseases from an ER stress perspective. Drugs (chemicals, neurotrophic factors, and nanoparticles), gene therapy, and stem cell therapy are used to treat ocular diseases by alleviating ER stress. We delineate the advancement of therapy targeting ER stress to provide new treatment strategies for ocular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyi Chen
- Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chaoran Shi
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Meihui He
- Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Siqi Xiong
- Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Xiaobo Xia
- Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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Yoon JM, Lim DH, Youn J, Han K, Kim BS, Jung W, Yeo Y, Shin DW, Ham DI. Increased risk of Parkinson's disease amongst patients with age-related macular degeneration and visual disability: A nationwide cohort study. Eur J Neurol 2023; 30:2641-2649. [PMID: 37243434 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15896] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The association between Parkinson's disease (PD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been shown in previous reports. However, the association between the severity of AMD and PD development is unknown. The aim was to evaluate the association of AMD with/without visual disability (VD) with the risk of PD occurrence using the National Health Insurance data in South Korea. METHODS A total of 4,205,520 individuals, 50 years or older and without a previous diagnosis of PD, participated in the Korean National Health Screening Program in 2009. AMD was verified using diagnostic codes, and participants with VD were defined as those with loss of vision or visual field defect as certified by the Korean Government. The participants were followed up until 31 December 2019, and incident cases of PD were identified using registered diagnostic codes. The hazard ratio was calculated for groups (control and AMD with/without VD) using multivariable adjusted Cox regression analysis. RESULTS In total, 37,507 participants (0.89%) were diagnosed with PD. Amongst individuals with AMD, the risk of PD development was higher in individuals with VD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.67) than in those without (aHR 1.22, 95% CI 1.15-1.30) compared with controls. Additionally, an increased risk of PD was observed in individuals with AMD compared with controls, regardless of the presence of VD (aHR 1.23, 95% CI 1.16-1.31). CONCLUSIONS Visual disability in AMD was associated with the development of PD. This suggests that neurodegeneration in PD and AMD may have common pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Je Moon Yoon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Hui Lim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jinyoung Youn
- Department of Neurology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
- Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyungdo Han
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Soongsil University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Bong Sung Kim
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Soongsil University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Wonyoung Jung
- Department of Family Medicine and Supportive Care Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yohwan Yeo
- Department of Family Medicine, Hallym University Dongtan Hospital, Hwasung, Korea
| | - Dong Wook Shin
- Department of Family Medicine and Supportive Care Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Clinical Study Design and Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Don-Il Ham
- Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
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Hart de Ruyter FJ, Morrema THJ, den Haan J, Gase G, Twisk JWR, de Boer JF, Scheltens P, Bouwman FH, Verbraak FD, Rozemuller AJM, Hoozemans JJM. α-Synuclein pathology in post-mortem retina and optic nerve is specific for α-synucleinopathies. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2023; 9:124. [PMID: 37640753 PMCID: PMC10462645 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00570-5] [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: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
There is increasing interest in studying retinal biomarkers for various neurodegenerative diseases. Specific protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative diseases are present in the retina and could be visualised in a non-invasive way. This study aims to assess the specificity and sensitivity of retinal α-synuclein aggregates in neuropathologically characterised α-synucleinopathies, other neurodegenerative diseases and non-neurological controls. Post-mortem eyes (N = 99) were collected prospectively through the Netherlands Brain Bank from donors with Parkinson's disease (and dementia), dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, Alzheimer's disease, other neurodegenerative diseases and non-neurological controls. Multiple retinal and optic nerve cross-sections were immunostained with anti-α-synuclein antibodies (LB509, KM51, and anti-pSer129) and assessed for aggregates and inclusions. α-Synuclein was observed as Lewy neurites in the retina and oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions in the optic nerve and was highly associated with Lewy body disease (P < 0.001) and multiple system atrophy (P = 0.001). In all multiple system atrophy cases, the optic nerve showed oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions, while retinal Lewy neurites were absent, despite coincidental brain Lewy pathology. With high specificity (97%) and sensitivity (82%), retinal/optic nerve α-synuclein differentiates primary α-synucleinopathies from other cases and controls. α-Synuclein pathology occurs specifically in the retina and optic nerve of primary α-synucleinopathies as opposed to other neurodegenerative diseases-with and without α-synuclein co-pathology-and controls. The absence of retinal Lewy neurites in multiple system atrophy could contribute to the development of an in vivo retinal biomarker that discriminates between Lewy body disease and multiple system atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederique J Hart de Ruyter
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tjado H J Morrema
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jurre den Haan
- Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gina Gase
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jos W R Twisk
- Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes F de Boer
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Femke H Bouwman
- Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank D Verbraak
- Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke J M Rozemuller
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen J M Hoozemans
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Chen S, Zhang D, Zheng H, Cao T, Xia K, Su M, Meng Q. The association between retina thinning and hippocampal atrophy in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1232941. [PMID: 37680540 PMCID: PMC10481874 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1232941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The retina is the "window" of the central nervous system. Previous studies discovered that retinal thickness degenerates through the pathological process of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) continuum. Hippocampal atrophy is one of the typical clinical features and diagnostic criteria of AD. Former studies have described retinal thinning in normal aging subjects and AD patients, yet the association between retinal thickness and hippocampal atrophy in AD is unclear. The optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique has access the non-invasive to retinal images and magnetic resonance imaging can outline the volume of the hippocampus. Thus, we aim to quantify the correlation between these two parameters to identify whether the retina can be a new biomarker for early AD detection. Methods We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases from inception to May 2023 for studies investigating the correlation between retinal thickness and hippocampal volume. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) was used to assess the study quality. Pooled correlation coefficient r values were combined after Fisher's Z transformation. Moderator effects were detected through subgroup analysis and the meta-regression method. Results Of the 1,596 citations initially identified, we excluded 1,062 studies after screening the titles and abstract (animal models, n = 99; irrelevant literature, n = 963). Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, among which three studies were excluded due to unextractable data. Nine studies were eligible for this meta-analysis. A positive moderate correlation between the retinal thickness was discovered in all participants of with AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and normal controls (NC) (r = 0.3469, 95% CI: 0.2490-0.4377, I2 = 5.0%), which was significantly higher than that of the AD group (r = 0.1209, 95% CI:0.0905-0.1510, I2 = 0.0%) (p < 0.05). Among different layers, the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) indicated a moderate positive correlation with hippocampal volume (r = 0.1209, 95% CI:0.0905-0.1510, I2 = 0.0%). The retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) was also positively correlated [r = 0.1421, 95% CI:(-0.0447-0.3192), I2 = 84.1%]. The retinal layers and participants were the main overall heterogeneity sources. Correlation in the bilateral hemisphere did not show a significant difference. Conclusion The correlation between RNFL thickness and hippocampal volume is more predominant in both NC and AD groups than other layers. Whole retinal thickness is positively correlated to hippocampal volume not only in AD continuum, especially in MCI, but also in NC. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, CRD42022328088.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuntai Chen
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Dian Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Honggang Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyu Cao
- Department of Neurology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Kun Xia
- Department of Respiratory, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mingwan Su
- Department of Respiratory, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qinggang Meng
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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Maran JJ, Adesina MM, Green CR, Kwakowsky A, Mugisho OO. The central role of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in the pathogenesis of age-related diseases in the eye and the brain. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 88:101954. [PMID: 37187367 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
With increasing age, structural changes occur in the eye and brain. Neuronal death, inflammation, vascular disruption, and microglial activation are among many of the pathological changes that can occur during ageing. Furthermore, ageing individuals are at increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases in these organs, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Although these diseases pose a significant global public health burden, current treatment options focus on slowing disease progression and symptomatic control rather than targeting underlying causes. Interestingly, recent investigations have proposed an analogous aetiology between age-related diseases in the eye and brain, where a process of chronic low-grade inflammation is implicated. Studies have suggested that patients with AD or PD are also associated with an increased risk of AMD, glaucoma, and cataracts. Moreover, pathognomonic amyloid-β and α-synuclein aggregates, which accumulate in AD and PD, respectively, can be found in ocular parenchyma. In terms of a common molecular pathway that underpins these diseases, the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, and pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is thought to play a vital role in the manifestation of all these diseases. This review summarises the current evidence regarding cellular and molecular changes in the brain and eye with age, similarities between ocular and cerebral age-related diseases, and the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome as a critical mediator of disease propagation in the eye and the brain during ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack J Maran
- Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology and the New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Moradeke M Adesina
- Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology and the New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Colin R Green
- Department of Ophthalmology and the New Zealand National Eye Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrea Kwakowsky
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Galway Neuroscience Centre, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Odunayo O Mugisho
- Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology and the New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
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Pérez-Acuña D, Rhee KH, Shin SJ, Ahn J, Lee JY, Lee SJ. Retina-to-brain spreading of α-synuclein after intravitreal injection of preformed fibrils. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:83. [PMID: 37210559 PMCID: PMC10199563 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01575-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the aggregation of misfolded α-synuclein and progressive spreading of the aggregates from a few discrete regions to wider brain regions. Although PD has been classically considered a movement disorder, a large body of clinical evidence has revealed the progressive occurrence of non-motor symptoms. Patients present visual symptoms in the initial stages of the disease, and accumulation of phospho-α-synuclein, dopaminergic neuronal loss, and retinal thinning has been observed in the retinas of PD patients. Based on such human data, we hypothesized that α-synuclein aggregation can initiate in the retina and spread to the brain through the visual pathway. Here, we demonstrate accumulation of α-synuclein in the retinas and brains of naive mice after intravitreal injection of α-synuclein preformed fibrils (PFFs). Histological analyses showed deposition of phospho-α-synuclein inclusions within the retina 2 months after injection, with increased oxidative stress leading to loss of retinal ganglion cells and dopaminergic dysfunction. In addition, we found accumulation of phospho-α-synuclein in cortical areas with accompanying neuroinflammation after 5 months. Collectively, our findings suggest that retinal synucleinopathy lesions initiated by intravitreal injection of α-synuclein PFFs spread to various brain regions through the visual pathway in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayana Pérez-Acuña
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-Ro, Jongro-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Ka Hyun Rhee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-Ro, Jongro-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Soo Jean Shin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-Ro, Jongro-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Jeeyun Ahn
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jee-Young Lee
- Department of Neurology, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seung-Jae Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-Ro, Jongro-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea.
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
- Convergence Research Center for Dementia, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
- Neuramedy, Seoul, South Korea.
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10
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Maran JJ, Adesina MM, Green CR, Kwakowsky A, Mugisho OO. Retinal inner nuclear layer thickness in the diagnosis of cognitive impairment explored using a C57BL/6J mouse model. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8150. [PMID: 37208533 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35229-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Major neurocognitive disorder (NCD) affects over 55 million people worldwide and is characterized by cognitive impairment (CI). This study aimed to develop a non-invasive diagnostic test for CI based upon retinal thickness measurements explored in a mouse model. Discrimination indices and retinal layer thickness of healthy C57BL/6J mice were quantified through a novel object recognition test (NORT) and ocular coherence tomography (OCT), respectively. Based on criteria from the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 5th ed. (DSM-V), a diagnostic test was generated by transforming data into rolling monthly averages and categorizing mice into those with and without CI and those with a high or low decline in retinal layer thickness. Only inner nuclear layer thickness had a statistically significant relationship with discrimination indices. Furthermore, our diagnostic test was 85.71% sensitive and 100% specific for diagnosing CI, with a positive predictive value of 100%. These findings have potential clinical implications for the early diagnosis of CI in NCD. However, further investigation in comorbid mice and humans is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack J Maran
- Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology and The New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Moradeke M Adesina
- Department of Ophthalmology and The New Zealand National Eye Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Colin R Green
- Department of Ophthalmology and The New Zealand National Eye Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrea Kwakowsky
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Galway Neuroscience Centre, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Odunayo O Mugisho
- Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology and The New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Department of Ophthalmology and The New Zealand National Eye Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
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11
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Kim BJ, Grossman M, Aleman TS, Song D, Cousins KAQ, McMillan CT, Saludades A, Yu Y, Lee EB, Wolk D, Van Deerlin VM, Shaw LM, Ying GS, Irwin DJ. Retinal photoreceptor layer thickness has disease specificity and distinguishes predicted FTLD-Tau from biomarker-determined Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 125:74-82. [PMID: 36857870 PMCID: PMC10038934 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.01.015] [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] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
While Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with inner retina thinning (retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer), we have observed photoreceptor outer nuclear layer (ONL) thinning in patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration tauopathy (FTLD-Tau) compared to normal controls. We hypothesized that ONL thinning may distinguish FTLD-Tau from patients with biomarker evidence of AD neuropathologic change (ADNC) and will correlate with FTLD-Tau disease severity. Predicted FTLD-Tau (pFTLD-Tau; n = 21; 33 eyes) and predicted ADNC (pADNC; n = 24; 46 eyes) patients were consecutively enrolled, underwent optical coherence tomography macula imaging, and disease was categorized (pFTLD-Tau vs. pADNC) with cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, genetic testing, and autopsy data when available. Adjusting for age, sex, and race, pFTLD-Tau patients had a thinner ONL compared to pADNC, while retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer were not significantly different. Reduced ONL thickness correlated with worse performance on Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination and clinical dementia rating plus frontotemporal dementia sum of boxes for pFTLD-Tau but not pADNC. Photoreceptor ONL thickness may serve as an important noninvasive diagnostic marker that distinguishes FTLD-Tau from AD neuropathologic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Murray Grossman
- Department of Neurology, Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tomas S Aleman
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Delu Song
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katheryn A Q Cousins
- Department of Neurology, Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Corey T McMillan
- Department of Neurology, Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Adrienne Saludades
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yinxi Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Edward B Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Translational Neuropathology Research Laboratory, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Institute on Aging, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David Wolk
- Department of Neurology, Penn Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Institute on Aging, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Vivianna M Van Deerlin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Leslie M Shaw
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gui-Shuang Ying
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David J Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Frontotemporal Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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12
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Wang R, Pang SC, Li JY, Li CL, Liu JM, Wang YM, Chen ML, Li YB. A review of the current research on in vivo and in vitro detection for alpha-synuclein: a biomarker of Parkinson's disease. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023; 415:1589-1605. [PMID: 36688984 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04520-1] [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: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a health-threatening neurodegenerative disease of the elderly with clinical manifestations of motor and non-motor deficits such as tremor palsy and loss of smell. Alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) is the pathological basis of PD, it can abnormally aggregate into insoluble forms such as oligomers, fibrils, and plaques, causing degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra in the patient's brain and the formation of Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neuritis (LN) inclusions. As a result, achieving α-Syn aggregate detection in the early stages of PD can effectively stop or delay the progression of the disease. In this paper, we provide a brief overview and analysis of the molecular structures and α-Syn in vivo and in vitro detection methods, such as mass spectrometry, antigen-antibody recognition, electrochemical sensors, and imaging techniques, intending to provide more technological support for detecting α-Syn early in the disease and intervening in the progression of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, 300381, China.,College of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Shu-Chao Pang
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, 300381, China
| | - Jing-Ya Li
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Chan-Lian Li
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Jun-Miao Liu
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Yu-Ming Wang
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Mei-Ling Chen
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.
| | - Yu-Bo Li
- College of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China.
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13
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Hart de Ruyter FJ, Morrema THJ, den Haan J, Twisk JWR, de Boer JF, Scheltens P, Boon BDC, Thal DR, Rozemuller AJ, Verbraak FD, Bouwman FH, Hoozemans JJM. Phosphorylated tau in the retina correlates with tau pathology in the brain in Alzheimer's disease and primary tauopathies. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 145:197-218. [PMID: 36480077 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02525-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The retina is a potential source of biomarkers for the detection of neurodegenerative diseases. Accumulation of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in the brain is a pathological feature characteristic for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and primary tauopathies. In this study the presence of p-tau in the retina in relation to tau pathology in the brain was assessed. Post-mortem eyes and brains were collected through the Netherlands Brain Bank from donors with AD (n = 17), primary tauopathies (n = 8), α-synucleinopathies (n = 13), other neurodegenerative diseases including non-tau frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) (n = 9), and controls (n = 15). Retina cross-sections were assessed by immunohistochemistry using antibodies directed against total tau (HT7), 3R and 4R tau isoforms (RD3, RD4), and phospho-epitopes Ser202/Thr205 (AT8), Thr217 (anti-T217), Thr212/Ser214 (AT100), Thr181 (AT270), Ser396 (anti-pS396) and Ser422 (anti-pS422). Retinal tau load was compared to p-tau Ser202/Thr205 and p-tau Thr217 load in various brain regions. Total tau, 3R and 4R tau isoforms were most prominently present in the inner plexiform layer (IPL) and outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the retina and were detected in all cases and controls as a diffuse and somatodendritic signal. Total tau, p-tau Ser202/Thr205 and p-tau Thr217 was observed in amacrine and horizontal cells of the inner nuclear layer (INL). Various antibodies directed against phospho-epitopes of tau showed immunoreactivity in the IPL, OPL, and INL. P-tau Ser202/Thr205 and Thr217 showed significant discrimination between AD and other tauopathies, and non-tauopathy cases including controls. Whilst immunopositivity was observed for p-tau Thr212/Ser214, Thr181 and Ser396, there were no group differences. P-tau Ser422 did not show any immunoreactivity in the retina. The presence of retinal p-tau Ser202/Thr205 and Thr217 correlated with Braak stage for NFTs and with the presence of p-tau Ser202/Thr205 in hippocampus and cortical brain regions. Depending on the phospho-epitope, p-tau in the retina is a potential biomarker for AD and primary tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederique J Hart de Ruyter
- Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pathology, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Tjado H J Morrema
- Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pathology, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jurre den Haan
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jos W R Twisk
- Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes F de Boer
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, LaserLaB, Physics and Astronomy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Baayla D C Boon
- Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pathology, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Mayo Clinic, Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Dietmar R Thal
- Laboratory for Neuropathology, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven Brain Institute, O&N IV Herestraat 49, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Annemieke J Rozemuller
- Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pathology, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank D Verbraak
- Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Ophthalmology, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Femke H Bouwman
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen J M Hoozemans
- Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Pathology, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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14
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Dias SB, de Lemos L, Sousa L, Bitoque DB, Silva GA, Seabra MC, Tenreiro S. Age-Related Changes of the Synucleins Profile in the Mouse Retina. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13010180. [PMID: 36671565 PMCID: PMC9855780 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (aSyn) plays a central role in Parkinson's disease (PD) and has been extensively studied in the brain. This protein is part of the synuclein family, which is also composed of beta-synuclein (bSyn) and gamma-synuclein (gSyn). In addition to its neurotoxic role, synucleins have important functions in the nervous system, modulating synaptic transmission. Synucleins are expressed in the retina, but they have been poorly characterized. However, there is evidence that they are important for visual function and that they can play a role in retinal degeneration. This study aimed to profile synucleins in the retina of naturally aged mice and to correlate their patterns with specific retinal cells. With aging, we observed a decrease in the thickness of specific retinal layers, accompanied by an increase in glial reactivity. Moreover, the aSyn levels decreased, whereas bSyn increased with aging. The colocalization of both proteins was decreased in the inner plexiform layer (IPL) of the aged retina. gSyn presented an age-related decrease at the inner nuclear layer but was not significantly changed in the ganglion cell layer. The synaptic marker synaptophysin was shown to be preferentially colocalized with aSyn in the IPL with aging. At the same time, aSyn was found to exist at the presynaptic endings of bipolar cells and was affected by aging. Overall, this study suggests that physiological aging can be responsible for changes in the retinal tissue, implicating functional alterations that could affect synuclein family function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Batista Dias
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luísa de Lemos
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luís Sousa
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Diogo B. Bitoque
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Gabriela Araújo Silva
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel C. Seabra
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Sandra Tenreiro
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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15
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Adulla A, Patel U, Ashok A, Katiyar P, Kaulakis M, Kritikos AE, Pillai S, Lee H, Lindner E, Rhee DJ, Singh N. α-Synuclein modulates fibronectin expression in the trabecular meshwork independent of TGFβ2. Exp Eye Res 2023; 226:109351. [PMID: 36539052 PMCID: PMC10384565 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109351] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) is implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD), a neuromotor disorder with prominent visual symptoms. The underlying cause of motor dysfunction has been studied extensively, and is attributed to the death of dopaminergic neurons mediated in part by intracellular aggregation of α-Syn. The cause of visual symptoms, however, is less clear. Neuroretinal degeneration due to the presence of aggregated α-Syn has been reported, but the evidence is controversial. Other symptoms including those arising from primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) are believed to be the side-effects of medications prescribed for PD. Here, we explored the alternative hypothesis that dysfunction of α-Syn in the anterior eye alters the interaction between the actin cytoskeleton of trabecular meshwork (TM) cells with the extracellular matrix (ECM), impairing their ability to respond to physiological changes in intraocular pressure (IOP). A similar dysfunction in neurons is responsible for impaired neuritogenesis, a characteristic feature of PD. Using cadaveric human and bovine TM tissue and primary human TM cells as models, we report two main observations: 1) α-Syn is expressed in human and bovine TM cells, and significant amounts of monomeric and oligomeric α-Syn are present in the AH, and 2) primary human TM cells and human and bovine TM tissue endocytose extracellular recombinant monomeric and oligomeric α-Syn via the prion protein (PrPC), and upregulate fibronectin (FN) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibrogenic proteins implicated in POAG. Transforming growth factor β2 (TGFβ2), a fibrogenic cytokine implicated in ∼50% cases of POAG, is also increased, and so is RhoA-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK-1). However, silencing of α-Syn in primary human TM cells reduces FN, α-SMA, and ROCK-1 in the absence or presence of over-expressed active TGFβ2, suggesting modulation of FN and ROCK-1 independent of, or upstream of TGFβ2. These observations suggest that extracellular α-Syn modulates ECM proteins in the TM independently or via PrPC by activating the RhoA-ROCK pathway. These observations reveal a novel function of α-Syn in the anterior eye, and offer new therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anika Adulla
- Departments of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Urvi Patel
- Departments of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Ajay Ashok
- Departments of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Priya Katiyar
- Departments of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Mare Kaulakis
- Departments of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Alexander E Kritikos
- Departments of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Sachin Pillai
- Departments of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - HyunPin Lee
- Departments of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Ewald Lindner
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 4, 8036, Graz, Austria
| | - Douglas J Rhee
- Departments of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Neena Singh
- Departments of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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16
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Gamma-Synuclein Dysfunction Causes Autoantibody Formation in Glaucoma Patients and Dysregulation of Intraocular Pressure in Mice. Biomedicines 2022; 11:biomedicines11010060. [PMID: 36672569 PMCID: PMC9856171 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11010060] [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: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of intraocular pressure (IOP) is one of the main risk factors for glaucoma. γ-synuclein is a member of the synuclein family of widely expressed synaptic proteins within the central nervous system that are implicated in certain types of neurodegeneration. γ-synuclein expression and localization changes in the retina and optic nerve of patients with glaucoma. However, the mechanisms by which γ-synuclein could contribute to glaucoma are poorly understood. We assessed the presence of autoantibodies to γ-synuclein in the blood serum of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) by immunoblotting. A positive reaction was detected for five out of 25 patients (20%) with POAG. Autoantibodies to γ-synuclein were not detected in a group of patients without glaucoma. We studied the dynamics of IOP in response to IOP regulators in knockout mice (γ-KO) to understand a possible link between γ-synuclein dysfunction and glaucoma-related pathophysiological changes. The most prominent decrease of IOP in γ-KO mice was observed after the instillation of 1% phenylephrine and 10% dopamine. The total protein concentration in tear fluid of γ-KO mice was approximately two times higher than that of wild-type mice, and the activity of neurodegeneration-linked protein α2-macroglobulin was reduced. Therefore, γ-synuclein dysfunction contributes to pathological processes in glaucoma, including dysregulation of IOP.
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17
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Kurzawa‐Akanbi M, Whitfield P, Burté F, Bertelli PM, Pathak V, Doherty M, Hilgen B, Gliaudelytė L, Platt M, Queen R, Coxhead J, Porter A, Öberg M, Fabrikova D, Davey T, Beh CS, Georgiou M, Collin J, Boczonadi V, Härtlova A, Taggart M, Al‐Aama J, Korolchuk VI, Morris CM, Guduric‐Fuchs J, Steel DH, Medina RJ, Armstrong L, Lako M. Retinal pigment epithelium extracellular vesicles are potent inducers of age-related macular degeneration disease phenotype in the outer retina. J Extracell Vesicles 2022; 11:e12295. [PMID: 36544284 PMCID: PMC9772497 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness. Vision loss is caused by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors atrophy and/or retinal and choroidal angiogenesis. Here we use AMD patient-specific RPE cells with the Complement Factor H Y402H high-risk polymorphism to perform a comprehensive analysis of extracellular vesicles (EVs), their cargo and role in disease pathology. We show that AMD RPE is characterised by enhanced polarised EV secretion. Multi-omics analyses demonstrate that AMD RPE EVs carry RNA, proteins and lipids, which mediate key AMD features including oxidative stress, cytoskeletal dysfunction, angiogenesis and drusen accumulation. Moreover, AMD RPE EVs induce amyloid fibril formation, revealing their role in drusen formation. We demonstrate that exposure of control RPE to AMD RPE apical EVs leads to the acquisition of AMD features such as stress vacuoles, cytoskeletal destabilization and abnormalities in the morphology of the nucleus. Retinal organoid treatment with apical AMD RPE EVs leads to disrupted neuroepithelium and the appearance of cytoprotective alpha B crystallin immunopositive cells, with some co-expressing retinal progenitor cell markers Pax6/Vsx2, suggesting injury-induced regenerative pathways activation. These findings indicate that AMD RPE EVs are potent inducers of AMD phenotype in the neighbouring RPE and retinal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzena Kurzawa‐Akanbi
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Phillip Whitfield
- Glasgow Polyomics and Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life SciencesUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Florence Burté
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Pietro Maria Bertelli
- The Welcome‐Wolfson Institute for Experimental MedicineQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
| | - Varun Pathak
- The Welcome‐Wolfson Institute for Experimental MedicineQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
| | - Mary Doherty
- Lipidomics Research FacilityUniversity of the Highlands and IslandsInvernessUK
| | - Birthe Hilgen
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Lina Gliaudelytė
- Translational and Clinical Research InstituteNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | | | - Rachel Queen
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Jonathan Coxhead
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Andrew Porter
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Maria Öberg
- Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular and Translational MedicineUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Daniela Fabrikova
- Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular and Translational MedicineUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Tracey Davey
- Electron Microscopy Research ServicesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Chia Shyan Beh
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Maria Georgiou
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Joseph Collin
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Veronika Boczonadi
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Anetta Härtlova
- Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular and Translational MedicineUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- The Institute of Medical Microbiology and HygieneUniversity Medical Center Freiburg (Universitätklinikum Freiburg)FreiburgGermany
| | - Michael Taggart
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Jumana Al‐Aama
- Faculty of MedicineKing Abdulaziz UniversityJeddahSaudi Arabia
| | - Viktor I Korolchuk
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Christopher M Morris
- Translational and Clinical Research InstituteNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Jasenka Guduric‐Fuchs
- The Welcome‐Wolfson Institute for Experimental MedicineQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
| | - David H Steel
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Reinhold J Medina
- The Welcome‐Wolfson Institute for Experimental MedicineQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
| | - Lyle Armstrong
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Majlinda Lako
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
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18
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Weinberg J, Gaur M, Swaroop A, Taylor A. Proteostasis in aging-associated ocular disease. Mol Aspects Med 2022; 88:101157. [PMID: 36459837 PMCID: PMC9742340 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2022.101157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Vision impairment has devastating consequences for the quality of human life. The cells and tissues associated with the visual process must function throughout one's life span and maintain homeostasis despite exposure to a variety of insults. Maintenance of the proteome is termed proteostasis, and is vital for normal cellular functions, especially at an advanced age. Here we describe basic aspects of proteostasis, from protein synthesis and folding to degradation, and discuss the current status of the field with a particular focus on major age-related eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and glaucoma. Our intent is to allow vision scientists to determine where and how to harness the proteostatic machinery for extending functional homeostasis in the aging retina, lens, and trabecular meshwork. Several common themes have emerged despite these tissues having vastly different metabolisms. Continued exposure to insults, including chronic stress with advancing age, increases proteostatic burden and reduces the fidelity of the degradation machineries including the ubiquitin-proteasome and the autophagy-lysosome systems that recognize and remove damaged proteins. This "double jeopardy" results in an exponential accumulation of cytotoxic proteins with advancing age. We conclude with a discussion of the challenges in maintaining an appropriate balance of protein synthesis and degradation pathways, and suggest that harnessing proteostatic capacities should provide new opportunities to design interventions for attenuating age-related eye diseases before they limit sight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Weinberg
- Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Mohita Gaur
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Allen Taylor
- Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
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19
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de Fisenne MA, Yilmaz Z, De Decker R, Suain V, Buée L, Ando K, Brion JP, Leroy K. Alzheimer PHF-tau aggregates do not spread tau pathology to the brain via the Retino-tectal projection after intraocular injection in mouse models. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 174:105875. [PMID: 36154878 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), a neuronal lesion found in Alzheimer's disease (AD), are composed of fibrillary aggregates of modified forms of tau proteins. The propagation of NFT follows neuroanatomical pathways suggesting that synaptically connected neurons could transmit tau pathology by the recruitment of normal tau in a prion-like manner. Moreover, the intracerebral injection of pathological tau from AD brains induces the seeding of normal tau in mouse brain. Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease has been transmitted after ocular transplants of cornea or sclera and the scrapie agent can spread across the retino-tectal pathway after intraocular injection of scrapie mouse brain homogenates. In AD, a tau pathology has been detected in the retina. To investigate the potential risk of tau pathology transmission during eye surgery using AD tissue material, we have analysed the development of tau pathology in the visual pathway of mice models expressing murine tau, wild-type or mutant human tau after intraocular injection of pathological tau proteins from AD brains. Although these pathological tau proteins were internalized in retinal ganglion cells, they did not induce aggregation of endogenous tau nor propagation of a tau pathology in the retino-tectal pathway after a 6-month incubation period. These results suggest that retinal ganglion cells exhibit a resistance to develop a tau pathology, and that eye surgery is not a major iatrogenic risk of transmission of tau pathology, contrary to what has been observed for transmission of infectious prions in prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- M-A de Fisenne
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculty of Medicine, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Z Yilmaz
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculty of Medicine, Brussels, Belgium
| | - R De Decker
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculty of Medicine, Brussels, Belgium
| | - V Suain
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculty of Medicine, Brussels, Belgium
| | - L Buée
- INSERM, U837. Université de Lille 2, Lille, France
| | - K Ando
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculty of Medicine, Brussels, Belgium
| | - J-P Brion
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculty of Medicine, Brussels, Belgium
| | - K Leroy
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculty of Medicine, Brussels, Belgium.
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20
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Retinal thinning in progressive supranuclear palsy: differences with healthy controls and correlation with clinical variables. Neurol Sci 2022; 43:4803-4809. [PMID: 35411501 PMCID: PMC9349141 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-022-06061-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Background Available evidence reports conflicting data on retinal thickness in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). In studies including healthy controls, PSP showed either the thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer, macular ganglion cell, inner nuclear, or outer retina layer. Objectives The goals of the present study were to describe retinal layer thickness in a large cohort of PSP compared to healthy controls and in PSP phenotypes using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The additional objective was to verify the relationship between retinal layers thickness and clinical variables in PSP. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, we examined retinal structure in 27 PSP patients and 27 controls using standard SD-OCT. Motor and cognitive impairment in PSP was rated with the PSP rating scale and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment battery (MoCA), respectively. Eyes with poor image quality or confounding diseases were excluded. SD-OCT measures of PSP and controls were compared with parametric testing, and correlations between retinal layer thicknesses and disease severity were evaluated. Results PSP showed significant thinning of the inner retinal layer (IRL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), and the outer plexiform layer (OPL) compared to healthy controls. PSP phenotypes showed similar retinal layer thicknesses. Retinal layer thickness correlated with MoCA visuospatial subscore (p < 0.001). Conclusions We demonstrated PSP patients disclosed thinner IRL, GCL, IPL, and OPL compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between visuospatial abilities and retinal layers suggesting the existence of a mutual relationship between posterior cognitive function and retinal structure.
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21
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Oamen HP, Romero Romero N, Knuckles P, Saarikangas J, Radman‐Livaja M, Dong Y, Caudron F. A rare natural lipid induces neuroglobin expression to prevent amyloid oligomers toxicity and retinal neurodegeneration. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13645. [PMID: 35656861 PMCID: PMC9282837 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Most neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease are proteinopathies linked to the toxicity of amyloid oligomers. Treatments to delay or cure these diseases are lacking. Using budding yeast, we report that the natural lipid tripentadecanoin induces expression of the nitric oxide oxidoreductase Yhb1 to prevent the formation of protein aggregates during aging and extends replicative lifespan. In mammals, tripentadecanoin induces expression of the Yhb1 orthologue, neuroglobin, to protect neurons against amyloid toxicity. Tripentadecanoin also rescues photoreceptors in a mouse model of retinal degeneration and retinal ganglion cells in a Rhesus monkey model of optic atrophy. Together, we propose that tripentadecanoin affects p-bodies to induce neuroglobin expression and offers a potential treatment for proteinopathies and retinal neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Patrick Oamen
- School of Biological and Behavioural SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Nathaly Romero Romero
- School of Biological and Behavioural SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Philip Knuckles
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Juha Saarikangas
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, HiLIFE, University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Research Programme in Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Neuroscience Center, University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
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22
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Boccuni I, Fairless R. Retinal Glutamate Neurotransmission: From Physiology to Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Retinal Ganglion Cell Degeneration. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:638. [PMID: 35629305 PMCID: PMC9147752 DOI: 10.3390/life12050638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate neurotransmission and metabolism are finely modulated by the retinal network, where the efficient processing of visual information is shaped by the differential distribution and composition of glutamate receptors and transporters. However, disturbances in glutamate homeostasis can result in glutamate excitotoxicity, a major initiating factor of common neurodegenerative diseases. Within the retina, glutamate excitotoxicity can impair visual transmission by initiating degeneration of neuronal populations, including retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The vulnerability of RGCs is observed not just as a result of retinal diseases but has also been ascribed to other common neurodegenerative and peripheral diseases. In this review, we describe the vulnerability of RGCs to glutamate excitotoxicity and the contribution of different glutamate receptors and transporters to this. In particular, we focus on the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor as the major effector of glutamate-induced mechanisms of neurodegeneration, including impairment of calcium homeostasis, changes in gene expression and signalling, and mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as the role of endoplasmic reticular stress. Due to recent developments in the search for modulators of NMDA receptor signalling, novel neuroprotective strategies may be on the horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Boccuni
- Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University Clinic Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Richard Fairless
- Department of Neurology, University Clinic Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
- Clinical Cooperation Unit (CCU) Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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23
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McLaughlin T, Medina A, Perkins J, Yera M, Wang JJ, Zhang SX. Cellular stress signaling and the unfolded protein response in retinal degeneration: mechanisms and therapeutic implications. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:25. [PMID: 35346303 PMCID: PMC8962104 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00528-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The retina, as part of the central nervous system (CNS) with limited capacity for self-reparation and regeneration in mammals, is under cumulative environmental stress due to high-energy demands and rapid protein turnover. These stressors disrupt the cellular protein and metabolic homeostasis, which, if not alleviated, can lead to dysfunction and cell death of retinal neurons. One primary cellular stress response is the highly conserved unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR acts through three main signaling pathways in an attempt to restore the protein homeostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by various means, including but not limited to, reducing protein translation, increasing protein-folding capacity, and promoting misfolded protein degradation. Moreover, recent work has identified a novel function of the UPR in regulation of cellular metabolism and mitochondrial function, disturbance of which contributes to neuronal degeneration and dysfunction. The role of the UPR in retinal neurons during aging and under disease conditions in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy (DR) has been explored over the past two decades. Each of the disease conditions and their corresponding animal models provide distinct challenges and unique opportunities to gain a better understanding of the role of the UPR in the maintenance of retinal health and function. Method We performed an extensive literature search on PubMed and Google Scholar using the following keywords: unfolded protein response, metabolism, ER stress, retinal degeneration, aging, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy. Results and conclusion We summarize recent advances in understanding cellular stress response, in particular the UPR, in retinal diseases, highlighting the potential roles of UPR pathways in regulation of cellular metabolism and mitochondrial function in retinal neurons. Further, we provide perspective on the promise and challenges for targeting the UPR pathways as a new therapeutic approach in age- and disease-related retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd McLaughlin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ira G. Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Andy Medina
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ira G. Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Jacob Perkins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ira G. Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Maria Yera
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ira G. Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.,Neuroscience Program, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Joshua J Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ira G. Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.,Neuroscience Program, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Sarah X Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ira G. Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA. .,Neuroscience Program, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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24
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Wareham LK, Liddelow SA, Temple S, Benowitz LI, Di Polo A, Wellington C, Goldberg JL, He Z, Duan X, Bu G, Davis AA, Shekhar K, Torre AL, Chan DC, Canto-Soler MV, Flanagan JG, Subramanian P, Rossi S, Brunner T, Bovenkamp DE, Calkins DJ. Solving neurodegeneration: common mechanisms and strategies for new treatments. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:23. [PMID: 35313950 PMCID: PMC8935795 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00524-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Across neurodegenerative diseases, common mechanisms may reveal novel therapeutic targets based on neuronal protection, repair, or regeneration, independent of etiology or site of disease pathology. To address these mechanisms and discuss emerging treatments, in April, 2021, Glaucoma Research Foundation, BrightFocus Foundation, and the Melza M. and Frank Theodore Barr Foundation collaborated to bring together key opinion leaders and experts in the field of neurodegenerative disease for a virtual meeting titled "Solving Neurodegeneration". This "think-tank" style meeting focused on uncovering common mechanistic roots of neurodegenerative disease and promising targets for new treatments, catalyzed by the goal of finding new treatments for glaucoma, the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness and the common interest of the three hosting foundations. Glaucoma, which causes vision loss through degeneration of the optic nerve, likely shares early cellular and molecular events with other neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system. Here we discuss major areas of mechanistic overlap between neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system: neuroinflammation, bioenergetics and metabolism, genetic contributions, and neurovascular interactions. We summarize important discussion points with emphasis on the research areas that are most innovative and promising in the treatment of neurodegeneration yet require further development. The research that is highlighted provides unique opportunities for collaboration that will lead to efforts in preventing neurodegeneration and ultimately vision loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren K Wareham
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shane A Liddelow
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sally Temple
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, NY, 12144, Rensselaer, USA
| | - Larry I Benowitz
- Department of Neurosurgery and F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adriana Di Polo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cheryl Wellington
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeffrey L Goldberg
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, CA, Palo Alto, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, MA, Boston, USA
| | - Xin Duan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Guojun Bu
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Albert A Davis
- Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Karthik Shekhar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Anna La Torre
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - David C Chan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, CA, 91125, Pasadena, USA
| | - M Valeria Canto-Soler
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Research Program, Department of Ophthalmology, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - John G Flanagan
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - David J Calkins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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25
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Christinaki E, Kulenovic H, Hadoux X, Baldassini N, Van Eijgen J, De Groef L, Stalmans I, van Wijngaarden P. Retinal imaging biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases. Clin Exp Optom 2022; 105:194-204. [PMID: 34751086 DOI: 10.1080/08164622.2021.1984179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The timely detection of neurodegenerative diseases is central to improving clinical care as well as enabling the development and deployment of disease-modifying therapies. Retinal imaging is emerging as a method to detect features of a number of neurodegenerative diseases, given the anatomical and functional similarities between the retina and the brain. This review provides an overview of the current status of retinal imaging biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington's disease and multiple sclerosis. Whilst research findings are promising, efforts to harmonise study designs and imaging methods will be important in translating these findings into clinical care. Doing so may mean that eye care providers will play important roles in the detection of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Christinaki
- Research Group Ophthalmology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hana Kulenovic
- Research Group Ophthalmology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Xavier Hadoux
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nicole Baldassini
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jan Van Eijgen
- Research Group Ophthalmology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lies De Groef
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ingeborg Stalmans
- Research Group Ophthalmology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter van Wijngaarden
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Australia.,Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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26
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Alzheimer's Disease Seen through the Eye: Ocular Alterations and Neurodegeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052486. [PMID: 35269629 PMCID: PMC8910735 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is one of the main neurodegenerative diseases worldwide. Unfortunately, AD shares many similarities with other dementias at early stages, which impedes an accurate premortem diagnosis. Therefore, it is urgent to find biomarkers to allow for early diagnosis of the disease. There is increasing scientific evidence highlighting the similarities between the eye and other structures of the CNS, suggesting that knowledge acquired in eye research could be useful for research and diagnosis of AD. For example, the retina and optic nerve are considered part of the central nervous system, and their damage can result in retrograde and anterograde axon degeneration, as well as abnormal protein aggregation. In the anterior eye segment, the aqueous humor and tear film may be comparable to the cerebrospinal fluid. Both fluids are enriched with molecules that can be potential neurodegenerative biomarkers. Indeed, the pathophysiology of AD, characterized by cerebral deposits of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau protein, is also present in the eyes of AD patients, besides numerous structural and functional changes observed in the structure of the eyes. Therefore, all this evidence suggests that ocular changes have the potential to be used as either predictive values for AD assessment or as diagnostic tools.
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27
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Kim BJ, Lee V, Lee EB, Saludades A, Trojanowski JQ, Dunaief JL, Grossman M, Irwin DJ. Retina tissue validation of optical coherence tomography determined outer nuclear layer loss in FTLD-tau. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:184. [PMID: 34794500 PMCID: PMC8600822 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01290-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with inner retina (nerve fiber and ganglion cell layers) thinning. In contrast, we have seen outer retina thinning driven by photoreceptor outer nuclear layer (ONL) thinning with antemortem optical coherence tomography (OCT) among patients considered to have a frontotemporal degeneration tauopathy (FTLD-Tau). Our objective was to determine if postmortem retinal tissue from FTLD-Tau patients demonstrates ONL loss observed antemortem on OCT. Two probable FTLD-Tau patients that were deeply phenotyped by clinical and genetic testing were imaged with OCT and followed to autopsy. Postmortem brain and retinal tissue were evaluated by a neuropathologist and ocular pathologist, respectively, masked to diagnosis. OCT findings were correlated with retinal histology. The two patients had autopsy-confirmed FTLD-Tau neuropathology and had antemortem OCT measurements showing ONL thinning (66.9 μm, patient #1; 74.9 μm, patient #2) below the 95% confidence interval of normal limits (75.1-120.7 μm) in our healthy control cohort. Postmortem, retinal tissue from both patients demonstrated loss of nuclei in the ONL, matching ONL loss visualized on antemortem OCT. Nuclei counts from each area of ONL loss (2 - 3 nuclei per column) seen in patient eyes were below the 95% confidence interval (4 - 8 nuclei per column for ONL) of 3 normal control retinas analyzed at the same location. Our evaluation of retinal tissue from FTLD-Tau patients confirms ONL loss seen antemortem by OCT. Continued investigation of ONL thinning as a biomarker that may distinguish FTLD-Tau from other dementias is warranted.
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28
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Sirés A, Turch-Anguera M, Bogdanov P, Sampedro J, Ramos H, Ruíz Lasa A, Huo J, Xu S, Lam KP, López-Soriano J, Pérez-García MJ, Hernández C, Simó R, Solé M, Comella JX. Faim knockout leads to gliosis and late-onset neurodegeneration of photoreceptors in the mouse retina. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:3103-3120. [PMID: 34713467 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Fas Apoptotic Inhibitory Molecule protein (FAIM) is a death receptor antagonist and an apoptosis regulator. It encodes two isoforms, namely FAIM-S (short) and FAIM-L (long), both with significant neuronal functions. FAIM-S, which is ubiquitously expressed, is involved in neurite outgrowth. In contrast, FAIM-L is expressed only in neurons and it protects them from cell death. Interestingly, FAIM-L is downregulated in patients and mouse models of Alzheimer's disease before the onset of neurodegeneration, and Faim transcript levels are decreased in mouse models of retinal degeneration. However, few studies have addressed the role of FAIM in the central nervous system, yet alone the retina. The retina is a highly specialized tissue, and its degeneration has proved to precede pathological mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. Here we describe that Faim depletion in mice damages the retina persistently and leads to late-onset photoreceptor death in older mice. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that Faim knockout (Faim-/- ) mice present ubiquitinated aggregates throughout the retina from early ages. Moreover, retinal cells released stress signals that can signal to Müller cells, as shown by immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR. Müller cells monitor retinal homeostasis and trigger a gliotic response in Faim-/- mice that becomes pathogenic when sustained. In this regard, we observed pronounced vascular leakage at later ages, which may be caused by persistent inflammation. These results suggest that FAIM is an important player in the maintenance of retinal homeostasis, and they support the premise that FAIM is a plausible early marker for late photoreceptor and neuronal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Sirés
- Cell Signaling and Apoptosis Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Mireia Turch-Anguera
- Cell Signaling and Apoptosis Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.,Diabetes and Metabolism Research Unit, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Bogdanov
- Diabetes and Metabolism Research Unit, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joel Sampedro
- Diabetes and Metabolism Research Unit, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hugo Ramos
- Diabetes and Metabolism Research Unit, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Agustín Ruíz Lasa
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.,Research Center and Memory Clinic. Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jianxin Huo
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shengli Xu
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kong-Peng Lam
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joaquín López-Soriano
- Cell Signaling and Apoptosis Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - M Jose Pérez-García
- Cell Signaling and Apoptosis Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Hernández
- Diabetes and Metabolism Research Unit, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Simó
- Diabetes and Metabolism Research Unit, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Montse Solé
- Cell Signaling and Apoptosis Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Joan X Comella
- Cell Signaling and Apoptosis Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.,Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
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Campello L, Singh N, Advani J, Mondal AK, Corso-Díaz X, Swaroop A. Aging of the Retina: Molecular and Metabolic Turbulences and Potential Interventions. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2021; 7:633-664. [PMID: 34061570 PMCID: PMC11375453 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-100419-114940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Multifaceted and divergent manifestations across tissues and cell types have curtailed advances in deciphering the cellular events that accompany advanced age and contribute to morbidities and mortalities. Increase in human lifespan during the past century has heightened awareness of the need to prevent age-associated frailty of neuronal and sensory systems to allow a healthy and productive life. In this review, we discuss molecular and physiological attributes of aging of the retina, with a goal of understanding age-related impairment of visual function. We highlight the epigenome-metabolism nexus and proteostasis as key contributors to retinal aging and discuss lifestyle changes as potential modulators of retinal function. Finally, we deliberate promising intervention strategies for promoting healthy aging of the retina for improved vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Campello
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;
| | - Nivedita Singh
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;
| | - Jayshree Advani
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;
| | - Anupam K Mondal
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;
| | - Ximena Corso-Díaz
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;
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30
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Gunawan M, Low C, Neo K, Yeo S, Ho C, Barathi VA, Chan AS, Sharif NA, Kageyama M. The Role of Autophagy in Chemical Proteasome Inhibition Model of Retinal Degeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147271. [PMID: 34298888 PMCID: PMC8303873 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
We recently demonstrated that chemical proteasome inhibition induced inner retinal degeneration, supporting the pivotal roles of the ubiquitin–proteasome system in retinal structural integrity maintenance. In this study, using beclin1-heterozygous (Becn1-Het) mice with autophagic dysfunction, we tested our hypothesis that autophagy could be a compensatory retinal protective mechanism for proteasomal impairment. Despite the reduced number of autophagosome, the ocular tissue morphology and intraocular pressure were normal. Surprisingly, Becn1-Het mice experienced the same extent of retinal degeneration as was observed in wild-type mice, following an intravitreal injection of a chemical proteasome inhibitor. Similarly, these mice equally responded to other chemical insults, including endoplasmic reticulum stress inducer, N-methyl-D-aspartate, and lipopolysaccharide. Interestingly, in cultured neuroblastoma cells, we found that the mammalian target of rapamycin-independent autophagy activators, lithium chloride and rilmenidine, rescued these cells against proteasome inhibition-induced death. These results suggest that Becn1-mediated autophagy is not an effective intrinsic protective mechanism for retinal damage induced by insults, including impaired proteasomal activity; furthermore, autophagic activation beyond normal levels is required to alleviate the cytotoxic effect of proteasomal inhibition. Further studies are underway to delineate the precise roles of different forms of autophagy, and investigate the effects of their activation in rescuing retinal neurons under various pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merry Gunawan
- Santen-SERI Open Innovation Centre, 20 College Road, The Academia, Singapore 169856, Singapore; (M.G.); (C.L.); (K.N.)
| | - Choonbing Low
- Santen-SERI Open Innovation Centre, 20 College Road, The Academia, Singapore 169856, Singapore; (M.G.); (C.L.); (K.N.)
| | - Kurt Neo
- Santen-SERI Open Innovation Centre, 20 College Road, The Academia, Singapore 169856, Singapore; (M.G.); (C.L.); (K.N.)
| | - Siawey Yeo
- Translational Pre-Clinical Model Platform, Singapore Eye Research Institute, 20 College Road, The Academia, Singapore 169856, Singapore; (S.Y.); (V.A.B.)
| | - Candice Ho
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, 20 College Road, The Academia, Singapore 169856, Singapore; (C.H.); (A.S.C.)
| | - Veluchamy A. Barathi
- Translational Pre-Clinical Model Platform, Singapore Eye Research Institute, 20 College Road, The Academia, Singapore 169856, Singapore; (S.Y.); (V.A.B.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119077, Singapore
- Academic Clinical Program in Ophthalmology, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Anita Sookyee Chan
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, 20 College Road, The Academia, Singapore 169856, Singapore; (C.H.); (A.S.C.)
| | - Najam A. Sharif
- Global Alliance and External Research, Santen Inc., Emeryville, CA 94608, USA;
| | - Masaaki Kageyama
- Santen-SERI Open Innovation Centre, 20 College Road, The Academia, Singapore 169856, Singapore; (M.G.); (C.L.); (K.N.)
- Correspondence:
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31
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Past, present and future role of retinal imaging in neurodegenerative disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2021; 83:100938. [PMID: 33460813 PMCID: PMC8280255 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Retinal imaging technology is rapidly advancing and can provide ever-increasing amounts of information about the structure, function and molecular composition of retinal tissue in humans in vivo. Most importantly, this information can be obtained rapidly, non-invasively and in many cases using Food and Drug Administration-approved devices that are commercially available. Technologies such as optical coherence tomography have dramatically changed our understanding of retinal disease and in many cases have significantly improved their clinical management. Since the retina is an extension of the brain and shares a common embryological origin with the central nervous system, there has also been intense interest in leveraging the expanding armamentarium of retinal imaging technology to understand, diagnose and monitor neurological diseases. This is particularly appealing because of the high spatial resolution, relatively low-cost and wide availability of retinal imaging modalities such as fundus photography or OCT compared to brain imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography. The purpose of this article is to review and synthesize current research about retinal imaging in neurodegenerative disease by providing examples from the literature and elaborating on limitations, challenges and future directions. We begin by providing a general background of the most relevant retinal imaging modalities to ensure that the reader has a foundation on which to understand the clinical studies that are subsequently discussed. We then review the application and results of retinal imaging methodologies to several prevalent neurodegenerative diseases where extensive work has been done including sporadic late onset Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease and Huntington's Disease. We also discuss Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease and cerebrovascular small vessel disease, where the application of retinal imaging holds promise but data is currently scarce. Although cerebrovascular disease is not generally considered a neurodegenerative process, it is both a confounder and contributor to neurodegenerative disease processes that requires more attention. Finally, we discuss ongoing efforts to overcome the limitations in the field and unmet clinical and scientific needs.
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32
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Chinchilla B, Foltopoulou P, Fernandez-Godino R. Tick-over-mediated complement activation is sufficient to cause basal deposit formation in cell-based models of macular degeneration. J Pathol 2021; 255:120-131. [PMID: 34155630 DOI: 10.1002/path.5747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite numerous unsuccessful clinical trials for anti-complement drugs to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the complement system has not been fully explored as a target to stop drusen growth in patients with dry AMD. We propose that the resilient autoactivation of C3 by hydrolysis of its internal thioester (tick-over), which cannot be prevented by existing drugs, plays a critical role in the formation of drusenoid deposits underneath the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). We have combined gene editing tools with stem cell technology to generate cell-based models that allow the role of the tick-over in sub-RPE deposit formation to be studied. The results demonstrate that structurally or genetically driven pathological events affecting the RPE and Bruch's membrane can lead to dysregulation of the tick-over, which is sufficient to stimulate the formation of sub-RPE deposits. This can be prevented with therapies that downregulate C3 expression. © 2021 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Chinchilla
- The Ocular Genomics Institute at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Parthena Foltopoulou
- The Ocular Genomics Institute at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rosario Fernandez-Godino
- The Ocular Genomics Institute at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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33
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Schwaber EJ, Thompson AC, Smilnak G, Stinnett SS, Whitson HE, Lad EM. Co-Prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease and Age-Related Macular Degeneration Established by Histopathologic Diagnosis. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 76:207-215. [PMID: 32444545 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous epidemiologic studies have suggested an association between AMD and AD, and several therapeutic agents are being developed based on this principle. However, prior studies have provided conflicting results due in part to their reliance on clinical diagnoses that are not based on gold-standard histopathology. OBJECTIVE To use histopathologic standards for diagnosis in order to determine the co-prevalence of AD among patients with and without AMD. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study of 157 autopsy ocular specimens from patients with and without AMD that were greater than 75 years of age at death. Sarks staging was used to document the severity of AMD, and Braak and Braak staging was used to assess the severity of AD in corresponding brain specimens. The prevalence of AD within different severities of AMD was determined using univariable and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS 58% of autopsy eyes had AMD. The prevalence of AD was lower in AMD subjects (63%) compared to non-AMD subjects (73%), even when grouped by severity (all p > 0.15). The likelihood of AD was significantly less in AMD subjects, even after adjusting for age and sex in multivariable analysis (OR 0.47, p = 0.049). CONCLUSION Histopathologic diagnoses fail to support an increase in prevalence of AD among subjects with AMD, even when disease severity is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Schwaber
- Department of Internal Medicine, Griffin Hospital, Derby, CT, USA
| | - Atalie C Thompson
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gordon Smilnak
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sandra S Stinnett
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Heather E Whitson
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Eleonora M Lad
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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34
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Chan JW, Chan NCY, Sadun AA. Glaucoma as Neurodegeneration in the Brain. Eye Brain 2021; 13:21-28. [PMID: 33500674 PMCID: PMC7822087 DOI: 10.2147/eb.s293765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma, a group of diseases characterized by progressive optic nerve degeneration that results in irreversible blindness, can be considered a neurodegenerative disorder of both the eye and the brain. Increasing evidence from human and animal studies have shown that glaucoma shares some common neurodegenerative pathways with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and frontotemporal dementia. This hypothesis is based on the focal adhesion pathway hypothesis and the spreading hypothesis of tau. Not only has the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene been shown to be associated with AD, but also with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). This review will highlight the relevant literature in the past 20 years from PubMed that show the pathogenic overlap between POAG and AD. Neurodegenerative pathways that contribute to transsynaptic neurodegeneration in AD and other tauopathies might also be similar to those in glaucomatous neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane W Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Doheny Eye Institute, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Noel C Y Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Alfredo A Sadun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Doheny Eye Institute, Pasadena, CA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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35
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Effects of Resvega on Inflammasome Activation in Conjunction with Dysfunctional Intracellular Clearance in Retinal Pigment Epithelial (RPE) Cells. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10010067. [PMID: 33430331 PMCID: PMC7825790 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease in which retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells play a crucial role in maintaining retinal homeostasis and photoreceptors’ functionality. During disease progression, there is increased inflammation with nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat, and Pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, oxidative stress, and impaired autophagy in RPE cells. Previously, we have shown that the dietary supplement Resvega reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and induces autophagy in RPE cells. Here, we investigated the ability of Resvega to prevent NLRP3 inflammasome activation with impaired protein clearance in human RPE cells. Cell viability was measured using the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were utilized to determine the secretion of cytokines, NLRP3, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Caspase-1 activity was measured with a fluorescent labeled inhibitor of caspase-1 (FLICA; FAM-YVAD-FMK) and detected microscopically. Resvega improved the cell membrane integrity, which was evident as reduced LDH leakage from cells. In addition, the caspase-1 activity and NLRP3 release were reduced, as was the secretion of two inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-8, in IL-1α-primed ARPE-19 cells. According to our results, Resvega can potentially reduce NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation in RPE cells with impaired protein clearance.
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36
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Kaehler K, Seitter H, Sandbichler AM, Tschugg B, Obermair GJ, Stefanova N, Koschak A. Assessment of the Retina of Plp-α-Syn Mice as a Model for Studying Synuclein-Dependent Diseases. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 61:12. [PMID: 32503050 PMCID: PMC7415298 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.6.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Synucleinopathies such as multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Parkinson's disease are associated with a variety of visual symptoms. Functional and morphological retinal aberrations are therefore supposed to be valuable biomarkers for these neurodegenerative diseases. This study examined the retinal morphology and functionality resulting from human α-synuclein (α-Syn) overexpression in the transgenic Plp-α-Syn mouse model. Methods Immunohistochemistry on retinal sections and whole-mounts was performed on 8- to 11-week-old and 12-month-old Plp-α-Syn mice and C57BL/6N controls. Quantitative RT-PCR experiments were performed to study the expression of endogenous and human α-Syn and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). We confirmed the presence of human α-Syn in the retina in western blot analyses. Multi-electrode array (MEA) analyses from light-stimulated whole-mounted retinas were used to investigate their functionality. Results Biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses showed human α-Syn in the retina of Plp-α-Syn mice. We found distinct staining in different retinal cell layers, most abundantly in rod bipolar cells of the peripheral retina. In the periphery, we also observed a trend toward a decline in the number of retinal ganglion cells. The number of TH+ neurons was unaffected in this human α-Syn overexpression model. MEA recordings showed that Plp-α-Syn retinas were functional but exhibited mild alterations in dim light conditions. Conclusions Together, these findings implicate an impairment of retinal neurons in the Plp-α-Syn mouse. The phenotype partly relates to retinal deficits reported in MSA patients. We further propose the suitability of the Plp-α-Syn retina as a biological model to study synuclein-mediated mechanisms.
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Alber J, Goldfarb D, Thompson LI, Arthur E, Hernandez K, Cheng D, DeBuc DC, Cordeiro F, Provetti-Cunha L, den Haan J, Van Stavern GP, Salloway SP, Sinoff S, Snyder PJ. Developing retinal biomarkers for the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease: What we know, what we don't, and how to move forward. Alzheimers Dement 2020; 16:229-243. [PMID: 31914225 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The last decade has seen a substantial increase in research focused on the identification, development, and validation of diagnostic and prognostic retinal biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Sensitive retinal biomarkers may be advantageous because they are cost and time efficient, non-invasive, and present a minimal degree of patient risk and a high degree of accessibility. Much of the work in this area thus far has focused on distinguishing between symptomatic AD and/or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitively normal older adults. Minimal work has been done on the detection of preclinical AD, the earliest stage of AD pathogenesis characterized by the accumulation of cerebral amyloid absent clinical symptoms of MCI or dementia. The following review examines retinal structural changes, proteinopathies, and vascular alterations that have been proposed as potential AD biomarkers, with a focus on studies examining the earliest stages of disease pathogenesis. In addition, we present recommendations for future research to move beyond the discovery phase and toward validation of AD risk biomarkers that could potentially be used as a first step in a multistep screening process for AD risk detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Alber
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.,George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Butler Hospital Memory & Aging Program, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - Louisa I Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Butler Hospital Memory & Aging Program, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Edmund Arthur
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.,George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.,Butler Hospital Memory & Aging Program, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - Derrick Cheng
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Delia Cabrera DeBuc
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Francesca Cordeiro
- Imperial College London, London, UK.,University College London, London, UK.,Western Eye Hospital, London, UK
| | - Leonardo Provetti-Cunha
- Federal University of Juiz de Fora Medical School, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Juiz de Fora Eye Hospital, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jurre den Haan
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Gregory P Van Stavern
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Stephen P Salloway
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Butler Hospital Memory & Aging Program, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Department of Neurology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - Peter J Snyder
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.,George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.,Department of Neurology and Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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38
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Indrieri A, Pizzarelli R, Franco B, De Leonibus E. Dopamine, Alpha-Synuclein, and Mitochondrial Dysfunctions in Parkinsonian Eyes. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:567129. [PMID: 33192254 PMCID: PMC7604532 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.567129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by motor dysfunctions including bradykinesia, tremor at rest and motor instability. These symptoms are associated with the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons originating in the substantia nigra pars compacta and projecting to the corpus striatum, and by accumulation of cytoplasmic inclusions mainly consisting of aggregated alpha-synuclein, called Lewy bodies. PD is a complex, multifactorial disorder and its pathogenesis involves multiple pathways and mechanisms such as α-synuclein proteostasis, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis, axonal transport, and neuroinflammation. Motor symptoms manifest when there is already an extensive dopamine denervation. There is therefore an urgent need for early biomarkers to apply disease-modifying therapeutic strategies. Visual defects and retinal abnormalities, including decreased visual acuity, abnormal spatial contrast sensitivity, color vision defects, or deficits in more complex visual tasks are present in the majority of PD patients. They are being considered for early diagnosis together with retinal imaging techniques are being considered as non-invasive biomarkers for PD. Dopaminergic cells can be found in the retina in a subpopulation of amacrine cells; however, the molecular mechanisms leading to visual deficits observed in PD patients are still largely unknown. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the retinal abnormalities observed in PD patients and animal models and of the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in parkinsonian eyes. We will review the role of α-synuclein aggregates in the retina pathology and/or in the onset of visual symptoms in PD suggesting that α-synuclein aggregates are harmful for the retina as well as for the brain. Moreover, we will summarize experimental evidence suggesting that the optic nerve pathology observed in PD resembles that seen in mitochondrial optic neuropathies highlighting the possible involvement of mitochondrial abnormalities in the development of PD visual defects. We finally propose that the eye may be considered as a complementary experimental model to identify possible novel disease’ pathways or to test novel therapeutic approaches for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Indrieri
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy.,Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council, Milan, Italy
| | - Rocco Pizzarelli
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Brunella Franco
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Elvira De Leonibus
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy.,Institute of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
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Mirzaei N, Shi H, Oviatt M, Doustar J, Rentsendorj A, Fuchs DT, Sheyn J, Black KL, Koronyo Y, Koronyo-Hamaoui M. Alzheimer's Retinopathy: Seeing Disease in the Eyes. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:921. [PMID: 33041751 PMCID: PMC7523471 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurosensory retina emerges as a prominent site of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. As a CNS extension of the brain, the neuro retina is easily accessible for noninvasive, high-resolution imaging. Studies have shown that along with cognitive decline, patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD often suffer from visual impairments, abnormal electroretinogram patterns, and circadian rhythm disturbances that can, at least in part, be attributed to retinal damage. Over a decade ago, our group identified the main pathological hallmark of AD, amyloid β-protein (Aβ) plaques, in the retina of patients including early-stage clinical cases. Subsequent histological, biochemical and in vivo retinal imaging studies in animal models and in humans corroborated these findings and further revealed other signs of AD neuropathology in the retina. Among these signs, hyperphosphorylated tau, neuronal degeneration, retinal thinning, vascular abnormalities and gliosis were documented. Further, linear correlations between the severity of retinal and brain Aβ concentrations and plaque pathology were described. More recently, extensive retinal pericyte loss along with vascular platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β deficiency were discovered in postmortem retinas of MCI and AD patients. This progressive loss was closely associated with increased retinal vascular amyloidosis and predicted cerebral amyloid angiopathy scores. These studies brought excitement to the field of retinal exploration in AD. Indeed, many questions still remain open, such as queries related to the temporal progression of AD-related pathology in the retina compared to the brain, the relations between retinal and cerebral changes and whether retinal signs can predict cognitive decline. The extent to which AD affects the retina, including the susceptibility of certain topographical regions and cell types, is currently under intense investigation. Advances in retinal amyloid imaging, hyperspectral imaging, optical coherence tomography, and OCT-angiography encourage the use of such modalities to achieve more accurate, patient- and user-friendly, noninvasive detection and monitoring of AD. In this review, we summarize the current status in the field while addressing the many unknowns regarding Alzheimer's retinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazanin Mirzaei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Haoshen Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mia Oviatt
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jonah Doustar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Altan Rentsendorj
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Dieu-Trang Fuchs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Julia Sheyn
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Keith L. Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Does proteostasis get lost in translation? Implications for protein aggregation across the lifespan. Ageing Res Rev 2020; 62:101119. [PMID: 32603841 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Protein aggregation is a phenomenon of major relevance in neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders, cataracts, diabetes and many other diseases. Research has unveiled that proteins also aggregate in multiple tissues during healthy aging yet, the biological and biomedical relevance of this apparently asymptomatic phenomenon remains to be understood. It is known that proteome homeostasis (proteostasis) is maintained by a balanced protein synthesis rate, high protein synthesis accuracy, efficient protein folding and continual tagging of damaged proteins for degradation, suggesting that protein aggregation during healthy aging may be associated with alterations in both protein synthesis and the proteostasis network (PN) pathways. In particular, dysregulation of protein synthesis and alterations in translation fidelity are hypothesized to lead to the production of misfolded proteins which could explain the occurrence of age-related protein aggregation. Nevertheless, some data on this topic is controversial and the biological mechanisms that lead to widespread protein aggregation remain to be elucidated. We review the recent literature about the age-related decline of proteostasis, highlighting the need to build an integrated view of protein synthesis rate, fidelity and quality control pathways in order to better understand the proteome alterations that occur during aging and in age-related diseases.
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Chibhabha F, Yaqi Y, Li F. Retinal involvement in Alzheimer's disease (AD): evidence and current progress on the non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of AD-related pathology using the eye. Rev Neurosci 2020; 31:/j/revneuro.ahead-of-print/revneuro-2019-0119/revneuro-2019-0119.xml. [PMID: 32804680 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2019-0119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common form of age-related dementia that mostly affects the aging population. Clinically, it is a disease characterized by impaired memory and progressive cognitive decline. Although the pathological hallmarks of AD have been traditionally described with a general confinement in the brain, recent studies have shown similar pathological changes in the retina, which is a developmental outgrowth of the forebrain. These AD-related neurodegenerative changes in the retina have been implicated to cause early visual problems in AD even before cognitive impairment becomes apparent. With recent advances in research, the commonly held view that AD-related cerebral pathology causes visual dysfunction through disruption of central visual pathways has been re-examined. Currently, several studies have already explored how AD manifests in the retina and the possibility of using the same retina as a window to non-invasively examine AD-related pathology in the brain. Non-invasive screening of AD through the retina has the potential to improve on early detection and management of the disease since the majority of AD cases are usually diagnosed very late. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence on the involvement of the retina in AD and to suggest a possible direction for future research into the non-invasive screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of AD using the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fidelis Chibhabha
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou510080,China
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Midlands State University, P. Bag 9055, Senga, Gweru, Zimbabwe
- and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080,China
| | - Yang Yaqi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou510080,China
- and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080,China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou510080,China
- and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080,China
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Nag TC, Kathpalia P, Wadhwa S. Microtubule alterations may destabilize photoreceptor integrity: Age-related microtubule changes and pattern of expression of MAP-2, Tau and hyperphosphorylated Tau in aging human photoreceptor cells. Exp Eye Res 2020; 198:108153. [PMID: 32710889 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Photoreceptor cells undergo changes with aging. It is unknown if their microtubules are stable or not with aging. This study examined photoreceptor cell ultrastructure from 18 human donor retinas (32 eyes; age: 45-94 years) and quantified the photoreceptors with altered microtubules over six to ninth decades in four defined retinal regions. In addition, immunoreactivity (IR) to microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2), tau and hyperphophorylated tau was performed in retinal sections from companion eyes. In young donor retinas below 75 years of age, microtubules appeared straight in photoreceptor inner segments and axons. With age, they appeared bent or misaligned in macular and mid-peripheral photoreceptors. In addition, dense granular materials were present in photoreceptor axons and synaptic terminals in advanced ages. In all decades, rod microtubules were affected more than their cone counterparts (28% vs 15%, p < 0.005). Both rods and cones were significantly affected in mid-peripheral retina (5-8 mm outside the macular border) in eighth decade, compared to other decades or retinal regions (parafoveal, perifoveal and nasal) examined (p < 0.005). IR showed a steady expression of MAP-2 in inner segments, and tau in inner segments to axons below 75 years of age, but was absent for both markers in scattered macular and mid-peripheral photoreceptors in advanced ages (>75 years). IR to hyperphosphorylated tau was present mainly in inner retina and increased with aging. Markers of oxidative stress, e.g., lipid peroxidation (4-hydroxy 2-nonenal) and nitrosative stress (nitrotyrosine) were immunopositive in aged photoreceptors. The sporadic loss of MAP-2 and tau-IR in photoreceptors may be due to microtubule changes; all these changes may affect intracellular transport and be partly responsible for photoreceptor death in aged human retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapas C Nag
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
| | - Poorti Kathpalia
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Shashi Wadhwa
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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O'Hara DM, Kalia SK, Kalia LV. Methods for detecting toxic α-synuclein species as a biomarker for Parkinson's disease. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2020; 57:291-307. [PMID: 32116096 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2019.1711359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder and is characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) into insoluble aggregates known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites in the brain. However, prior to the formation of these large aggregates, α-syn forms oligomers and small fibrils, which are believed to be the pathogenic species leading to the death of neurons in the substantia nigra in disease. The majority of aggregated α-syn is phosphorylated, and it is thought that this post-translational modification may be critical in disease pathogenesis. Thus, early detection of the toxic forms of α-syn may provide a window of opportunity for an intervention to halt or slow the progression of neurodegeneration in PD. Expression of α-syn is not restricted to the central nervous system and the protein can be found elsewhere, including bodily fluids and peripheral tissues. This review will examine current methods for detecting toxic forms of α-syn in accessible biospecimens and outline emerging techniques that may provide reliable identification of biomarkers for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren M O'Hara
- Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Suneil K Kalia
- Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lorraine V Kalia
- Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.,Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Ngolab J, Honma P, Rissman RA. Reflections on the Utility of the Retina as a Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease: A Literature Review. Neurol Ther 2019; 8:57-72. [PMID: 31833024 PMCID: PMC6908534 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-019-00173-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As a part of the central nervous system, the retina may reflect both physiologic processes and abnormalities related to diseases of the brain. Indeed, a concerted effort has been put forth to understand how Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology may manifest in the retina as a means to assess the state of the AD brain. The development and refinement of ophthalmologic techniques for studying the retina in vivo have produced evidence of retinal degeneration in AD diagnosed patients. In this review, we will discuss retinal imaging techniques implemented to study the changes in AD retina as well as highlight the recent efforts made to correlate such findings to other clinical hallmarks of AD to assess the viability of the retina as a biomarker for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Ngolab
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Patrick Honma
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Robert A Rissman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
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Amir Mishan M, Rezaei Kanavi M, Shahpasand K, Ahmadieh H. Pathogenic Tau Protein Species: Promising Therapeutic Targets for Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases. J Ophthalmic Vis Res 2019; 14:491-505. [PMID: 31875105 PMCID: PMC6825701 DOI: 10.18502/jovr.v14i4.5459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein, which is highly expressed in the central nervous system as well as ocular neurons and stabilizes microtubule structure. It is a phospho-protein being moderately phosphorylated under physiological conditions but its abnormal hyperphosphorylation or some post-phosphorylation modifications would result in a pathogenic condition, microtubule dissociation, and aggregation. The aggregates can induce neuroinflammation and trigger some pathogenic cascades, leading to neurodegeneration. Taking these together, targeting pathogenic tau employing tau immunotherapy may be a promising therapeutic strategy in fighting with cerebral and ocular neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Amir Mishan
- Ocular Tissue Engineering Research Center, Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mozhgan Rezaei Kanavi
- Ocular Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Koorosh Shahpasand
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Ahmadieh
- Ophthalmic Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Fernández-Albarral JA, Salobrar-García E, Martínez-Páramo R, Ramírez AI, de Hoz R, Ramírez JM, Salazar JJ. Retinal glial changes in Alzheimer's disease - A review. JOURNAL OF OPTOMETRY 2019; 12:198-207. [PMID: 30377086 PMCID: PMC6612028 DOI: 10.1016/j.optom.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative dementia characterized by the deposition of extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and the presence of neurofibrillary tangles. Until now, the techniques used to analyze these deposits have been difficult to access, invasive, and expensive. This leads us to consider new access routes to the central nervous system (CNS), allowing us to diagnose the disease before the first symptoms appear. Recent studies have shown that microglial and macroglial cell activation could play a role in the development of this disease. Glial cells in the CNS can respond to various damages, such as neurodegenerative pathologies, with morphological and functional changes. These changes are a common feature in neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. The retina is considered an extension of the CNS and has a population of glial cells similar to that of the CNS. When glial cells are activated, various molecules are released and changes in glial cell expression occur, which can be indicators of neuronal damage. The objective of this review is to compile the most relevant findings in the last 10 years relating to alterations in the eye in AD, and the role that glial cells play in the degenerative process in the retina in the context of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Fernández-Albarral
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Salobrar-García
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
| | - Rebeca Martínez-Páramo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana I Ramírez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain; Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, Departamento de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORL, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa de Hoz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain; Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, Departamento de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORL, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Ramírez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain; Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORL, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.
| | - Juan J Salazar
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain; Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, Departamento de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORL, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.
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Kim BJ, Grossman M, Song D, Saludades S, Pan W, Dominguez-Perez S, Dunaief JL, Aleman TS, Ying GS, Irwin DJ. Persistent and Progressive Outer Retina Thinning in Frontotemporal Degeneration. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:298. [PMID: 31019447 PMCID: PMC6459211 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While Alzheimer's disease is associated with inner retina thinning measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), our previous cross-sectional study suggested outer retina thinning in frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) patients compared to controls without neurodegenerative disease; we sought to evaluate longitudinal changes of this potential biomarker. METHODS SD-OCT retinal layer thicknesses were measured at baseline and after 1-2 years. Clinical criteria, genetic analysis, and a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker (total tau: β-amyloid) to exclude likely underlying Alzheimer's disease pathology were used to define a subgroup of predicted molecular pathology (i.e., tauopathy). Retinal layer thicknesses and rates of change in all FTD patients (n = 16 patients, 30 eyes) and the tauopathy subgroup (n = 9 patients,16 eyes) were compared to controls (n = 30 controls, 47 eyes) using a generalized linear model accounting for inter-eye correlation and adjusting for age, sex, and race. Correlations between retinal layer thicknesses and Mini-Mental State Examinations (MMSE) were assessed. RESULTS Compared to controls, returning FTD patients (143 vs. 130 μm, p = 0.005) and the tauopathy subgroup (143 vs. 128 μm, p = 0.03) had thinner outer retinas but similar inner layer thicknesses. Compared to controls, the outer retina thinning rate was not significant for all FTD patients (p = 0.34), but was significant for the tauopathy subgroup (-3.9 vs. 0.4 μm/year, p = 0.03). Outer retina thickness change correlated with MMSE change in FTD patients (Spearman rho = 0.60, p = 0.02) and the tauopathy subgroup (rho = 0.73, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION Our finding of FTD outer retina thinning persists and longitudinally correlates with disease progression. These findings were especially seen in probable tauopathy patients, which showed progressive outer retina thinning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J. Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Murray Grossman
- Department of Neurology, Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Delu Song
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Samantha Saludades
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Wei Pan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sophia Dominguez-Perez
- Department of Neurology, Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Joshua L. Dunaief
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Tomas S. Aleman
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Gui-Shuang Ying
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - David J. Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Veys L, Vandenabeele M, Ortuño-Lizarán I, Baekelandt V, Cuenca N, Moons L, De Groef L. Retinal α-synuclein deposits in Parkinson's disease patients and animal models. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 137:379-395. [PMID: 30721408 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-018-01956-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Despite decades of research, accurate diagnosis of Parkinson's disease remains a challenge, and disease-modifying treatments are still lacking. Research into the early (presymptomatic) stages of Parkinson's disease and the discovery of novel biomarkers is of utmost importance to reduce this burden and to come to a more accurate diagnosis at the very onset of the disease. Many have speculated that non-motor symptoms could provide a breakthrough in the quest for early biomarkers of Parkinson's disease, including the visual disturbances and retinal abnormalities that are seen in the majority of Parkinson's disease patients. An expanding number of clinical studies have investigated the use of in vivo assessments of retinal structure, electrophysiological function, and vision-driven tasks as novel means for identifying patients at risk that need further neurological examination and for longitudinal follow-up of disease progression in Parkinson's disease patients. Often, the results of these studies have been interpreted in relation to α-synuclein deposits and dopamine deficiency in the retina, mirroring the defining pathological features of Parkinson's disease in the brain. To better understand the visual defects seen in Parkinson's disease patients and to propel the use of retinal changes as biomarkers for Parkinson's disease, however, more conclusive neuropathological evidence for the presence of retinal α-synuclein aggregates, and its relation to the cerebral α-synuclein burden, is urgently needed. This review provides a comprehensive and critical overview of the research conducted to unveil α-synuclein aggregates in the retina of Parkinson's disease patients and animal models, and thereby aims to aid the ongoing discussion about the potential use of the retinal changes and/or visual symptoms as biomarkers for Parkinson's disease.
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Harrison IF, Whitaker R, Bertelli PM, O’Callaghan JM, Csincsik L, Bocchetta M, Ma D, Fisher A, Ahmed Z, Murray TK, O’Neill MJ, Rohrer JD, Lythgoe MF, Lengyel I. Optic nerve thinning and neurosensory retinal degeneration in the rTg4510 mouse model of frontotemporal dementia. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:4. [PMID: 30616676 PMCID: PMC6322294 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-018-0654-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual impairments, such as difficulties in reading and finding objects, perceiving depth and structure from motion, and impaired stereopsis, have been reported in tauopathy disorders, such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). These impairments however have been previously attributed to cortical pathologies rather than changes in the neurosensory retina or the optic nerve. Here, we examined tau pathology in the neurosensory retina of the rTg(tauP301L)4510 mouse model of FTD. Optic nerve pathology in mice was also assessed using MRI, and corresponding measurements taken in a cohort of five FTD sufferers and five healthy controls. rTg(tauP301L)4510 mice were imaged (T2-weighted MRI) prior to being terminally anesthetized and eyes and brains removed for immunohistochemical and histological analysis. Central and peripheral retinal labelling of tau and phosphorylated tau (pTau) was quantified and retinal layer thicknesses and cell numbers assessed. MR volumetric changes of specific brain regions and the optic nerve were compared to tau accumulation and cell loss in the visual pathway. In addition, the optic nerves of a cohort of healthy controls and behavioural variant FTD patients, were segmented from T1- and T2-weighted images for volumetric study. Accumulation of tau and pTau were observed in both the central and peripheral retinal ganglion cell (RGC), inner plexiform and inner nuclear layers of the neurosensory retina of rTg(tauP301L)4510 mice. This pathology was associated with reduced nuclear density (− 24.9 ± 3.4%) of the central RGC layer, and a reduced volume (− 19.3 ± 4.6%) and elevated T2 signal (+ 27.1 ± 1.8%) in the optic nerve of the transgenic mice. Significant atrophy of the cortex (containing the visual cortex) was observed but not in other area associated with visual processing, e.g. the lateral geniculate nucleus or superior colliculus. Atrophic changes in optic nerve volume were similarly observed in FTD patients (− 36.6 ± 2.6%). The association between tau-induced changes in the neurosensory retina and reduced optic nerve volume in mice, combined with the observation of optic nerve atrophy in clinical FTD suggests that ophthalmic tau pathology may also exist in the eyes of FTD patients. If tau pathology and neurodegeneration in the retina were to reflect the degree of cortical tau burden, then cost-effective and non-invasive imaging of the neurosensory retina could provide valuable biomarkers in tauopathy. Further work should aim to validate whether these observations are fully translatable to a clinical scenario, which would recommend follow-up retinal and optic nerve examination in FTD.
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50
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Ocular amyloid imaging at the crossroad of Alzheimer's disease and age-related macular degeneration: implications for diagnosis and therapy. J Neurol 2018; 266:1566-1577. [PMID: 30155741 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-018-9028-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 08/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are important disorders of aging, but significant challenges remain in diagnosis and therapy. Amyloid-beta (Aβ), found in the brain and a defining feature of AD, has also been observed in the retina in both AD and AMD. While current diagnostic modalities for detecting Aβ in the brain are costly or invasive, Aβ in the retina can be noninvasively and conveniently imaged using modern photonic imaging systems such as optical coherence tomography (OCT). Moreover, since many of these retinal changes occur before degenerative changes can be detected in the brain, ocular amyloid biomarkers could be utilized to detect AD as well as AMD in their earliest stages when therapy may be most effective in halting disease progression. Novel technologies to quantify retinal biomarkers have the potential to facilitate early diagnosis and noninvasive monitoring of disease progression with important therapeutic implications.
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