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Huang X, Wu W, Qi H, Yan X, Dong L, Yang Y, Zhang Q, Ma G, Zhang G, Lei H. Exploitation of enhanced prime editing for blocking aberrant angiogenesis. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00272-8. [PMID: 38996967 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.07.006] [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: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Aberrant angiogenesis plays an important part in the development of a variety of human diseases including proliferative diabetic retinopathy, with which there are still numerous patients remaining a therapeutically challenging condition. Prime editing (PE) is a versatile gene editing approach, which offers a novel opportunity to genetically correct challenging disorders. OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to create a dominant-negative (DN) vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 2 by editing genomic DNA with an advanced PE system to block aberrant retinal angiogenesis in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy. METHODS An advanced PE system (referred to as PE6x) was established within two lentiviral vectors, with one carrying an enhanced PE guide RNA and a canonical Cas9 nickase fused with an optimized reversal transcriptase, and the other conveying a nicking guide RNA and a DN-MLH1 to improve PE efficiency. Dual non-integrating lentiviruses (NILVs) produced with the two lentiviral PE6x vectors were then employed to create a mutation of VEGFR2 T17967A by editing the Mus musculus VEGFR2 locus in vitro and in vivo, leading to generation of a premature stop codon (TAG, K796stop) to produce DN-VEGFR2, to interfere with the wild type VEGFR2 which is essential for angiogenesis. RESULTS NILVs targeting VEGFR2 delivered into cultured murine vascular endothelial cells led to 51.06 % VEGFR2 T17967A in the genome analyzed by next generation sequencing and the production of DN-VEGFR2, which was found to hamper VEGF-induced VEGFR2 phosphorylation, as demonstrated by Western blot analysis. Intravitreally injection of the dual NILVs into postnatal day 12 mice in a model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, led to production of retinal DN-VEGFR2 in postnatal day 17 mice which blocked retinal VEGFR2 expression and activation as well as abnormal retinal angiogenesis without interfering with retinal structure and function, as assessed by electroretinography, optical coherence tomography, fundus fluorescein angiography and histology. CONCLUSION DN-VEGFR2 resulted from editing genomic VEGFR2 using the PE6x system can be harnessed to treat intraocular pathological angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xionggao Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hui Qi
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China; University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiaohe Yan
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China; University, Haikou, China
| | - Lijun Dong
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China; University, Haikou, China
| | - Yanhui Yang
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Common Infectious Diseases, the School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Gaoen Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
| | - Guoming Zhang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China; University, Haikou, China.
| | - Hetian Lei
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
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Duan Y, Wu W, Cui J, Matsubara JA, Kazlauskas A, Ma G, Li X, Lei H. Ligand-independent activation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor β promotes vitreous-induced contraction of retinal pigment epithelial cells. BMC Ophthalmol 2023; 23:344. [PMID: 37537538 PMCID: PMC10401781 DOI: 10.1186/s12886-023-03089-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epiretinal membranes in patients with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) consist of extracellular matrix and a number of cell types including retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and fibroblasts, whose contraction causes retinal detachment. In RPE cells depletion of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor (PDGFR)β suppresses vitreous-induced Akt activation, whereas in fibroblasts Akt activation through indirect activation of PDGFRα by growth factors outside the PDGF family (non-PDGFs) plays an essential role in experimental PVR. Whether non-PDGFs in the vitreous, however, were also able to activate PDGFRβ in RPE cells remained elusive. METHODS The CRISPR/Cas9 technology was utilized to edit a genomic PDGFRB locus in RPE cells derived from an epiretinal membrane (RPEM) from a patient with PVR, and a retroviral vector was used to express a truncated PDGFRβ short of a PDGF-binding domain in the RPEM cells lacking PDGFRβ. Western blot was employed to analyze expression of PDGFRβ and α-smooth muscle actin, and signaling events (p-PDGFRβ and p-Akt). Cellular assays (proliferation, migration and contraction) were also applied in this study. RESULTS Expression of a truncated PDGFRβ lacking a PDGF-binding domain in the RPEM cells whose PDGFRB gene has been silent using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology restores vitreous-induced Akt activation as well as cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration and contraction. In addition, we show that scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) with N-acetyl-cysteine and inhibiting Src family kinases (SFKs) with their specific inhibitor SU6656 blunt the vitreous-induced activation of the truncated PDGFRβ and Akt as well as the cellular events related to the PVR pathogenesis. These discoveries suggest that in RPE cells PDGFRβ can be activated indirectly by non-PDGFs in the vitreous via an intracellular pathway of ROS/SFKs to facilitate the development of PVR, thereby providing novel opportunities for PVR therapeutics. CONCLUSION The data shown here will improve our understanding of the mechanism by which PDGFRβ can be activated by non-PDGFs in the vitreous via an intracellular route of ROS/SFKs and provide a conceptual foundation for preventing PVR by inhibiting PDGFRβ transactivation (ligand-independent activation).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajian Duan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital of Central South, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Joanne Aiko Matsubara
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Andrius Kazlauskas
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Gaoen Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China
| | - Xiaorong Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China.
| | - Hetian Lei
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China.
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3
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Dong L, Han H, Huang X, Ma G, Fang D, Qi H, Han Z, Wang L, Tian J, Vanhaesebroeck B, Zhang G, Zhang S, Lei H. Idelalisib inhibits experimental proliferative vitroretinopathy. J Transl Med 2022; 102:1296-1303. [PMID: 35854067 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-022-00822-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a fibrotic eye disease that develops after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgery and open-globe traumatic injury. Idelalisib is a specific inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) δ. While PI3Kδ is primarily expressed in leukocytes, its expression is also considerably high in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, which play a crucial part in the PVR pathogenesis. Herein we show that GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling uncovered strong expression of fibronectin in RPE cells within epiretinal membranes from patients with PVR, and that idelalisib (10 μM) inhibited Akt activation, fibronectin expression and collagen gel contraction induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 in human RPE cells. Furthermore, we discovered that idelalisib at a vitreal concentration of 10 μM, a non-toxic dose to the retina, prevented experimental PVR induced by intravitreally injected RPE cells in rabbits assessed by experienced ophthalmologists using an indirect ophthalmoscope plus a + 30 D fundus lens, electroretinography, optical coherence tomography and histological analysis. These data suggested idelalisib could be harnessed for preventing patients from PVR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Dong
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haote Han
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China.,Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xionggao Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Gaoen Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, the third Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Dong Fang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Qi
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhuo Han
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Luping Wang
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingkui Tian
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Guoming Zhang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shaochong Zhang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Hetian Lei
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China.
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4
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Wu W, Xu H, Meng Z, Zhu J, Xiong S, Xia X, Lei H. Axl Is Essential for in-vitro Angiogenesis Induced by Vitreous From Patients With Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:787150. [PMID: 35004753 PMCID: PMC8734562 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.787150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), characterized mainly with abnormal epiretinal angiogenesis forming fibrovascular membranes (FVMs), threatens vision of people with diabetes; FVMs consist of extracellular matrix and a variety of cell types including vascular endothelial cells. Axl, one of receptor tyrosine kinases, can be activated indirectly by vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) via an intracellular route for promoting angiogenesis. In this study, we revealed that growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6), a specific ligand of Axl, was elevated in vitreous from patients with PDR and that Axl was activated in FVMs from patients with PDR. In addition, we demonstrated that in cultured human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRECs), Axl inhibition via suppression of Axl expression with Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/ CRISPR-associated protein 9 or through inactivation with its specific inhibitor R428 blocked PDR vitreous-induced Akt activation and proliferation of HRECs. Furthermore, PDR vitreous-heightened migration and tube formation of HRECs were also blunted by restraining Axl. These results indicate that in the pathogenesis of PDR, Axl can be activated by Gas6 binding directly and by VEGF-A via an intracellular route indirectly, suggesting that Axl plays a pivotal role in the development of PDR and that Axl inhibition shows a bright promise for PDR therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyi Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, China
| | - Huizuo Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, China
| | - Zhishang Meng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianxi Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Siqi Xiong
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaobo Xia
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, China
| | - Hetian Lei
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
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5
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Han H, Yang Y, Liu B, Tian J, Dong L, Qi H, Zhu W, Wang J, Lei H. Chalcomoracin prevents vitreous-induced activation of AKT and migration of retinal pigment epithelial cells. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:9102-9111. [PMID: 34432370 PMCID: PMC8500972 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are the major cell type in the epi‐ or sub‐retinal membranes in the pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), which is a blinding fibrotic eye disease and still short of effective medicine. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate whether Chalocomoracin (CMR), a novel purified compound from fungus‐infected mulberry leaves, is able to inhibit vitreous‐induced signalling events and cellular responses intrinsic to PVR. Our studies have revealed that the CMR IC50 for ARPE‐19 cells is 35.5 μmol/L at 72 hours, and that 5 μmol/L CMR inhibits vitreous‐induced Akt activation and p53 suppression; in addition, we have discovered that this chemical effectively blocks vitreous‐stimulated proliferation, migration and contraction of ARPE‐19 cells, suggesting that CMR is a promising PVR prophylactic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haote Han
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yanhui Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingkui Tian
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lijun Dong
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Qi
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiantao Wang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hetian Lei
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
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6
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Wu W, Xia X, Tang L, Yao F, Xu H, Lei H. Normal vitreous promotes angiogenesis via activation of Axl. FASEB J 2020; 35:e21152. [PMID: 33151576 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201903105r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Vitreous has been reported to prevent tumor angiogenesis, but our previous findings indicate that vitreous activate the signaling pathway of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, which plays a critical role in angiogenesis. The goal of this research is to determine which role of vitreous plays in angiogenesis-related cellular responses in vitro. We found that in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRECs) vitreous activates a number of receptor tyrosine kinases including Anexelekto (Axl), which plays an important role in angiogenesis. Subsequently, we discovered that depletion of Axl using CRISPR/Cas9 and an Axl-specific inhibitor R428 suppress vitreous-induced Akt activation and cell proliferation, migration, and tuber formation of HRECs. Therefore, this line of research not only demonstrate that vitreous promotes angiogenesis in vitro, but also reveal that Axl is one of receptor tyrosine kinases to mediate vitreous-induced angiogenesis in vitro, thereby providing a molecular basis for removal of vitreous as cleanly as possible when vitrectomy is performed in treating patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyi Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaobo Xia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, China
| | - Luosheng Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fei Yao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, China
| | - Huizuo Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, China
| | - Hetian Lei
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
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7
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Yang Y, Huang X, Ma G, Cui J, Matsubara JA, Kazlauskas A, Zhao J, Wang J, Lei H. PDGFRβ plays an essential role in patient vitreous-stimulated contraction of retinal pigment epithelial cells from epiretinal membranes. Exp Eye Res 2020; 197:108116. [PMID: 32561481 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108116] [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: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is associated with clinical proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), which is characterized by formation of sub- or epi-retinal membranes that consist of cells including retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and extracellular matrix. RPE cells play an important role in PVR pathogenesis. Previous findings indicated that PDGF receptor (PDGFR)α was essential in experimental PVR induced by fibroblasts. In RPE cells derived from epiretinal membranes from patients with PVR (RPEMs), Akt was activated by PDGF-B but not PDGF-A, which suggested that PDGFRβ was the predominant PDGFR isoform expressed in RPEMs. Indeed, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated depletion of PDGFRβ in RPEMs attenuated patient vitreous-induced Akt activation and cellular responses intrinsic to PVR including cell proliferation, migration, and contraction. We conclude that PDGFRβ appears to be the PVR relevant PDGFR isoform in RPEMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, PR China; Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xionggao Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Province, PR China
| | - Gaoen Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Jing Cui
- The University of British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Andrius Kazlauskas
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Jun Zhao
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Jiantao Wang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, PR China.
| | - Hetian Lei
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, PR China.
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8
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Wu W, Zhou G, Han H, Huang X, Jiang H, Mukai S, Kazlauskas A, Cui J, Matsubara JA, Vanhaesebroeck B, Xia X, Wang J, Lei H. PI3Kδ as a Novel Therapeutic Target in Pathological Angiogenesis. Diabetes 2020; 69:736-748. [PMID: 31915155 PMCID: PMC7085248 DOI: 10.2337/db19-0713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes, and in the advanced diabetic retinopathy appear vitreal fibrovascular membranes that consist of a variety of cells, including vascular endothelial cells (ECs). New therapeutic approaches for this diabetic complication are urgently needed. Here, we report that in cultured human retinal microvascular ECs, high glucose induced expression of p110δ, which was also expressed in ECs of fibrovascular membranes from patients with diabetes. This catalytic subunit of a receptor-regulated PI3K isoform δ is known to be highly enriched in leukocytes. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we show that p110δ activity in cultured ECs controls Akt activation, cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation induced by vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and epidermal growth factor. Using a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, p110δ inactivation was found to attenuate pathological retinal angiogenesis. p110δ inhibitors have been approved for use in human B-cell malignancies. Our data suggest that antagonizing p110δ constitutes a previously unappreciated therapeutic opportunity for diabetic retinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyi Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Guohong Zhou
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Shanxi Eye Hospital, Taiyuan, China
| | - Haote Han
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Xionggao Huang
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Heng Jiang
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shizuo Mukai
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Andrius Kazlauskas
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Jing Cui
- The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | | | - Xiaobo Xia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiantao Wang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hetian Lei
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen, China
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9
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Xin T, Han H, Wu W, Huang X, Cui J, Matsubara JA, Song J, Wang F, Colyer M, Lei H. Idelalisib inhibits vitreous-induced Akt activation and proliferation of retinal pigment epithelial cells from epiretinal membranes. Exp Eye Res 2019; 190:107884. [PMID: 31786159 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2019.107884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a blinding fibrotic eye disease that develops in 8-10% of patients who undergo primary retinal detachment-reparative surgery and in 40-60% of patients with open-globe injury. At present, there is no pharmacological treatment for this devastating disease. Vitreal growth factors activate their respective receptors of cells in the vitreous, trigger their downstream signaling transduction (e.g. phosphoinositide 3 kinases (PI3Ks)/Akt), and drive cellular responses intrinsic to the pathogenesis of PVR. PI3Ks play a central role in experimental PVR. However, which isoform(s) are involved in PVR pathogenesis remain unknown. Herein, we show that p110δ, a catalytic subunit of receptor-regulated PI3K isoform δ, is highly expressed in epiretinal membranes from patients with PVR, and that idelalisib, a specific inhibitor of PI3Kδ, effectively inhibits vitreous-induced Akt activation, proliferation, migration and contraction of retinal pigment epithelial cells derived from an epiretinal membrane of a PVR patient. Small molecules of kinase inhibitors have shown great promise as a class of therapeutics for a variety of human diseases. The data herein suggest that idelalisib is a promising PVR prophylactic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Xin
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China
| | - Haote Han
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, PR China
| | - Xionggao Huang
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan Province, PR China
| | - Jing Cui
- The University of British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Jingyuan Song
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Marcus Colyer
- Department of Surgery, Walter Reed-Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hetian Lei
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, PR China; Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
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10
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Chen N, Hu Z, Yang Y, Han H, Lei H. Inactive Cas9 blocks vitreous-induced expression of Mdm2 and proliferation and survival of retinal pigment epithelial cells. Exp Eye Res 2019; 186:107716. [PMID: 31278903 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2019.107716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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11
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Han H, Chen N, Huang X, Liu B, Tian J, Lei H. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ inactivation prevents vitreous-induced activation of AKT/MDM2/p53 and migration of retinal pigment epithelial cells. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:15408-15417. [PMID: 31467081 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a family of lipid kinases that play a critical role in transmitting signals from cell-surface molecules to intracellular protein effectors. Key PI3Ks include PI3Kα, PI3Kβ, and PI3Kδ, which are regulated by receptors. The signaling pathway comprising the PI3Ks, along with a Ser/Thr kinase (AKT), a proto-oncogene product (mouse double minute (MDM)2), and a tumor suppressor protein (p53), plays an essential role in experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), which is a fibrotic blinding eye disorder. However, which PI3K isoforms are involved in PVR is unknown. A major characteristic of PVR is the formation of epi (or sub)-retinal membranes that consist of extracellular matrix and cells, including retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, glial cells, and macrophages. RPE cells are considered key players in PVR pathogenesis. Using immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analyses, we herein provide the evidence that PI3Kδ is highly expressed in human RPEs when it is primarily expressed in leukocytes. We also found that PI3Kδ inactivation through two approaches, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated depletion and a PI3Kδ-specific inhibitor (idelalisib), not only blocks vitreous-induced activation of AKT and MDM2 but also abrogates a vitreous-stimulated decrease in p53. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PI3Kδ inactivation prevents vitreous-induced proliferation, migration, and contraction of human RPEs. These results suggest that PI3Kδ may represent a potential therapeutic target for RPE-related eye diseases, including PVR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haote Han
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts 02114.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.,College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.,Zhejiang-Malaysia Joint Research Center for Traditional Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 China
| | - Na Chen
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts 02114.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.,Department of Ophthalmology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Xionggao Huang
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts 02114.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.,Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570102, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts 02114.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Jingkui Tian
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.,Zhejiang-Malaysia Joint Research Center for Traditional Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 China
| | - Hetian Lei
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts 02114 .,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
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12
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Laxmi A, Gupta P, Gupta J. CCDC6, a gene product in fusion with different protoncogenes, as a potential chemotherapeutic target. Cancer Biomark 2019; 24:383-393. [DOI: 10.3233/cbm-181601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aishwarya Laxmi
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
| | - Pawan Gupta
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
- Department of Research and Development, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
| | - Jeena Gupta
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India
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13
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Wu W, Duan Y, Ma G, Zhou G, Park-Windhol C, D'Amore PA, Lei H. AAV-CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Depletion of VEGFR2 Blocks Angiogenesis In Vitro. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 58:6082-6090. [PMID: 29204648 PMCID: PMC5714046 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.17-21902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Pathologic angiogenesis is a component of many diseases, including neovascular age-related macular degeneration, proliferation diabetic retinopathy, as well as tumor growth and metastasis. The purpose of this project was to examine whether the system of adeno-associated viral (AAV)–mediated CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)–associated endonuclease (Cas)9 can be used to deplete expression of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in human vascular endothelial cells in vitro and thus suppress its downstream signaling events. Methods The dual AAV system of CRISPR/Cas9 from Streptococcus pyogenes (AAV-SpGuide and -SpCas9) was adapted to edit genomic VEGFR2 in primary human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRECs). In this system, the endothelial-specific promoter for intercellular adhesion molecule 2 (ICAM2) was cloned into the dual AAV vectors of SpGuide and SpCas9 for driving expression of green fluorescence protein (GFP) and SpCas9, respectively. These two AAV vectors were applied to production of recombinant AAV serotype 5 (rAAV5), which were used to infect HRECs for depletion of VEGFR2. Protein expression was determined by Western blot; and cell proliferation, migration, as well as tube formation were examined. Results AAV5 effectively infected vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells; the ICAM2 promoter drove expression of GFP and SpCas9 in HRECs, but not in RPE cells. The results showed that the rAAV5-CRISPR/Cas9 depleted VEGFR2 by 80% and completely blocked VEGF-induced activation of Akt, and proliferation, migration as well as tube formation of HRECs. Conclusions AAV-CRISRP/Cas9–mediated depletion of VEGFR2 is a potential therapeutic strategy for pathologic angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyi Wu
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yajian Duan
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Shanxi Eye Hospital, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Gaoen Ma
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Eye Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China
| | - Guohong Zhou
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Shanxi Eye Hospital, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Cindy Park-Windhol
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Patricia A D'Amore
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Hetian Lei
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear; Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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14
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Zhou G, Duan Y, Ma G, Wu W, Hu Z, Chen N, Chee Y, Cui J, Samad A, Matsubara JA, Mukai S, D'Amore PA, Lei H. Introduction of the MDM2 T309G Mutation in Primary Human Retinal Epithelial Cells Enhances Experimental Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 58:5361-5367. [PMID: 29049737 PMCID: PMC5649510 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.17-22045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The murine double minute (MDM)2 is a critical negative regulator of the p53 tumor suppressor, and MDM2 SNP309G is associated with a higher risk of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR); in addition, the MDM2 T309G created using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/associated endonuclease (Cas)9 enhances normal rabbit vitreous-induced expression of MDM2 and survival of primary human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE) cells in vitro. The goal of this study was to determine whether this MDM2 T309G contributes to the development of experimental PVR. Methods hRPE cells expressing MDM2 T309G or T309T only were treated with vitreous from human PVR donors (HV). The expression of MDM2 and p53 in the treated cells was examined by Western blot. The in vitro vitreous-induced cellular responses, such as contraction were assessed, and PVR was induced by intravitreal injection of the hRPE cells with MDM2 T309G or T309T only into rabbit eyes. Results Western blot analyses indicated that treatment of hRPE cells with HV led to a significant increase (1.7 ± 0.2-fold) in the expression of MDM2 and a significant decrease in p53 in the cells expressing MDM2 T309G compared with those with MDM2 T309T. In addition, HV promoted contraction of the hRPE cells expressing MDM2 T309G significantly more than those with MDM2 T309T only. Furthermore, MDM2 T309G in the hRPE cells enhanced the development of PVR in a rabbit model. Conclusions The MDM2 SNP309 in RPE cells enhances their potential of PVR pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohong Zhou
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Shanxi Eye Hospital, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Yajiang Duan
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Shanxi Eye Hospital, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Gaoen Ma
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Eye Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Zhengping Hu
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Na Chen
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Yewlin Chee
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Jing Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Arif Samad
- Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Joanne A Matsubara
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Shizuo Mukai
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Patricia A D'Amore
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Hetian Lei
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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15
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Huang X, Zhou G, Wu W, Duan Y, Ma G, Song J, Xiao R, Vandenberghe L, Zhang F, D'Amore PA, Lei H. Genome editing abrogates angiogenesis in vivo. Nat Commun 2017; 8:112. [PMID: 28740073 PMCID: PMC5524639 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00140-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis, in which vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 2 plays an essential role, is associated with a variety of human diseases including proliferative diabetic retinopathy and wet age-related macular degeneration. Here we report that a system of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated endonuclease (Cas)9 from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9) is used to deplete VEGFR2 in vascular endothelial cells (ECs), whereby the expression of SpCas9 is driven by an endothelial-specific promoter of intercellular adhesion molecule 2. We further show that recombinant AAV serotype 1 (rAAV1) transduces ECs of pathologic vessels, and that editing of genomic VEGFR2 locus using rAAV1-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 abrogates angiogenesis in the mouse models of oxygen-induced retinopathy and laser-induced choroid neovascularization. This work establishes a strong foundation for genome editing as a strategy to treat angiogenesis-associated diseases. Abnormal angiogenesis causes many ocular diseases. Here the authors employ CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to silence VEGFR2, a major regulator of angiogenesis, in retinal endothelium and abrogate angiogenesis in the mouse models of oxygen-induced retinopathy and laser-induced choroid neovascularization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xionggao Huang
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Hainan Eye Hospital, Haikou, Hainan Province, 570311, China
| | - Guohong Zhou
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Shanxi Eye Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030002, China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410013, China
| | - Yajian Duan
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Shanxi Eye Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030002, China
| | - Gaoen Ma
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jingyuan Song
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ru Xiao
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Luk Vandenberghe
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Patricia A D'Amore
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Hetian Lei
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. .,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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16
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Sriram S, Tran JA, Guo X, Hutcheon AEK, Lei H, Kazlauskas A, Zieske JD. PDGFRα Is a Key Regulator of T1 and T3's Differential Effect on SMA Expression in Human Corneal Fibroblasts. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 58:1179-1186. [PMID: 28245298 PMCID: PMC5338631 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.16-20016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The goal of this study was to examine the mechanism behind the unique differential action of transforming growth factor β3 (TGF-β3) and TGF-β1 on SMA expression. It was our hypothesis that platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) played a key role in determining TGF-β3's response to wounding. Methods A stable cell line, human corneal fibroblast (HCF)-P, was created from HCFs by knocking down PDGFRα expression using a lentivirus-delivered shRNA sequence. A three-dimensional (3D) in vitro model was constructed by culturing HCF or HCF-P on poly-transwell membranes for 4 weeks in the presence and absence of 0.1 ng/mL TGF-β1 or -β3. At the end of 4 weeks, the constructs were processed for immunofluorescence and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). In addition, HCF and HCF-P cell migration was evaluated. Results In HCF, TGF-β3 treatment resulted in significantly lower α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) mRNA expression and immunolocalization when compared to TGF-β1, while in HCF-P, both TGF-β1 and -β3 treatment increased the SMA mRNA expression and immunolocalization compared to both the untreated HCF-P control and TGF-β3-treated HCF. Human corneal fibroblast-P also had a lower migration rate and construct thickness when compared to HCF. Conclusions These results show that TGF-β3 decreases SMA in HCF, while remarkably increasing SMA in HCF-P, thus indicating that the presence or absence of PDGFRα elicits contrasting responses to the same TGF-β3 treatment. Understanding the role of PDGFRα in TGF-β3's ability to stimulate SMA may potentially help in understanding the differential functions of TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 in corneal wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriniwas Sriram
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute/Massachusetts Eye and Ear and the Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Jennifer A Tran
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute/Massachusetts Eye and Ear and the Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Xiaoqing Guo
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute/Massachusetts Eye and Ear and the Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Audrey E K Hutcheon
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute/Massachusetts Eye and Ear and the Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Hetian Lei
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute/Massachusetts Eye and Ear and the Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | | | - James D Zieske
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute/Massachusetts Eye and Ear and the Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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17
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Huang X, Zhou G, Wu W, Ma G, D'Amore PA, Mukai S, Lei H. Editing VEGFR2 Blocks VEGF-Induced Activation of Akt and Tube Formation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 58:1228-1236. [PMID: 28241310 PMCID: PMC5338630 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.16-20537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) plays a key role in VEGF-induced angiogenesis. The goal of this project was to test the hypothesis that editing genomic VEGFR2 loci using the technology of clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated DNA endonuclease (Cas)9 in Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9) was able to block VEGF-induced activation of Akt and tube formation. Methods Four 20 nucleotides for synthesizing single-guide RNAs based on human genomic VEGFR2 exon 3 loci were selected and cloned into a lentiCRISPR v2 vector, respectively. The DNA fragments from the genomic VEGFR2 exon 3 of transduced primary human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRECs) were analyzed by Sanger DNA sequencing, surveyor nuclease assay, and next-generation sequencing (NGS). In the transduced cells, expression of VEGFR2 and VEGF-stimulated signaling events (e.g., Akt phosphorylation) were determined by Western blot analyses; VEGF-induced cellular responses (proliferation, migration, and tube formation) were examined. Results In the VEGFR2-sgRNA/SpCas9–transduced HRECs, Sanger DNA sequencing indicated that there were mutations, and NGS demonstrated that there were 83.57% insertion and deletions in the genomic VEGFR2 locus; expression of VEGFR2 was depleted in the VEGFR2-sgRNA/SpCas9–transduced HRECs. In addition, there were lower levels of Akt phosphorylation in HRECs with VEGFR2-sgRNA/SpCas9 than those with LacZ-sgRNA/SpCas9, and there was less VEGF-stimulated Akt activation, proliferation, migration, or tube formation in the VEGFR2-depleted HRECs than those treated with aflibercept or ranibizumab. Conclusions The CRISPR-SpCas9 technology is a potential novel approach to prevention of pathologic angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xionggao Huang
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 4Hainan Eye Hospital, Hainan Province, China
| | - Guohong Zhou
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Wenyi Wu
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Gaoen Ma
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Patricia A D'Amore
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Shizuo Mukai
- Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Hetian Lei
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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18
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Ma G, Duan Y, Huang X, Qian CX, Chee Y, Mukai S, Cui J, Samad A, Matsubara JA, Kazlauskas A, D'Amore PA, Gu S, Lei H. Prevention of Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy by Suppression of Phosphatidylinositol 5-Phosphate 4-Kinases. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 57:3935-43. [PMID: 27472081 PMCID: PMC4974024 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.16-19405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Previous studies have shown that vitreous stimulates degradation of the tumor suppressor protein p53 and that knockdown of phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinases (PI5P4Kα and -β) abrogates proliferation of p53-deficient cells. The purpose of this study was to determine whether vitreous stimulated expression of PI5P4Kα and -β and whether suppression of PI5P4Kα and -β would inhibit vitreous-induced cellular responses and experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Methods PI5P4Kα and -β encoded by PIP4K2A and 2B, respectively, in human ARPE-19 cells were knocked down by stably expressing short hairpin (sh)RNA directed at human PIP4K2A and -2B. In addition, we rescued expression of PI5P4Kα and -β by re-expressing mouse PIP4K2A and -2B in the PI5P4Kα and -β knocked-down ARPE-19 cells. Expression of PI5P4Kα and -β was determined by Western blot and immunofluorescence. The following cellular responses were monitored: cell proliferation, survival, migration, and contraction. Moreover, the cell potential of inducing PVR was examined in a rabbit model of PVR effected by intravitreal cell injection. Results We found that vitreous enhanced expression of PI5P4Kα and -β in RPE cells and that knocking down PI5P4Kα and -β abrogated vitreous-stimulated cell proliferation, survival, migration, and contraction. Re-expression of mouse PIP4Kα and -β in the human PI5P4Kα and -β knocked-down cells recovered the loss of vitreous-induced cell contraction. Importantly, suppression of PI5P4Kα and -β abrogated the pathogenesis of PVR induced by intravitreal cell injection in rabbits. Moreover, we revealed that expression of PI5P4Kα and -β was abundant in epiretinal membranes from PVR grade C patients. Conclusions The findings from this study indicate that PI5P4Kα and -β could be novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of PVR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoen Ma
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 4Aier School of Ophthalmology
| | - Yajian Duan
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 2Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Xionggao Huang
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Cynthia X Qian
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Yewlin Chee
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Shizuo Mukai
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Jing Cui
- The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Arif Samad
- Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | | | - Andrius Kazlauskas
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Patricia A D'Amore
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Shuyan Gu
- Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, Changsha Province, China
| | - Hetian Lei
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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19
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Kazlauskas A. PDGFs and their receptors. Gene 2017; 614:1-7. [PMID: 28267575 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)/PDGFR receptor (PDGFR) family is essential for a vast array of physiological processes such as migration and proliferation of percityes that contribute to the formation and proper function of blood vessels. While ligand-dependent de-repression of the PDGFR's kinase activity is the major mode by which the PDGFR is activated, there are additional mechanisms to activate PDGFRs. Deregulated PDGFR activity contributes to various pathological conditions, and hence the PDGF/PDGFR family members are viable therapeutic targets. An increased appreciation of which PDGFR contributes to pathology, biomarkers that indicate the amplitude and mode of activation, and receptor-specific antagonists are necessary for the development of next-generation therapies that target the PDGF/PDGFR family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrius Kazlauskas
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Institute, 20 Staniford St, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
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Vascular Endothelial Cell Growth Factor A Acts via Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor α To Promote Viability of Cells Enduring Hypoxia. Mol Cell Biol 2016; 36:2314-27. [PMID: 27325673 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.01019-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial cell growth factor A (VEGF) is a biologically and therapeutically important growth factor because it promotes angiogenesis in response to hypoxia, which underlies a wide variety of both physiological and pathological settings. We report here that both VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-positive and -negative cells depended on VEGF to endure hypoxia. VEGF enhanced the viability of platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα)-positive and VEGFR2-negative cells by enabling indirect activation of PDGFRα, thereby reducing the level of p53. We conclude that the breadth of VEGF's influence extends beyond VEGFR-positive cells and propose a plausible mechanistic explanation of this phenomenon.
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Duan Y, Ma G, Huang X, D'Amore PA, Zhang F, Lei H. The Clustered, Regularly Interspaced, Short Palindromic Repeats-associated Endonuclease 9 (CRISPR/Cas9)-created MDM2 T309G Mutation Enhances Vitreous-induced Expression of MDM2 and Proliferation and Survival of Cells. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:16339-47. [PMID: 27246850 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.729467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The G309 allele of SNPs in the mouse double minute (MDM2) promoter locus is associated with a higher risk of cancer and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), but whether SNP G309 contributes to the pathogenesis of PVR is to date unknown. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated endonuclease (Cas) 9 from Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9) can be harnessed to manipulate a single or multiple nucleotides in mammalian cells. Here we delivered SpCas9 and guide RNAs using dual adeno-associated virus-derived vectors to target the MDM2 genomic locus together with a homologous repair template for creating the mutation of MDM2 T309G in human primary retinal pigment epithelial (hPRPE) cells whose genotype is MDM2 T309T. The next-generation sequencing results indicated that there was 42.51% MDM2 G309 in the edited hPRPE cells using adeno-associated viral CRISPR/Cas9. Our data showed that vitreous induced an increase in MDM2 and subsequent attenuation of p53 expression in MDM2 T309G hPRPE cells. Furthermore, our experimental results demonstrated that MDM2 T309G in hPRPE cells enhanced vitreous-induced cell proliferation and survival, suggesting that this SNP contributes to the pathogenesis of PVR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajian Duan
- From the Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Departments of Ophthalmology and the Shanxi Eye Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030000, China
| | - Gaoen Ma
- From the Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Departments of Ophthalmology and
| | - Xionggao Huang
- From the Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Departments of Ophthalmology and
| | - Patricia A D'Amore
- From the Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Departments of Ophthalmology and Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114
| | - Feng Zhang
- the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, and
| | - Hetian Lei
- From the Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and Departments of Ophthalmology and
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