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Zhang C, Jiao Q, Wang M, Zhu Z, Zhao J, Zheng Y. High correlated color temperature artificial lighting impairs retinal pigment epithelium integrity and chloride ion transport: A potential mechanism for choroidal thinning. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 718:150078. [PMID: 38735140 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150078] [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: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Among the environmental factors contributing to myopia, the role of correlated color temperature (CCT) of ambient light emerges as a key element warranting in-depth investigation. The choroid, a highly vascularized and dynamic structure, often undergoes thinning during the progression of myopia, though the precise mechanism remains elusive. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), the outermost layer of the retina, plays a pivotal role in regulating the transport of ion and fluid between the subretinal space and the choroid. A hypothesis suggests that variations in choroidal thickness (ChT) may be modulated by transepithelial fluid movement across the RPE. Our experimental results demonstrate that high CCT illumination significantly compromised the integrity of tight junctions in the RPE and disrupted chloride ion transport. This functional impairment of the RPE may lead to a reduction in fluid transfer across the RPE, consequently resulting in choroidal thinning and potentially accelerating axial elongation. Our findings provide support for the crucial role of the RPE in regulating ChT. Furthermore, we emphasize the potential hazards posed by high CCT artificial illumination on the RPE, the choroid, and refractive development, underscoring the importance of developing eye-friendly artificial light sources to aid in the prevention and control of myopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, PR China
| | - Qing Jiao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, PR China
| | - Mingxuan Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, PR China
| | - Zhe Zhu
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266000, PR China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, PR China
| | - Yajuan Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, PR China.
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Rzhanova LA, Markitantova YV, Aleksandrova MA. Recent Achievements in the Heterogeneity of Mammalian and Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium: In Search of a Stem Cell. Cells 2024; 13:281. [PMID: 38334673 PMCID: PMC10854871 DOI: 10.3390/cells13030281] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are important fundamentally for the development and function of the retina. In this regard, the study of the morphological and molecular properties of RPE cells, as well as their regenerative capabilities, is of particular importance for biomedicine. However, these studies are complicated by the fact that, despite the external morphological similarity of RPE cells, the RPE is a population of heterogeneous cells, the molecular genetic properties of which have begun to be revealed by sequencing methods only in recent years. This review carries out an analysis of the data from morphological and molecular genetic studies of the heterogeneity of RPE cells in mammals and humans, which reveals the individual differences in the subpopulations of RPE cells and the possible specificity of their functions. Particular attention is paid to discussing the properties of "stemness," proliferation, and plasticity in the RPE, which may be useful for uncovering the mechanisms of retinal diseases associated with pathologies of the RPE and finding new ways of treating them.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuliya V. Markitantova
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Street, 119334 Moscow, Russia; (L.A.R.); (M.A.A.)
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Shelton DA, Gefke I, Summers V, Kim YK, Yu H, Getz Y, Ferdous S, Donaldson K, Liao K, Papania JT, Chrenek MA, Boatright JH, Nickerson JM. Age-Related RPE changes in Wildtype C57BL/6J Mice between 2 and 32 Months. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.30.574142. [PMID: 38352604 PMCID: PMC10862734 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.574142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Purpose This study provides a systematic evaluation of age-related changes in RPE cell structure and function using a morphometric approach. We aim to better capture nuanced predictive changes in cell heterogeneity that reflect loss of RPE integrity during normal aging. Using C57BL6/J mice ranging from P60-P730, we sought to evaluate how regional changes in RPE shape reflect incremental losses in RPE cell function with advancing age. We hypothesize that tracking global morphological changes in RPE is predictive of functional defects over time. Methods We tested three groups of C57BL/6J mice (young: P60-180; Middle-aged: P365-729; aged: 730+) for function and structural defects using electroretinograms, immunofluorescence, and phagocytosis assays. Results The largest changes in RPE morphology were evident between the young and aged groups, while the middle-aged group exhibited smaller but notable region-specific differences. We observed a 1.9-fold increase in cytoplasmic alpha-catenin expression specifically in the central-medial region of the eye between the young and aged group. There was an 8-fold increase in subretinal, IBA-1-positive immune cell recruitment and a significant decrease in visual function in aged mice compared to young mice. Functional defects in the RPE corroborated by changes in RPE phagocytotic capacity. Conclusions The marked increase of cytoplasmic alpha-catenin expression and subretinal immune cell deposition, and decreased visual output coincide with regional changes in RPE cell morphometrics when stratified by age. These cumulative changes in the RPE morphology showed predictive regional patterns of stress associated with loss of RPE integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debresha A. Shelton
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Isabelle Gefke
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Vivian Summers
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Yong-Kyu Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hanyi Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Yana Getz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Salma Ferdous
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Kevin Donaldson
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Kristie Liao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Jack T. Papania
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Micah A. Chrenek
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Jeffrey H. Boatright
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Decatur, Georgia, United States
| | - John M. Nickerson
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
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Yang X, Chung JY, Rai U, Esumi N. SIRT6 overexpression in the nucleus protects mouse retinal pigment epithelium from oxidative stress. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201448. [PMID: 37185874 PMCID: PMC10130745 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is essential for the survival of retinal photoreceptors. To study retinal degeneration, sodium iodate (NaIO3) has been used to cause oxidative stress-induced RPE death followed by photoreceptor degeneration. However, analyses of RPE damage itself are still limited. Here, we characterized NaIO3-induced RPE damage, which was divided into three regions: periphery with normal-shaped RPE, transitional zone with elongated cells, and center with severely damaged or lost RPE. Elongated cells in the transitional zone exhibited molecular characteristics of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Central RPE was more susceptible to stresses than peripheral RPE. Under stresses, SIRT6, an NAD+-dependent protein deacylase, rapidly translocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and colocalized with stress granule factor G3BP1, leading to nuclear SIRT6 depletion. To overcome this SIRT6 depletion, SIRT6 overexpression was induced in the nucleus in transgenic mice, which protected RPE from NaIO3 and partially preserved catalase expression. These results demonstrate topological differences of mouse RPE and warrant further exploring SIRT6 as a potential target for protecting RPE from oxidative stress-induced damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Yang
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jin-Yong Chung
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Usha Rai
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Noriko Esumi
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Jang HY, Cho CS, Shin YM, Kwak J, Sung YH, Kang BC, Kim JH. Isolation and Characterization of the Primary Marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus) Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells. Cells 2023; 12:1644. [PMID: 37371114 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121644] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Marmosets have emerged as a valuable primate model in ophthalmic research due to their similarity to the human visual system and their potential for generating transgenic models to advance the development of therapies. In this study, we isolated and cultured primary retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells from marmosets to investigate the mechanisms underlying RPE dysfunction in aging and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We confirmed that our culture conditions and materials supported the formation of RPE monolayers with functional tight junctions that closely resembled the in vivo RPE. Since serum has been shown to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in RPE cells, we compared the effects of fetal bovine serum (FBS) with serum-free supplements B27 on transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), cell proliferation, and morphological characteristics. Additionally, we assessed the age-related morphological changes of in vivo and primary RPE cells. Our results indicate that primary marmoset RPE cells exhibit in vivo-like characteristics, while cells obtained from an older donor show evidence of aging, including a failure to form a polarized monolayer, low TER, and delayed cell cycle. In conclusion, our primary marmoset RPE cells provide a reliable in vitro model for developing novel therapeutics for visual-threatening disorders such as AMD, which can be used before animal experiments using marmosets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Young Jang
- Fight Against Angiogenesis-Related Blindness (FARB) Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03082, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Sik Cho
- Fight Against Angiogenesis-Related Blindness (FARB) Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03082, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Mi Shin
- Fight Against Angiogenesis-Related Blindness (FARB) Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03082, Republic of Korea
| | - Jina Kwak
- Graduate School of Translational Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
- Department of Experimental Animal Research, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hoon Sung
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
- Department of Convergence Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong-Cheol Kang
- Graduate School of Translational Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
- Department of Experimental Animal Research, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Hun Kim
- Fight Against Angiogenesis-Related Blindness (FARB) Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03082, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences & Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine and Population, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
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6
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Jang HY, Kim SJ, Park KS, Kim JH. Klotho prevents transforming growth factor-β2-induced senescent-like morphological changes in the retinal pigment epithelium. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:334. [PMID: 37210384 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05851-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Degenerative changes of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) triggered by transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) and oxidative stress play a critical role in the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The expression of α-klotho, an antiaging protein, declines with age, increasing the risk factors for age-related diseases. Here, we investigated the protective effects of soluble α-klotho on TGF-β2-induced RPE degeneration. The morphological changes induced by TGF-β2, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), were attenuated in the mouse RPE by the intravitreal injection (IVT) of α-klotho. In ARPE19 cells, EMT and morphological alterations by TGF-β2 were attenuated by co-incubation with α-klotho. TGF-β2 decreased miR-200a accompanied by zinc finger e-box binding homeobox1 (ZEB1) upregulation and EMT, all of which were prevented by α-klotho co-treatment. Inhibitor of miR-200a mimicked TGF-β2-induced morphological changes, which were recovered by ZEP1 silencing, but not by α-klotho, implying the upstream regulation of α-klotho on miR-200a-ZEP1-EMT axis. α-Klotho inhibited receptor binding of TGF-β2, Smad2/3 phosphorylation, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2)-a mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation and oxidative stress via NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) upregulation. Furthermore, α-klotho recovered the TGF-β2-induced mitochondrial activation and superoxide generation. Interestingly, TGF-β2 upregulated α-klotho expression in the RPE cells, and genetic suppression of endogenous α-klotho aggravated TGF-β2-induced oxidative stress and EMT. Lastly, α-klotho abrogated senescence-associated signaling molecules and phenotypes induced by long-term incubation with TGF-β2. Hence, our findings indicate that the antiaging α-klotho plays a protective role against EMT and degeneration of the RPE, demonstrating the therapeutic potential for age-related retinal diseases, including the dry type of AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Young Jang
- Fight against Angiogenesis-Related Blindness (FARB) Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Jin Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea
- Mitohormesis Research Center, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Sang Park
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
- Mitohormesis Research Center, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jeong Hun Kim
- Fight against Angiogenesis-Related Blindness (FARB) Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine and Population, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Yu H, Wang F, Teodoro G, Chen F, Guo X, Nickerson JM, Kong J. Self-supervised semantic segmentation of retinal pigment epithelium cells in flatmount fluorescent microscopy images. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:btad191. [PMID: 37067486 PMCID: PMC10139776 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad191] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Morphological analyses with flatmount fluorescent images are essential to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) aging studies and thus require accurate RPE cell segmentation. Although rapid technology advances in deep learning semantic segmentation have achieved great success in many biomedical research, the performance of these supervised learning methods for RPE cell segmentation is still limited by inadequate training data with high-quality annotations. RESULTS To address this problem, we develop a Self-Supervised Semantic Segmentation (S4) method that utilizes a self-supervised learning strategy to train a semantic segmentation network with an encoder-decoder architecture. We employ a reconstruction and a pairwise representation loss to make the encoder extract structural information, while we create a morphology loss to produce the segmentation map. In addition, we develop a novel image augmentation algorithm (AugCut) to produce multiple views for self-supervised learning and enhance the network training performance. To validate the efficacy of our method, we applied our developed S4 method for RPE cell segmentation to a large set of flatmount fluorescent microscopy images, we compare our developed method for RPE cell segmentation with other state-of-the-art deep learning approaches. Compared with other state-of-the-art deep learning approaches, our method demonstrates better performance in both qualitative and quantitative evaluations, suggesting its promising potential to support large-scale cell morphological analyses in RPE aging investigations. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The codes and the documentation are available at: https://github.com/jkonglab/S4_RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanyi Yu
- Department of Computer Science, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Fusheng Wang
- Department of Computer Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - George Teodoro
- Department of Computer Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270, Brazil
| | - Fan Chen
- Huangpu Branch, Guangzhou Urban Planning & Design Survey Research Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Guo
- Department of Computer Science, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - John M Nickerson
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jun Kong
- Department of Computer Science, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
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Xu Y, Liu J, Song W, Wang Q, Sun X, Zhao Q, Huang Y, Li H, Peng Y, Yuan J, Ji B, Ren L. Biomimetic Convex Implant for Corneal Regeneration Through 3D Printing. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2205878. [PMID: 36775872 PMCID: PMC10104657 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202205878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Blindness caused by corneal damage affects millions of people worldwide, and this number continues to rise. However, rapid epithelization and a stable epithelium process are the two biggest challenges for traditional corneal materials. These processes are related to corneal curvature, which is an important factor in determination of the corneal healing process and epithelial behavior during corneal damage. In this study, smooth 3D-printed convex corneal implants based on gelatin methacrylate and collagen are generated. As epithelium distribution and adhesion vary in different regions of the natural cornea, this work separates the surfaces into four regions and studies how cells sense topological cues on curvature. It is found that rabbit corneal epithelial cells (RCECs) seeded on steeper slope gradient surfaces on convex structures result in more aligned cell organization and tighter cell-substrate adhesion, which can also be verified through finite element simulation and signaling pathway analysis. In vivo transplantation of convex implants result in a better fit with adjacent tissue and stronger cell adhesion than flat implants, thereby accelerating corneal epithelialization and promoting collagen fibers and neural regeneration within 180 days. Taken together, printed convex corneal implants that facilitate corneal regeneration may offer a translational strategy for the treatment of corneal damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingni Xu
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNational Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of EducationInnovation Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Jia Liu
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNational Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of EducationInnovation Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Wenjing Song
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNational Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of EducationInnovation Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Qianchun Wang
- Wenzhou InstituteUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesWenzhou325001P. R. China
| | - Xiaomin Sun
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNational Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of EducationInnovation Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Qi Zhao
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNational Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of EducationInnovation Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Yongrui Huang
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNational Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of EducationInnovation Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Haochen Li
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNational Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of EducationInnovation Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
| | - Yuehai Peng
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of EducationInnovation Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
- Guangzhou Proud Seeing Biotechnology Co., LtdGuangzhou510320P. R. China
| | - Jin Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of OphthalmologyZhongshan Ophthalmic CenterSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510623P. R. China
| | - Baohua Ji
- Institute of Biomechanics and Applications, Department of Engineering MechanicsZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310027P. R. China
| | - Li Ren
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringNational Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of EducationInnovation Center for Tissue Restoration and ReconstructionSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhou510006P. R. China
- Bioland LaboratoryGuangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong LaboratoryGuangzhou510005P. R. China
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9
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Piskova T, Kozyrina AN, Di Russo J. Mechanobiological implications of age-related remodelling in the outer retina. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 147:213343. [PMID: 36801797 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
The outer retina consists of the light-sensitive photoreceptors, the pigmented epithelium, and the choroid, which interact in a complex manner to sustain homeostasis. The organisation and function of these cellular layers are mediated by the extracellular matrix compartment named Bruch's membrane, situated between the retinal epithelium and the choroid. Like many tissues, the retina experiences age-related structural and metabolic changes, which are relevant for understanding major blinding diseases of the elderly, such as age-related macular degeneration. Compared with other tissues, the retina mainly comprises postmitotic cells, making it less able to maintain its mechanical homeostasis over the years functionally. Aspects of retinal ageing, like the structural and morphometric changes of the pigment epithelium and the heterogenous remodelling of the Bruch's membrane, imply changes in tissue mechanics and may affect functional integrity. In recent years, findings in the field of mechanobiology and bioengineering highlighted the importance of mechanical changes in tissues for understanding physiological and pathological processes. Here, we review the current knowledge of age-related changes in the outer retina from a mechanobiological perspective, aiming to generate food for thought for future mechanobiology studies in the outer retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teodora Piskova
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Aleksandra N Kozyrina
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jacopo Di Russo
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany; DWI - Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstrasse 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
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10
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Pandey RS, Krebs MP, Bolisetty MT, Charette JR, Naggert JK, Robson P, Nishina PM, Carter GW. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Molecular Features of Heterogeneity in the Murine Retinal Pigment Epithelium. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:10419. [PMID: 36142331 PMCID: PMC9499471 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptomic analysis of the mammalian retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) aims to identify cellular networks that influence ocular development, maintenance, function, and disease. However, available evidence points to RPE cell heterogeneity within native tissue, which adds complexity to global transcriptomic analysis. Here, to assess cell heterogeneity, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of RPE cells from two young adult male C57BL/6J mice. Following quality control to ensure robust transcript identification limited to cell singlets, we detected 13,858 transcripts among 2667 and 2846 RPE cells. Dimensional reduction by principal component analysis and uniform manifold approximation and projection revealed six distinct cell populations. All clusters expressed transcripts typical of RPE cells; the smallest (C1, containing 1-2% of total cells) exhibited the hallmarks of stem and/or progenitor (SP) cells. Placing C1-6 along a pseudotime axis suggested a relative decrease in melanogenesis and SP gene expression and a corresponding increase in visual cycle gene expression upon RPE maturation. K-means clustering of all detected transcripts identified additional expression patterns that may advance the understanding of RPE SP cell maintenance and the evolution of cellular metabolic networks during development. This work provides new insights into the transcriptome of the mouse RPE and a baseline for identifying experimentally induced transcriptional changes in future studies of this tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi S. Pandey
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Dr., Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Mark P. Krebs
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Mohan T. Bolisetty
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Dr., Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | | | | | - Paul Robson
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Dr., Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Patsy M. Nishina
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
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Lian L, Zhai Y, Wan X, Chen L, Liu Z, Liu R, Li S, Zhou J, Chen Y, Hou L, Li H. Sensitivity of the Dorsal-Central Retinal Pigment Epithelium to Sodium Iodate-Induced Damage Is Associated With Overlying M-Cone Photoreceptors in Mice. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:29. [PMID: 36018572 PMCID: PMC9428360 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.9.29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration is a leading cause of blindness in retinal degenerative diseases, but the mechanism of RPE regional degeneration remains largely unknown. This study aims to investigate the sensitivity of RPE to sodium iodate (SI) injury in the dorsal and ventral visual fields in mice and analyze whether overlaying cone photoreceptors regulate the sensitivity of RPE to SI-induced damage. Methods SI was used to induce RPE degeneration in mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunostaining, and TUNEL assay were used to evaluate retinal degeneration along the dorsal-ventral axis. Flat-mounted and sectional retinal immunostaining were used to analyze the distribution of cones along the dorsoventral axis in C57BL/6, albino, and 129 mice. Electroretinography was used to examine the retinal function. Results Dorsal-central RPE was more sensitive to SI-mediated injury along the dorsal-ventral axis in C57BL/6 mice. Compared with the ventral RPE, the dorsal-central RPE was dominantly covered by M cone photoreceptors in these mice. Interestingly, M cone photoreceptor degeneration was followed by dorsal RPE degeneration under a low dose of SI. Furthermore, the sensitivity of dorsal RPE to a low dose of SI was reduced in both albino and 129 mouse strains with dominant mixed cones instead of M cones in the dorsal visual field. Conclusions These findings suggest that dorsal-central RPE is more sensitive to SI injury and that SI-induced RPE degeneration could be controlled by modifying the dominant overlying cone population in the mouse dorsal retina, thereby highlighting a potential role of M cones in RPE regional degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Lian
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yifan Zhai
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xuejiao Wan
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Linxin Chen
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zuimeng Liu
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ruona Liu
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shijia Li
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jiajia Zhou
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ling Hou
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Huirong Li
- Laboratory of Developmental Cell Biology and Disease, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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12
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Ortolan D, Sharma R, Volkov A, Maminishkis A, Hotaling NA, Huryn LA, Cukras C, Di Marco S, Bisti S, Bharti K. Single-cell-resolution map of human retinal pigment epithelium helps discover subpopulations with differential disease sensitivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2117553119. [PMID: 35522714 PMCID: PMC9171647 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117553119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Regional phenotypic and functional differences in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) monolayer have been suggested to account for regional susceptibility in ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), late-onset retinal degeneration (L-ORD), and choroideremia (CHM). However, a comprehensive description of human topographical RPE diversity is not yet available, thus limiting the understanding of regional RPE diversity and degenerative disease sensitivity in the eye. To develop a complete morphometric RPE map of the human eye, artificial intelligence–based software was trained to recognize, segment, and analyze RPE borders. Five statistically different, concentric RPE subpopulations (P1 to P5) were identified using cell area as a parameter, including a subpopulation (P4) with cell area comparable to that of macular cells in the far periphery of the eye. This work provides a complete reference map of human RPE subpopulations and their location in the eye. In addition, the analysis of cadaver non-AMD and AMD eyes and ultra-widefield fundus images of patients revealed differential vulnerability of the five RPE subpopulations to different retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Ortolan
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Ruchi Sharma
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Andrei Volkov
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Arvydas Maminishkis
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Nathan A. Hotaling
- Information Resources Technology Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Laryssa A. Huryn
- Ophthalmic Clinical Genetics Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Catherine Cukras
- Unit on Clinical Investigation of Retinal Disease, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Stefano Di Marco
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Silvia Bisti
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Biostructures and Biosystems National Institute, 00136 Roma, Italy
| | - Kapil Bharti
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
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13
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Choi EH, Suh S, Einstein DE, Leinonen H, Dong Z, Rao SR, Fliesler SJ, Blackshaw S, Yu M, Peachey NS, Palczewski K, Kiser PD. An inducible Cre mouse for studying roles of the RPE in retinal physiology and disease. JCI Insight 2021; 6:146604. [PMID: 33784255 PMCID: PMC8262343 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.146604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) provides vital metabolic support for retinal photoreceptor cells and is an important player in numerous retinal diseases. Gene manipulation in mice using the Cre-LoxP system is an invaluable tool for studying the genetic basis of these retinal diseases. However, existing RPE-targeted Cre mouse lines have critical limitations that restrict their reliability for studies of disease pathogenesis and treatment, including mosaic Cre expression, inducer-independent activity, off-target Cre expression, and intrinsic toxicity. Here, we report the generation and characterization of a knockin mouse line in which a P2A-CreERT2 coding sequence is fused with the native RPE-specific 65 kDa protein (Rpe65) gene for cotranslational expression of CreERT2. Cre+/– mice were able to recombine a stringent Cre reporter allele with more than 99% efficiency and absolute RPE specificity upon tamoxifen induction at both postnatal days (PD) 21 and 50. Tamoxifen-independent Cre activity was negligible at PD64. Moreover, tamoxifen-treated Cre+/– mice displayed no signs of structural or functional retinal pathology up to 4 months of age. Despite weak RPE65 expression from the knockin allele, visual cycle function was normal in Cre+/– mice. These data indicate that Rpe65CreERT2 mice are well suited for studies of gene function and pathophysiology in the RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot H Choi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Susie Suh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - David E Einstein
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.,Research Service, VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, California, USA
| | - Henri Leinonen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Zhiqian Dong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Sriganesh Ramachandra Rao
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.,Research Service, VA Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Steven J Fliesler
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.,Research Service, VA Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Minzhong Yu
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Neal S Peachey
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Krzysztof Palczewski
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Philip D Kiser
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.,Research Service, VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, California, USA
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