1
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Yu C, Lad EM, Mathew R, Shiraki N, Littleton S, Chen Y, Hou J, Schlepckow K, Degan S, Chew L, Amason J, Kalnitsky J, Bowes Rickman C, Proia AD, Colonna M, Haass C, Saban DR. Microglia at sites of atrophy restrict the progression of retinal degeneration via galectin-3 and Trem2. J Exp Med 2024; 221:e20231011. [PMID: 38289348 PMCID: PMC10826045 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20231011] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Outer retinal degenerations, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are characterized by photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy. In these blinding diseases, macrophages accumulate at atrophic sites, but their ontogeny and niche specialization remain poorly understood, especially in humans. We uncovered a unique profile of microglia, marked by galectin-3 upregulation, at atrophic sites in mouse models of retinal degeneration and human AMD. In disease models, conditional deletion of galectin-3 in microglia led to phagocytosis defects and consequent augmented photoreceptor death, RPE damage, and vision loss, indicating protective roles. Mechanistically, Trem2 signaling orchestrated microglial migration to atrophic sites and induced galectin-3 expression. Moreover, pharmacologic Trem2 agonization led to heightened protection but in a galectin-3-dependent manner. In elderly human subjects, we identified this highly conserved microglial population that expressed galectin-3 and Trem2. This population was significantly enriched in the macular RPE-choroid of AMD subjects. Collectively, our findings reveal a neuroprotective population of microglia and a potential therapeutic target for mitigating retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Eleonora M. Lad
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rose Mathew
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nobuhiko Shiraki
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sejiro Littleton
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jinchao Hou
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kai Schlepckow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Degan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lindsey Chew
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Joshua Amason
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Joan Kalnitsky
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Catherine Bowes Rickman
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Alan D. Proia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Pathology, Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lillington, NC, USA
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Christian Haass
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Munich, Munich, Germany
- Chair of Metabolic Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel R. Saban
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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2
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Lieffrig SA, Gyimesi G, Mao Y, Finnemann SC. Clearance phagocytosis by the retinal pigment epithelial during photoreceptor outer segment renewal: Molecular mechanisms and relation to retinal inflammation. Immunol Rev 2023; 319:81-99. [PMID: 37555340 PMCID: PMC10615845 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13264] [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: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian photoreceptor outer segment renewal is a highly coordinated process that hinges on timed cell signaling between photoreceptor neurons and the adjacent retinal pigment epithelial (RPE). It is a strictly rhythmic, synchronized process that underlies in part circadian regulation. We highlight findings from recently developed methods that quantify distinct phases of outer segment renewal in retinal tissue. At light onset, outer segments expose the conserved "eat-me" signal phosphatidylserine exclusively at their distal, most aged tip. A coordinated two-receptor efferocytosis process follows, in which ligands bridge outer segment phosphatidylserine with the RPE receptors αvβ5 integrin, inducing cytosolic signaling toward Rac1 and focal adhesion kinase/MERTK, and with MERTK directly, additionally inhibiting RhoA/ROCK and thus enabling F-actin dynamics favoring outer segment fragment engulfment. Photoreceptors and RPE persist for life with each RPE cell in the eye servicing dozens of overlying photoreceptors. Thus, RPE cells phagocytose more often and process more material than any other cell type. Mutant mice with impaired outer segment renewal largely retain functional photoreceptors and retinal integrity. However, when anti-inflammatory signaling in the RPE via MERTK or the related TYRO3 is lacking, catastrophic inflammation leads to immune cell infiltration that swiftly destroys the retina causing blindness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A. Lieffrig
- Center for Cancer, Genetic Diseases and Gene Regulation, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY
| | - Gavin Gyimesi
- Center for Cancer, Genetic Diseases and Gene Regulation, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY
| | | | - Silvia C. Finnemann
- Center for Cancer, Genetic Diseases and Gene Regulation, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY
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3
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Yu C, Lad EM, Mathew R, Littleton S, Chen Y, Schlepckow K, Degan S, Chew L, Amason J, Kalnitsky J, Rickman CB, Proia AD, Colonna M, Haass C, Saban DR. Microglia at Sites of Atrophy Restrict the Progression of Retinal Degeneration via Galectin-3 and Trem2 Interactions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.19.549403. [PMID: 37502831 PMCID: PMC10370087 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.19.549403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Degenerative diseases of the outer retina, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are characterized by atrophy of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). In these blinding diseases, macrophages are known to accumulate ectopically at sites of atrophy, but their ontogeny and functional specialization within this atrophic niche remain poorly understood, especially in the human context. Here, we uncovered a transcriptionally unique profile of microglia, marked by galectin-3 upregulation, at atrophic sites in mouse models of retinal degeneration and in human AMD. Using disease models, we found that conditional deletion of galectin-3 in microglia led to defects in phagocytosis and consequent augmented photoreceptor death, RPE damage and vision loss, suggestive of a protective role. Mechanistically, Trem2 signaling orchestrated the migration of microglial cells to sites of atrophy, and there, induced galectin-3 expression. Moreover, pharmacologic Trem2 agonization led to heightened protection, but only in a galectin-3-dependent manner, further signifying the functional interdependence of these two molecules. Likewise in elderly human subjects, we identified a highly conserved population of microglia at the transcriptomic, protein and spatial levels, and this population was enriched in the macular region of postmortem AMD subjects. Collectively, our findings reveal an atrophy-associated specialization of microglia that restricts the progression of retinal degeneration in mice and further suggest that these protective microglia are conserved in AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Eleonora M Lad
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Rose Mathew
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Sejiro Littleton
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University; Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine; St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine; St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kai Schlepckow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich; 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Degan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lindsey Chew
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Joshua Amason
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Joan Kalnitsky
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Catherine Bowes Rickman
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University; Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Alan D Proia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Pathology, Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lillington, NC 27546, USA
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine; St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Christian Haass
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich; 81377 Munich, Germany
- Chair of Metabolic Biochemistry, Biomedical Center (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; 81377 Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy); 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel R Saban
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine; Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University; Durham, NC 27710, USA
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4
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Vargas JA, Finnemann SC. Differences in Diurnal Rhythm of Rod Outer Segment Renewal between 129T2/SvEmsJ and C57BL/6J Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169466. [PMID: 36012733 PMCID: PMC9408929 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169466] [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: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In all mammalian species tested to date, rod photoreceptor outer segment renewal is a circadian process synchronized by light with a burst of outer segment fragment (POS) shedding and POS phagocytosis by the adjacent retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) every morning at light onset. Recent reports show that RPE phagocytosis also increases shortly after dark onset in C57BL/6 (C57) mice. Genetic differences between C57 mice and 129T2/SvEmsJ (129) mice may affect regulation of outer segment renewal. Here, we used quantitative methods to directly compare outer segment renewal in C57 and 129 mouse retina. Quantification of rhodopsin-positive phagosomes in the RPE showed that in 129 mice, rod POS phagocytosis after light onset was significantly increased compared to C57 mice, but that 129 mice did not show a second peak after dark onset. Cone POS phagosome content of RPE cells did not differ by mouse strain with higher phagosome numbers after light than after dark. We further quantified externalization of the "eat me" signal phosphatidylserine by outer segment tips, which precedes POS phagocytosis. Live imaging of retina ex vivo showed that rod outer segments extended PS exposure in both strains but that frequency of outer segments with exposed PS after light onset was lower in C57 than in 129 retina. Taken together, 129 mice lacked a burst of rod outer segment renewal after dark onset. The increases in rod outer segment renewal after light and after dark onset in C57 mice were attenuated compared to the peak after light onset in 129 mice, suggesting an impairment in rhythmicity in C57 mice.
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5
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Jung H, Lee SY, Lim S, Choi HR, Choi Y, Kim M, Kim S, Lee Y, Han KH, Chung WS, Kim CH. Anti-inflammatory clearance of amyloid-β by a chimeric Gas6 fusion protein. Nat Med 2022; 28:1802-1812. [PMID: 35927581 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-022-01926-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Clearing amyloid-β (Aβ) through immunotherapy is one of the most promising therapeutic approaches to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although several monoclonal antibodies against Aβ have been shown to substantially reduce Aβ burden in patients with AD, their effects on improving cognitive function remain marginal. In addition, a significant portion of patients treated with Aβ-targeting antibodies experience brain edema and microhemorrhage associated with antibody-mediated Fc receptor activation in the brain. Here, we develop a phagocytosis inducer for Aβ consisting of a single-chain variable fragment of an Aβ-targeting monoclonal antibody fused with a truncated receptor binding domain of growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6), a bridging molecule for the clearance of dead cells via TAM (TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK) receptors. This chimeric fusion protein (αAβ-Gas6) selectively eliminates Aβ plaques through TAM receptor-dependent phagocytosis without inducing NF-kB-mediated inflammatory responses or reactive gliosis. Furthermore, αAβ-Gas6 can induce synergistic clearance of Aβ by activating both microglial and astrocytic phagocytosis, resulting in better behavioral outcomes with substantially reduced synapse elimination and microhemorrhage in AD and cerebral amyloid angiopathy model mice compared with Aβ antibody treatment. Our results suggest that αAβ-Gas6 could be a novel immunotherapeutic agent for AD that overcomes the side effects of conventional antibody therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuncheol Jung
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Se Young Lee
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongjoon Lim
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeong Ryeol Choi
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeseong Choi
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Minjin Kim
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Segi Kim
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yujean Lee
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Ho Han
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Hannam University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Suk Chung
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea. .,KAIST Stem Cell Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Chan Hyuk Kim
- Department of Biological SciencesKorea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Lew DS, McGrath MJ, Finnemann SC. Galectin-3 Promotes Müller Glia Clearance Phagocytosis via MERTK and Reduces Harmful Müller Glia Activation in Inherited and Induced Retinal Degeneration. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:878260. [PMID: 35711472 PMCID: PMC9194531 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.878260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clearance phagocytosis is a documented function of Müller glia in the retina. However, the molecular mechanisms of Müller glia phagocytosis remain largely undefined. Here, we show that extracellular galectin-3 and protein S promote clearance phagocytosis by immortalized human MIO-M1 Müller cells in an additive, saturable manner. Galectin-3 promotes phagocytosis by primary Müller glia from wild-type (WT) mice but not from mice that lack the engulfment receptor MERTK and therefore develop postnatal photoreceptor degeneration. Probing a possible functional link between Müller galectin-3 and MERTK, we discovered that mertk -/- Müller glia in situ show excess galectin-3 at postnatal day 20 (P20), an age prior to detectable photoreceptor degeneration. Moreover, double knockout (DKO) mice lacking both galectin-3 and MERTK show increased activation of Müller cells (but not of microglia) at P20 and more pronounced photoreceptor loss at P35 compared to mice lacking MERTK alone. Exploring the well-established sodium iodate injury model, we also found more severe activation specifically of Müller glia, and worse retinal damage in mice lacking galectin-3 compared to WT mice. Indeed, galectin-3 deficiency significantly increased sensitivity to injury, yielding Müller activation and retinal damage at a sodium iodate concentration that had no effect on the WT retina. Altogether, our results from both inherited and acutely induced models of retinal degeneration agree that eliminating galectin-3 exacerbates Müller cell activation and retinal degeneration. These data identify an important protective role for the MERTK ligand galectin-3 in the retina in restraining Müller glia activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah S. Lew
- Center for Cancer, Genetic Diseases and Gene Regulation, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Morgan J. McGrath
- Center for Cancer, Genetic Diseases and Gene Regulation, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, United States
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7
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Vargas JA, Finnemann SC. Probing Photoreceptor Outer Segment Phagocytosis by the RPE In Vivo: Models and Methodologies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073661. [PMID: 35409021 PMCID: PMC8998817 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In the vertebrate retina, the light-sensitive photoreceptor rods and cones constantly undergo renewal by generating new portions of the outer segment and shedding their distal, spent tips. The neighboring RPE provides the critical function of engulfing the spent material by phagocytosis. RPE phagocytosis of shed rod outer segment fragments is a circadian process that occurs in a burst of activity shortly after daily light onset with low activity at other times, a rhythm that has been reported for many species and over 50 years. In this review, we compare studies on the rhythm and quantity of RPE phagocytosis using different in vivo model systems and assessment methods. We discuss how measurement methodology impacts the observation and analysis of RPE phagocytosis. Published studies on RPE phagocytosis investigating mice further suggest that differences in genetic background and housing conditions may affect results. Altogether, a comparison between RPE phagocytosis studies performed using differing methodology and strains of the same species is not as straightforward as previously thought.
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8
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Arsenault E, Lavigne AA, Mansouri S, Gagné AM, Francis K, Bittar TP, Quessy F, Abdallah K, Barbeau A, Hébert M, Labonté B. Sex-Specific Retinal Anomalies Induced by Chronic Social Defeat Stress in Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:714810. [PMID: 34483859 PMCID: PMC8415161 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.714810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common consequences of chronic stress. Still, there is currently no reliable biomarker to detect individuals at risk to develop the disease. Recently, the retina emerged as an effective way to investigate psychiatric disorders using the electroretinogram (ERG). In this study, cone and rod ERGs were performed in male and female C57BL/6 mice before and after chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). Mice were then divided as susceptible or resilient to stress. Our results suggest that CSDS reduces the amplitude of both oscillatory potentials and a-waves in the rods of resilient but not susceptible males. Similar effects were revealed following the analysis of the cone b-waves, which were faster after CSDS in resilient mice specifically. In females, rod ERGs revealed age-related changes with no change in cone ERGs. Finally, our analysis suggests that baseline ERG can predict with an efficacy up to 71% the expression of susceptibility and resilience before stress exposition in males and females. Overall, our findings suggest that retinal activity is a valid biomarker of stress response that could potentially serve as a tool to predict whether males and females will become susceptible or resilient when facing CSDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Arsenault
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Andrée-Anne Lavigne
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Samaneh Mansouri
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Anne-Marie Gagné
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Kimberley Francis
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Thibault P Bittar
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Francis Quessy
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Khaled Abdallah
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Annie Barbeau
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Marc Hébert
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Department of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Labonté
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale Nationale, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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9
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Milićević N, Ait-Hmyed Hakkari O, Bagchi U, Sandu C, Jongejan A, Moerland PD, Ten Brink JB, Hicks D, Bergen AA, Felder-Schmittbuhl MP. Core circadian clock genes Per1 and Per2 regulate the rhythm in photoreceptor outer segment phagocytosis. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21722. [PMID: 34160105 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100293rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Retinal photoreceptors undergo daily renewal of their distal outer segments, a process indispensable for maintaining retinal health. Photoreceptor outer segment (POS) phagocytosis occurs as a daily peak, roughly about 1 hour after light onset. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms which initiate this process are still unknown. Here we show that, under constant darkness, mice deficient for core circadian clock genes (Per1 and Per2) lack a daily peak in POS phagocytosis. By qPCR analysis, we found that core clock genes were rhythmic over 24 hours in both WT and Per1, Per2 double mutant whole retinas. More precise transcriptomics analysis of laser capture microdissected WT photoreceptors revealed no differentially expressed genes between time points preceding and during the peak of POS phagocytosis. In contrast, we found that microdissected WT retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) had a number of genes that were differentially expressed at the peak phagocytic time point compared to adjacent ones. We also found a number of differentially expressed genes in Per1, Per2 double mutant RPE compared to WT ones at the peak phagocytic time point. Finally, based on STRING analysis, we found a group of interacting genes that potentially drive POS phagocytosis in the RPE. This potential pathway consists of genes such as: Pacsin1, Syp, Camk2b, and Camk2d among others. Our findings indicate that Per1 and Per2 are necessary clock components for driving POS phagocytosis and suggest that this process is transcriptionally driven by the RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nemanja Milićević
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ouafa Ait-Hmyed Hakkari
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Udita Bagchi
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cristina Sandu
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Aldo Jongejan
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Perry D Moerland
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jacoline B Ten Brink
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - David Hicks
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Arthur A Bergen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-KNAW), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marie-Paule Felder-Schmittbuhl
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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