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Sinha NR, Tripathi R, Balne PK, Suleiman L, Simkins K, Chaurasia SS, Mohan RR. Mustard Gas Exposure Actuates SMAD2/3 Signaling to Promote Myofibroblast Generation in the Cornea. Cells 2023; 12:1533. [PMID: 37296653 PMCID: PMC10252656 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111533] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulfur mustard gas (SM) is a vesicating and alkylating agent used as a chemical weapon in many mass-casualty incidents since World War I. Ocular injuries were reported in >90% of exposed victims. The mechanisms underlying SM-induced blindness remain elusive. This study tested the hypothesis that SM-induced corneal fibrosis occurs due to the generation of myofibroblasts from resident fibroblasts via the SMAD2/3 signaling pathway in rabbit eyes in vivo and primary human corneal fibroblasts (hCSFs) isolated from donor corneas in vitro. Fifty-four New Zealand White Rabbits were divided into three groups (Naïve, Vehicle, SM-Vapor treated). The SM-Vapor group was exposed to SM at 200 mg-min/m3 for 8 min at the MRI Global facility. Rabbit corneas were collected on day 3, day 7, and day 14 for immunohistochemistry, RNA, and protein lysates. SM caused a significant increase in SMAD2/3, pSMAD, and ɑSMA expression on day 3, day 7, and day 14 in rabbit corneas. For mechanistic studies, hCSFs were treated with nitrogen mustard (NM) or NM + SIS3 (SMAD3-specific inhibitor) and collected at 30 m, 8 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. NM significantly increased TGFβ, pSMAD3, and SMAD2/3 levels. On the contrary, inhibition of SMAD2/3 signaling by SIS3 treatment significantly reduced SMAD2/3, pSMAD3, and ɑSMA expression in hCSFs. We conclude that SMAD2/3 signaling appears to play a vital role in myofibroblast formation in the cornea following mustard gas exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishant R. Sinha
- Departments of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Ratnakar Tripathi
- Departments of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Praveen K. Balne
- Departments of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Laila Suleiman
- Departments of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Katherine Simkins
- Departments of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Shyam S. Chaurasia
- Departments of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Ocular Immunology and Angiogenesis Lab, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Eye Institute, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Rajiv R. Mohan
- Departments of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Mason Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
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Araj H, Tseng H, Yeung DT. Supporting discovery and development of medical countermeasures for chemical injury to eye and skin. Exp Eye Res 2022; 221:109156. [PMID: 35716762 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Vesicants, from vesica (Latin for blister), can cause local and systemic toxicity. They include the chemotherapy drug nitrogen mustard and chemical warfare agents sulfur mustard, Lewisite, and phosgene oxime. These agents are commonly released in vapor form and consequently, eyes and skin are the most vulnerable. The ocular and cutaneous injuries can be acute, subacute, or chronic, and can predispose casualties to secondary deleterious effects. Underlying these broad organ responses are shared and tissue-specific cellular and molecular biological cascades that attempt to counteract such chemical injuries. Depending on the severity of the chemical insult, biological responses often lead to inadequate wound healing and result in long-term pathology instead. Exposure to other toxic industrial chemicals such as acrolein, chloropicrin, and hydrogen fluoride, can also cause prominent eye and skin damage. There are currently no FDA-approved drugs to counteract these injuries. Hence, the possibility of a mass casualty emergency involving these chemicals is a major public health concern. Recognizing this critical challenge, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is committed to the development of medical countermeasures to advance national health and medical preparedness against these highly toxic chemicals. Here, we provide an overview of various HHS funding and scientific opportunities available in this space, emphasizing parallels between eye and skin response to chemical injury. We also discuss a main limitation of existing data and suggest ways to overcome it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houmam Araj
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Eye Institute/National Institutes of Health (NEI/NIH), 6700B Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20817, United States.
| | - Hung Tseng
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases/National Institutes of Health (NIAMS/NIH), 6701 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD, 20892, United States.
| | - David T Yeung
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health (NIAID/NIH), 5601 Fishers Lane, Bethesda, MD, 20892, United States.
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Kempuraj D, Mohan RR. Autophagy in Extracellular Matrix and Wound Healing Modulation in the Cornea. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020339. [PMID: 35203548 PMCID: PMC8961790 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a robust cellular mechanism for disposing of harmful molecules or recycling them to cells, which also regulates physiopathological processes in cornea. Dysregulated autophagy causes inefficient clearance of unwanted proteins and cellular debris, mitochondrial disorganization, defective inflammation, organ dysfunctions, cell death, and diseases. The cornea accounts for two-thirds of the refraction of light that occurs in the eyes, but is prone to trauma/injury and infection. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a noncellular dynamic macromolecular network in corneal tissues comprised of collagens, proteoglycans, elastin, fibronectin, laminins, hyaluronan, and glycoproteins. The ECM undergoes remodeling by matrix-degrading enzymes and maintains corneal transparency. Autophagy plays an important role in the ECM and wound healing maintenance. Delayed/dysregulated autophagy impacts the ECM and wound healing, and can lead to corneal dysfunction. Stromal wound healing involves responses from the corneal epithelium, basement membrane, keratocytes, the ECM, and many cytokines and chemokines, including transforming growth factor beta-1 and platelet-derived growth factor. Mild corneal injuries self-repair, but greater injuries lead to corneal haze/scars/fibrosis and vision loss due to disruptions in the ECM, autophagy, and normal wound healing processes. Presently, the precise role of autophagy and ECM remodeling in corneal wound healing is elusive. This review discusses recent trends in autophagy and ECM modulation in the context of corneal wound healing and homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duraisamy Kempuraj
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65212, USA;
- One-Health Vision Research Program, Departments of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Rajiv R. Mohan
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65212, USA;
- One-Health Vision Research Program, Departments of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Mason Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Correspondence:
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Abstract
Purpose: To review the surgical management options in ocular chemical burn, including newer advances.Methods: Online literature search of published articles over last 5 years on surgical management of ocular chemical burn and newer advances were performed on December 30, 2020.Results: Following literature search and screening using adequate filters, 67 review articles on surgical management of ocular chemical burns were retrieved. The review talks about the surgical management options starting from Debridement in acute stage to various visual rehabilitative procedures in the chronic stage. The review also highlights the evolving surgical advances in this field.Conclusion: It is imperative to choose adequate surgical tool wherever applicable; current review discusses the role of each surgical option at different clinical stages in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanshi Awasthi
- Department of Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
| | - Prabhakar Singh
- Department of Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
| | - Amit Raj
- Department of Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
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