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Tan LX, Li J, Germer CJ, Lakkaraju A. Analysis of mitochondrial dynamics and function in the retinal pigment epithelium by high-speed high-resolution live imaging. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1044672. [PMID: 36393836 PMCID: PMC9651161 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1044672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is strongly implicated in neurodegenerative diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which causes irreversible blindness in over 50 million older adults worldwide. A key site of insult in AMD is the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a monolayer of postmitotic polarized cells that performs essential functions for photoreceptor health and vision. Recent studies from our group and others have identified several features of mitochondrial dysfunction in AMD including mitochondrial fragmentation and bioenergetic defects. While these studies provide valuable insight at fixed points in time, high-resolution, high-speed live imaging is essential for following mitochondrial injury in real time and identifying disease mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate the advantages of live imaging to investigate RPE mitochondrial dynamics in cell-based and mouse models. We show that mitochondria in the RPE form extensive networks that are destroyed by fixation and discuss important live imaging considerations that can interfere with accurate evaluation of mitochondrial integrity such as RPE differentiation status and acquisition parameters. Our data demonstrate that RPE mitochondria show localized heterogeneities in membrane potential and ATP production that could reflect focal changes in metabolism and oxidative stress. Contacts between the mitochondria and organelles such as the ER and lysosomes mediate calcium flux and mitochondrial fission. Live imaging of mouse RPE flatmounts revealed a striking loss of mitochondrial integrity in albino mouse RPE compared to pigmented mice that could have significant functional consequences for cellular metabolism. Our studies lay a framework to guide experimental design and selection of model systems for evaluating mitochondrial health and function in the RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Xuan Tan
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jianlong Li
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Colin J. Germer
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Aparna Lakkaraju
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Armento A, Murali A, Marzi J, Almansa-Garcia AC, Arango-Gonzalez B, Kilger E, Clark SJ, Schenke-Layland K, Ramlogan-Steel CA, Steel JC, Ueffing M. Complement Factor H Loss in RPE Cells Causes Retinal Degeneration in a Human RPE-Porcine Retinal Explant Co-Culture Model. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1621. [PMID: 34827622 PMCID: PMC8615889 DOI: 10.3390/biom11111621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related Macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative disease of the macula affecting the elderly population. Treatment options are limited, partly due to the lack of understanding of AMD pathology and the lack of suitable research models that replicate the complexity of the human macula and the intricate interplay of the genetic, aging and lifestyle risk factors contributing to AMD. One of the main genetic risks associated with AMD is located on the Complement Factor H (CFH) gene, leading to an amino acid substitution in the Factor H (FH) protein (Y402H). However, the mechanism of how this FH variant promotes the onset of AMD remains unclear. Previously, we have shown that FH deprivation in RPE cells, via CFH silencing, leads to increased inflammation, metabolic impairment and vulnerability toward oxidative stress. In this study, we established a novel co-culture model comprising CFH silenced RPE cells and porcine retinal explants derived from the visual streak of porcine eyes, which closely resemble the human macula. We show that retinae exposed to FH-deprived RPE cells show signs of retinal degeneration, with rod cells being the first cells to undergo degeneration. Moreover, via Raman analyses, we observed changes involving the mitochondria and lipid composition of the co-cultured retinae upon FH loss. Interestingly, the detrimental effects of FH loss in RPE cells on the neuroretina were independent of glial cell activation and external complement sources. Moreover, we show that the co-culture model is also suitable for human retinal explants, and we observed a similar trend when RPE cells deprived of FH were co-cultured with human retinal explants from a single donor eye. Our findings highlight the importance of RPE-derived FH for retinal homeostasis and provide a valuable model for AMD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Armento
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Department for Ophthalmology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.M.); (A.C.A.-G.); (B.A.-G.); (E.K.); (S.J.C.)
| | - Aparna Murali
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Department for Ophthalmology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.M.); (A.C.A.-G.); (B.A.-G.); (E.K.); (S.J.C.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; (C.A.R.-S.); (J.C.S.)
| | - Julia Marzi
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department for Medical Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.M.); (K.S.-L.)
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, 72770 Reutlingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies”, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ana C Almansa-Garcia
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Department for Ophthalmology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.M.); (A.C.A.-G.); (B.A.-G.); (E.K.); (S.J.C.)
| | - Blanca Arango-Gonzalez
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Department for Ophthalmology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.M.); (A.C.A.-G.); (B.A.-G.); (E.K.); (S.J.C.)
| | - Ellen Kilger
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Department for Ophthalmology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.M.); (A.C.A.-G.); (B.A.-G.); (E.K.); (S.J.C.)
| | - Simon J Clark
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Department for Ophthalmology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.M.); (A.C.A.-G.); (B.A.-G.); (E.K.); (S.J.C.)
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Katja Schenke-Layland
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department for Medical Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.M.); (K.S.-L.)
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, 72770 Reutlingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies”, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Charmaine A Ramlogan-Steel
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; (C.A.R.-S.); (J.C.S.)
- School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Jason C Steel
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; (C.A.R.-S.); (J.C.S.)
- School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Marius Ueffing
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Department for Ophthalmology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.M.); (A.C.A.-G.); (B.A.-G.); (E.K.); (S.J.C.)
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Tisi A, Parete G, Flati V, Maccarone R. Up-regulation of pro-angiogenic pathways and induction of neovascularization by an acute retinal light damage. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6376. [PMID: 32286488 PMCID: PMC7156521 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63449-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The light damage (LD) model was mainly used to study some of the main aspects of age related macular degeneration (AMD), such as oxidative stress and photoreceptor death. Several protocols of light-induced retinal degeneration exist. Acute light damage is characterized by a brief exposure (24 hours) to high intensity light (1000 lux) and leads to focal degeneration of the retina which progresses over time. To date there are not experimental data that relate this model to neovascular events. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to characterize the retina after an acute light damage to assess whether the vascularization was affected. Functional, molecular and morphological investigations were carried out. The electroretinographic response was assessed at all recovery times (7, 60, 120 days after LD). Starting from 7 days after light damage there was a significant decrease in the functional response, which remained low up to 120 days of recovery. At 7 days after light exposure, neo-vessels invaded the photoreceptor layer and retinal neovascularization occurred. Remarkably, neoangiogenesis was associated to the up-regulation of VEGF, bFGF and their respective receptors (VEGFR2 and FGFR1) with the progression of degeneration. These important results indicate that a brief exposure to bright light induces the up-regulation of pro-angiogenic pathways with subsequent neovascularization.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Tisi
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, via Vetoio, Coppito 2, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - G Parete
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, via Vetoio, Coppito 2, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - V Flati
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, via Vetoio, Coppito 2, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - R Maccarone
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, via Vetoio, Coppito 2, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy.
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Malek G, Busik J, Grant MB, Choudhary M. Models of retinal diseases and their applicability in drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2018; 13:359-377. [PMID: 29382242 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2018.1430136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The impact of vision debilitating diseases is a global public health concern, which will continue until effective preventative and management protocols are developed. Two retinal diseases responsible for the majority of vision loss in the working age adults and elderly populations are diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), respectively. Model systems, which recapitulate aspects of human pathology, are valid experimental modalities that have contributed to the identification of signaling pathways involved in disease development and consequently potential therapies. Areas covered: The pathology of DR and AMD, which serve as the basis for designing appropriate models of disease, is discussed. The authors also review in vitro and in vivo models of DR and AMD and evaluate the utility of these models in exploratory and pre-clinical studies. Expert opinion: The complex nature of non-Mendelian diseases such as DR and AMD has made identification of effective therapeutic treatments challenging. However, the authors believe that while in vivo models are often criticized for not being a 'perfect' recapitulation of disease, they have been valuable experimentally when used with consideration of the strengths and limitations of the experimental model selected and have a place in the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goldis Malek
- a Department of Ophthalmology , Duke University School of Medicine , Durham , NC , USA.,b Department of Pathology , Duke University School of Medicine , Durham , NC , USA
| | - Julia Busik
- c Department of Physiology , Michigan State University , East Lansing , MI , USA
| | - Maria B Grant
- d Department of Ophthalmology , University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham , Al , USA
| | - Mayur Choudhary
- a Department of Ophthalmology , Duke University School of Medicine , Durham , NC , USA
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Williams JAE, Stampoulis D, Gunter CE, Greenwood J, Adamson P, Moss SE. Regulation of C3 Activation by the Alternative Complement Pathway in the Mouse Retina. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161898. [PMID: 27564415 PMCID: PMC5001704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the retinas of mice carrying hemizygous and null double deletions of Cfb-/- and Cfh-/-, and to compare these with the single knockouts of Cfb, Cfh and Cfd. Retinas were isolated from wild type (WT), Cfb-/-/Cfh-/-, Cfb-/-/Cfh+/-, Cfh-/-/Cfb+/-, Cfb-/-, Cfh-/-Cfd-/-, and Cfd+/- mice. Complement proteins were evaluated by western blotting, ELISA and immunocytochemistry, and retinal morphology was assessed using toluidine blue stained semi-thin sections. WT mice showed staining for C3 and its breakdown products in the retinal vasculature and the basal surface of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Cfb-/- mice exhibited a similar C3 staining pattern to WT in the retinal vessels but a decrease in C3 and its breakdown products at the basal surface of the RPE. Deletion of both Cfb and Cfh restored C3 to levels similar to those observed in WT mice, however this reversal of phenotype was not observed in Cfh-/-/Cfb+/- or Cfb-/-/Cfh+/- mice. Loss of CFD caused an increase in C3 and a decrease in C3 breakdown products along the basal surface of the RPE. Overall the retinal morphology and retinal vasculature did not appear different across the various genotypes. We observed that C3 accumulates at the basal RPE in Cfb-/-, Cfb-/-/Cfh-/-, Cfb-/-/Cfh+/-, Cfd-/- and WT mice, but is absent in Cfh-/- and Cfh-/-/Cfb+/- mice, consistent with its consumption in the serum of mice lacking CFH when CFB is present. C3 breakdown products along the surface of the RPE were either decreased or absent when CFB, CFH or CFD was deleted or partially deleted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A. E. Williams
- Department of Cell Biology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11–43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Dimitris Stampoulis
- Department of Cell Biology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11–43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Chloe E. Gunter
- Department of Cell Biology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11–43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - John Greenwood
- Department of Cell Biology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11–43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Adamson
- Ophthiris Discovery Performance Unit and Department of Laboratory Animal Science, GlaxoSmithKline, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnelswood Road, Stevenage, Herts SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen E. Moss
- Department of Cell Biology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11–43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Shi H, Williams JAE, Guo L, Stampoulis D, Francesca Cordeiro M, Moss SE. Exposure to the complement C5b-9 complex sensitizes 661W photoreceptor cells to both apoptosis and necroptosis. Apoptosis 2016; 20:433-43. [PMID: 25735751 PMCID: PMC4348505 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-015-1091-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The loss of photoreceptors is the defining characteristic of many retinal degenerative diseases, but the mechanisms that regulate photoreceptor cell death are not fully understood. Here we have used the 661W cone photoreceptor cell line to ask whether exposure to the terminal complement complex C5b-9 induces cell death and/or modulates the sensitivity of these cells to other cellular stressors. 661W cone photoreceptors were exposed to complete normal human serum following antibody blockade of CD59. Apoptosis induction was assessed morphologically, by flow cytometry, and on western blotting by probing for cleaved PARP and activated caspase-3. Necroptosis was assessed by flow cytometry and Sirtuin 2 inhibition using 2-cyano-3-[5-(2,5-dichlorophenyl)-2-furyl]-N-5-quinolinylacrylamide (AGK2). The sensitivity of 661W cells to ionomycin, staurosporine, peroxide and chelerythrine was also investigated, with or without prior formation of C5b-9. 661W cells underwent apoptotic cell death following exposure to C5b-9, as judged by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 cleavage and activation of caspase-3. We also observed apoptotic cell death in response to staurosporine, but 661W cells were resistant to both ionomycin and peroxide. Interestingly, C5b-9 significantly increased 661W sensitivity to staurosporine-induced apoptosis and necroptosis. These studies show that low levels of C5b-9 on 661W cells can induce apoptosis, and that C5b-9 specifically sensitizes 661W cells to certain apoptotic and necroptotic pathways. Our observations provide new insight into the potential role of the complement system in photoreceptor loss, with implications for the molecular aetiology of retinal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Shi
- Department of Cell Biology, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK
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Pujol-Lereis LM, Schäfer N, Kuhn LB, Rohrer B, Pauly D. Interrelation Between Oxidative Stress and Complement Activation in Models of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 854:87-93. [PMID: 26427398 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-17121-0_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Millions of individuals older than 50-years suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Associated with this multifactorial disease are polymorphisms of complement factor genes and a main environmental risk factor-oxidative stress. Until now the linkage between these risk factors for AMD has not been fully understood. Recent studies, integrating results on oxidative stress, complement activation, epidemiology and ocular pathology suggested the following sequence in AMD-etiology: initially, chronic oxidative stress results in modification of proteins and lipids in the posterior of the eye; these tissue alterations trigger chronic inflammation, involving the complement system; and finally, invasive immune cells facilitate pathology in the retina. Here, we summarize the results for animal studies which aim to elucidate this molecular interplay of oxidative events and tissue-specific complement activation in the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana M Pujol-Lereis
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Nicole Schäfer
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Laura B Kuhn
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Bärbel Rohrer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Medical University of South Carolina and Research Service, 29401, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Diana Pauly
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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Yu M, Kang K, Bu P, Bell BA, Kaul C, Qiao JB, Sturgill-Short G, Yu X, Tarchick MJ, Beight C, Zhang SX, Peachey NS. Deficiency of CC chemokine ligand 2 and decay-accelerating factor causes retinal degeneration in mice. Exp Eye Res 2015; 138:126-33. [PMID: 26149093 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2015.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Revised: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) recruits macrophages to reduce inflammatory responses. Decay-accelerating factor (DAF) is a membrane regulator of the classical and alternative pathways of complement activation. In view of the link between complement genes and retinal diseases, we evaluated the retinal phenotype of C57BL/6J mice and mice lacking Ccl2 and/or Daf1 at 12 months of age, using scanning laser ophthalmoscopic imaging, electroretinography (ERG), histology, immunohistochemistry, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) analysis. In comparison to C57BL/6J mice, mutant mice had an increased number of autofluorescent foci, with the greatest number in the Ccl2(-/-)/Daf1(-/-) retina. ERG amplitudes in Ccl2(-/-)/Daf1(-/-), Ccl2(-/-) and Daf1(-/-) mice were reduced, with the greatest reduction in Ccl2(-/-)/Daf1(-/-) mice. TUNEL-positive cells were not seen in C57BL/6J retina, but were prevalent in the outer and inner nuclear layers of Ccl2(-/-)Daf1(-/-) mice and were present at reduced density in Ccl2(-/-) or Daf1(-/-) mice. Cell loss was most pronounced in the outer and inner nuclear layers of Ccl2(-/-)/Daf1(-/-) mice. The levels of the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone GPR78 and transcription factor ATF4 were significantly increased in the Ccl2(-/-)/Daf1(-/-) retina. In comparison to the C57BL/6J retina, the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65, p38, ERK and JNK was significantly upregulated while SIRT1 was significantly downregulated in the Ccl2(-/-)/Daf1(-/-) retina. Our results suggest that loss of Ccl2 and Daf1 causes retinal neuronal death and degeneration which is related to increased endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidative stress and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minzhong Yu
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Kai Kang
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ping Bu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Brent A Bell
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Charles Kaul
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - James B Qiao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Gwen Sturgill-Short
- Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Xiaoshan Yu
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Matthew J Tarchick
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA; Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Craig Beight
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sarah X Zhang
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry, SUNY-Buffalo and SUNY Eye Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Neal S Peachey
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Ding JD, Kelly U, Landowski M, Toomey CB, Groelle M, Miller C, Smith SG, Klingeborn M, Singhapricha T, Jiang H, Frank MM, Bowes Rickman C. Expression of human complement factor H prevents age-related macular degeneration-like retina damage and kidney abnormalities in aged Cfh knockout mice. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2014; 185:29-42. [PMID: 25447048 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Revised: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Complement factor H (CFH) is an important regulatory protein in the alternative pathway of the complement system, and CFH polymorphisms increase the genetic risk of age-related macular degeneration dramatically. These same human CFH variants have also been associated with dense deposit disease. To mechanistically study the function of CFH in the pathogenesis of these diseases, we created transgenic mouse lines using human CFH bacterial artificial chromosomes expressing full-length human CFH variants and crossed these to Cfh knockout (Cfh(-/-)) mice. Human CFH protein inhibited cleavage of mouse complement component 3 and factor B in plasma and in retinal pigment epithelium/choroid/sclera, establishing that human CFH regulates activation of the mouse alternative pathway. One of the mouse lines, which express relatively higher levels of CFH, demonstrated functional and structural protection of the retina owing to the Cfh deletion. Impaired visual function, detected as a deficit in the scotopic electroretinographic response, was improved in this transgenic mouse line compared with Cfh(-/-) mice, and transgenics had a thicker outer nuclear layer and less sub-retinal pigment epithelium deposit accumulation. In addition, expression of human CFH also completely protected the mice from developing kidney abnormalities associated with loss of CFH. These humanized CFH mice present a valuable model for study of the molecular mechanisms of age-related macular degeneration and dense deposit disease and for testing therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Dong Ding
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Una Kelly
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Michael Landowski
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Christopher B Toomey
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Marybeth Groelle
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Chelsey Miller
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Stephanie G Smith
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Mikael Klingeborn
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Terry Singhapricha
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Haixiang Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Michael M Frank
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Catherine Bowes Rickman
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
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Horie-Inoue K, Inoue S. Genomic aspects of age-related macular degeneration. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 452:263-75. [PMID: 25111812 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major late-onset posterior eye disease that causes central vision to deteriorate among elderly populations. The predominant lesion of AMD is the macula, at the interface between the outer retina and the inner choroid. Recent advances in genetics have revealed that inflammatory and angiogenic pathways play critical roles in the pathophysiology of AMD. Genome-wide association studies have identified ARMS2/HTRA1 and CFH as major AMD susceptibility genes. Genetic studies for AMD will contribute to the prevention of central vision loss, the development of new treatment, and the maintenance of quality of vision for productive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuniko Horie-Inoue
- Division of Gene Regulation and Signal Transduction, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Inoue
- Division of Gene Regulation and Signal Transduction, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan; Department of Anti-Aging Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Fletcher EL, Jobling AI, Greferath U, Mills SA, Waugh M, Ho T, de Iongh RU, Phipps JA, Vessey KA. Studying age-related macular degeneration using animal models. Optom Vis Sci 2014; 91:878-86. [PMID: 24978866 PMCID: PMC4186726 DOI: 10.1097/opx.0000000000000322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the recent years, there have been tremendous advances in our understanding of the genetic and environmental factors associated with the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Examination of retinal changes in various animals has aided our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease. Notably, mouse strains, carrying genetic anomalies similar to those affecting humans, have provided a foundation for understanding how various genetic risk factors affect retinal integrity. However, to date, no single mouse strain that develops all the features of AMD in a progressive age-related manner has been identified. In addition, a mutation present in some background strains has clouded the interpretation of retinal phenotypes in many mouse strains. The aim of this perspective was to describe how animals can be used to understand the significance of each sign of AMD, as well as key genetic risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Fletcher
- *MScOptom, PhD †PhD ‡BSc(Hons) §MOptom, PhD Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia (all authors)
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Chen S, Popp NA, Chan CC. Animal models of age-related macular degeneration and their translatability into the clinic. EXPERT REVIEW OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 2014; 9:285-295. [PMID: 35600070 PMCID: PMC9119377 DOI: 10.1586/17469899.2014.939171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55. Despite its common nature, the etiology of the disease involves both genetic and environmental factors, the interaction of which is not fully understood. Animal models, including the mouse, rat, rabbit, pig and non-human primate, have been developed to study various aspects of the disease and to evaluate novel therapies; however, no single model has been developed to emulate all aspects of the disease. This review will discuss the various existing models of AMD, their strengths and limitations and examples of their use in current AMD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shida Chen
- Immunopathology Section, Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nicholas A Popp
- Immunopathology Section, Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chi-Chao Chan
- Immunopathology Section, Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Cunea A, Powner MB, Jeffery G. Death by color: differential cone loss in the aging mouse retina. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 35:2584-2591. [PMID: 24929970 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Differential cell death is a common feature of aging and age-related disease. In the retina, 30% of rod photoreceptors are lost over life in humans and rodents. However, studies have failed to show age-related cell death in mouse cone photoreceptors, which is surprising because cone physiological function declines with age. Moreover in human, differential loss of short wavelength cone function is an aspect of age-related retinal disease. Here, cones are examined in young (3-month-old) and aged (12-month-old) C57 mice and also in complement factor H knock out mice (CFH-/-) that have been proposed as a murine model of age-related macular degeneration. In vivo imaging showed significant age-related reductions in outer retinal thickness in both groups over this period. Immunostaining for opsins revealed a specific significant decline of >20% for the medium/long (M/L)-wavelength cones but only in the periphery. S cones numbers were not significantly affected by age. This differential cell loss was backed up with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for the 2 opsins, again showing S opsin was unaffected, but that M/L opsin was reduced particularly in CFH-/- mice. These results demonstrate aged cone loss, but surprisingly, in both genotypes, it is only significant in the peripheral ventral retina and focused on the M/L population and not S cones. We speculate that there may be fundamental differences in differential cone loss between human and mouse that may question the validity of mouse models of human outer retinal aging and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Cunea
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Michael B Powner
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Glen Jeffery
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK.
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Astafurov K, Dong CQ, Panagis L, Kamthan G, Ren L, Rozenboym A, Perera TD, Coplan JD, Danias J. Complement expression in the retina is not influenced by short-term pressure elevation. Mol Vis 2014; 20:140-52. [PMID: 24505213 PMCID: PMC3913488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine whether short-term pressure elevation affects complement gene expression in the retina in vitro and in vivo. METHODS Muller cell (TR-MUL5) cultures and organotypic retinal cultures from adult mice and monkeys were subjected to either 24-h or 72-h of pressure at 0, 15, 30, and 45 mmHg above ambient. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to microbead-induced intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation for 7 days. RNA and protein were extracted and used for analysis of expression levels of complement component genes and complement component 1, q subcomponent (C1q) and complement factor H (CFH) immunoblotting. RESULTS mRNA levels of complement genes and C1q protein levels in Muller cell cultures remained the same for all pressure levels after exposure for either 24 or 72 h. In primate and murine organotypic cultures, pressure elevation did not produce changes in complement gene expression or C1q and CFH protein levels at either the 24-h or 72-h time points. Pressure-related glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA expression changes were detected in primate retinal organotypic cultures (analysis of variance [ANOVA]; p<0.05). mRNA expression of several other genes changed as a result of time in culture. Eyes subjected to microbead-induced IOP elevation had no differences in mRNA expression of complement genes and C1q protein levels (ANOVA; p>0.05 for both) with contralateral control and naïve control eyes. CONCLUSIONS Short-term elevation of pressure in vitro as well as short-term (1 week) IOP elevation in vivo does not seem to dramatically alter complement system gene expression in the retina. Prolonged expression to elevated pressure may be necessary to affect the complement system expression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cecilia Q. Dong
- Department of Ophthalmology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
| | - Lampros Panagis
- Department of Cell Biology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
| | - Gautam Kamthan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Lizhen Ren
- Department of Cell Biology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
| | - Anna Rozenboym
- Department of Biological Sciences, CUNY Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY
| | - Tarique D. Perera
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Jeremy D. Coplan
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
| | - John Danias
- Department of Cell Biology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY,Department of Ophthalmology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
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Rowan S, Weikel K, Chang ML, Nagel BA, Thinschmidt JS, Carey A, Grant MB, Fliesler SJ, Smith D, Taylor A. Cfh genotype interacts with dietary glycemic index to modulate age-related macular degeneration-like features in mice. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2014; 55:492-501. [PMID: 24370827 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.13-12413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment worldwide. Genetics and diet contribute to the relative risk for developing AMD, but their interactions are poorly understood. Genetic variations in Complement Factor H (CFH), and dietary glycemic index (GI) are major risk factors for AMD. We explored the effects of GI on development of early AMD-like features and changes to central nervous system (CNS) inflammation in Cfh-null mice. METHODS Aged 11-week-old wild type (WT) C57Bl/6J or Cfh-null mice were group pair-fed high or low GI diets for 33 weeks. At 10 months of age, mice were evaluated for early AMD-like features in the neural retina and RPE by light and electron microscopy. Brains were analyzed for Iba1 macrophage/microglia immunostaining, an indicator of inflammation. RESULTS The 10-month-old WT mice showed no retinal abnormalities on either diet. The Cfh-null mice, however, showed distinct early AMD-like features in the RPE when fed a low GI diet, including vacuolation, disruption of basal infoldings, and increased basal laminar deposits. The Cfh-null mice also showed thinning of the RPE, hypopigmentation, and increased numbers of Iba1-expressing macrophages in the brain, irrespective of diet. CONCLUSIONS The presence of early AMD-like features by 10 months of age in Cfh-null mice fed a low GI diet is surprising, given the apparent protection from the development of such features in aged WT mice or humans consuming lower GI diets. Our findings highlight the need to consider gene-diet interactions when developing animal models and therapeutic approaches to treat AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheldon Rowan
- JM-USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA), Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts
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