1
|
Gupta M, Arya S, Agrawal P, Gupta H, Sikka R. Unravelling the molecular tapestry of pterygium: insights into genes for diagnostic and therapeutic innovations. Eye (Lond) 2024:10.1038/s41433-024-03186-y. [PMID: 38907016 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-024-03186-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Pterygium, an ocular surface disorder, manifests as a wing-shaped extension from the corneoscleral limbus onto the cornea, impacting vision and causing inflammation. With a global prevalence of 12%, varying by region, the condition is linked to UV exposure, age, gender, and socioeconomic factors. This review focuses on key genes associated with pterygium, shedding light on potential therapeutic targets. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially MMP2 and MMP9, contribute to ECM remodelling and angiogenesis in pterygium. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a crucial role in angiogenesis and is elevated in pterygium tissues. B-cell lymphoma-2, S100 proteins, DNA repair genes (hOGG1, XRCC1), CYP monooxygenases, p53, and p16 are implicated in pterygium development. A protein-protein interaction network analysis highlighted 28 edges between the aforementioned proteins, except for VEGF, indicating a high level of interaction. Gene ontology, microRNA and pathway analyses revealed the involvement of processes such as base excision repair, IL-17 and p53 signalling, ECM disassembly, oxidative stress, hypoxia, metallopeptidase activity and others that are essential for pterygium development. In addition, miR-29, miR-125, miR-126, miR-143, miR-200, miR-429, and miR-451a microRNAs were predicted, which were shown to have a role in pterygium development and disease severity. Identification of these molecular mechanisms provides insights for potential diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for pterygium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahak Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences & Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shubhang Arya
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences & Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | - Himanshu Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences & Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Ruhi Sikka
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences & Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kim YA, Choi Y, Kim TG, Jeong J, Yu S, Kim T, Sheen K, Lee Y, Choi T, Park YH, Kang MS, Kim MS. Multi-System-Level Analysis with RNA-Seq on Pterygium Inflammation Discovers Association between Inflammatory Responses, Oxidative Stress, and Oxidative Phosphorylation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4789. [PMID: 38732006 PMCID: PMC11083828 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094789] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
A pterygium is a common conjunctival degeneration and inflammatory condition. It grows onto the corneal surface or limbus, causing blurred vision and cosmetic issues. Ultraviolet is a well-known risk factor for the development of a pterygium, although its pathogenesis remains unclear, with only limited understanding of its hereditary basis. In this study, we collected RNA-seq from both pterygial tissues and conjunctival tissues (as controls) from six patients (a total of twelve biological samples) and retrieved publicly available data, including eight pterygium samples and eight controls. We investigated the intrinsic gene regulatory mechanisms closely linked to the inflammatory reactions of pterygiums and compared Asian (Korea) and the European (Germany) pterygiums using multiple analysis approaches from different perspectives. The increased expression of antioxidant genes in response to oxidative stress and DNA damage implies an association between these factors and pterygium development. Also, our comparative analysis revealed both similarities and differences between Asian and European pterygiums. The decrease in gene expressions involved in the three primary inflammatory signaling pathways-JAK/STAT, MAPK, and NF-kappa B signaling-suggests a connection between pathway dysfunction and pterygium development. We also observed relatively higher activity of autophagy and antioxidants in the Asian group, while the European group exhibited more pronounced stress responses against oxidative stress. These differences could potentially be necessitated by energy-associated pathways, specifically oxidative phosphorylation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Ah Kim
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea; (Y.-A.K.); (Y.C.); (J.J.); (S.Y.); (T.K.); (K.S.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, Republic of Korea
| | - Yueun Choi
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea; (Y.-A.K.); (Y.C.); (J.J.); (S.Y.); (T.K.); (K.S.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Gi Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jisu Jeong
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea; (Y.-A.K.); (Y.C.); (J.J.); (S.Y.); (T.K.); (K.S.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghyeon Yu
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea; (Y.-A.K.); (Y.C.); (J.J.); (S.Y.); (T.K.); (K.S.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeyoon Kim
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea; (Y.-A.K.); (Y.C.); (J.J.); (S.Y.); (T.K.); (K.S.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, Republic of Korea
| | - Kisung Sheen
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea; (Y.-A.K.); (Y.C.); (J.J.); (S.Y.); (T.K.); (K.S.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonsung Lee
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea; (Y.-A.K.); (Y.C.); (J.J.); (S.Y.); (T.K.); (K.S.); (Y.L.)
| | - Taesoo Choi
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yong Hwan Park
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea;
| | - Min Seok Kang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Man S. Kim
- Translational-Transdisciplinary Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea; (Y.-A.K.); (Y.C.); (J.J.); (S.Y.); (T.K.); (K.S.); (Y.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kontoh-Twumasi R, Budkin S, Edupuganti N, Vashishtha A, Sharma S. Role of Serine Protease Inhibitors A1 and A3 in Ocular Pathologies. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:16. [PMID: 38324301 PMCID: PMC10854419 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.2.16] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Serine protease inhibitors A1 (SerpinA1) and A3 (SerpinA3) are important members of the serpin family, playing crucial roles in the regulation of serine proteases and influencing various physiological processes. SerpinA1, also known as α-1-antitrypsin, is a versatile glycoprotein predominantly synthesized in the liver, with additional production in inflammatory and epithelial cell types. It exhibits multifaceted functions, including immune modulation, complement activation regulation, and inhibition of endothelial cell apoptosis. SerpinA3, also known as α-1-antichymotrypsin, is expressed both extracellularly and intracellularly in various tissues, particularly in the retina, kidney, liver, and pancreas. It exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, antioxidant, and antifibrotic activities. Both SerpinA1 and SerpinA3 have been implicated in conditions such as keratitis, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, dry eye disease, keratoconus, uveitis, and pterygium. Their role in influencing metalloproteinases and cytokines, as well as endothelial permeability, and their protective effects on Müller cells against oxidative stress further highlight their diverse and critical roles in ocular pathologies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the etiology and functions of SerpinA1 and SerpinA3 in ocular diseases, emphasizing their multifaceted roles and the complexity of their interactions within the ocular microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Kontoh-Twumasi
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, United States
| | - Stepan Budkin
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, United States
| | - Neel Edupuganti
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, United States
| | - Ayushi Vashishtha
- Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States
| | - Shruti Sharma
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hou A, Mohamed Ali S, Png E, Hunziker W, Tong L. Transglutaminase-2 is critical for corneal epithelial barrier function via positive regulation of Claudin-1. Ocul Surf 2023; 28:155-164. [PMID: 37037393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2023.04.002] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Transglutaminase (TG)-2 is a ubiquitous multi-functional protein expressed in all living cells. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the role of TG-2 in corneal barrier function and its potential regulation of epithelial junctional proteins and transcription factors. METHODS Corneal barrier function to ions in TG-2-/- and TG-2+/+ mice was assessed by Ussing chamber assay. Hypo-osmolar water or FITC-dextran was applied on top of mouse eyes to evaluate the corneal barrier function to water and macromolecules. Western blots, qPCR and immunofluorescent staining were used to investigate the expression of tight junction proteins in TG-2-/- and TG-2+/+ mouse corneas, and also in TG-2 knockdown human corneal epithelial cells. RESULTS Corneal explants from TG-2-/- mice had a lower trans-epithelial electrical resistance compared to TG-2+/+ mice. When challenged by hypo-osmolar water, the central corneal thickness of TG-2-/- mice increased faster, and these mice had a faster rise of fluorescence in the anterior chamber after ocular exposure to FITC-dextran, compared to TG-2+/+. Claudin-1 protein and transcript levels were reduced in the cornea of TG-2-/- mice and in TG-2 knockdown human corneal epithelial cells. Slug which previously reported suppressing Claudin-1 transcription, was increased at both protein and transcript level in TG-2 knockdown cells. TG-2 and Claudin-1 protein levels were unchanged in shRNA and shTG cells after MG132 treatment, while Slug accumulated in treated cells. CONCLUSION TG-2 may positively regulate Claudin-1 through repressing Slug at transcript level, and thus it is critical for normal corneal barrier function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aihua Hou
- Ocular Surface Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, 169856, Singapore; Eye-Academic Clinical Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857, Singapore
| | - Safiah Mohamed Ali
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Evelyn Png
- Ocular Surface Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, 169856, Singapore
| | - Walter Hunziker
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore; SERI-IMCB Program in Retinal Angiogenic Diseases, Singapore Eye Research Institute, 169856, Singapore; Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Louis Tong
- Ocular Surface Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, 169856, Singapore; Eye-Academic Clinical Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857, Singapore; Corneal and External Eye Disease Service, Singapore National Eye Centre, 168751, Singapore; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119228, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Key Genes of Immunity Associated with Pterygium and Primary Sjögren's Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032047. [PMID: 36768371 PMCID: PMC9916617 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Pterygium and primary Sjögren's Syndrome (pSS) share many similarities in clinical symptoms and ocular pathophysiological changes, but their etiology is unclear. To identify the potential genes and pathways related to immunity, two published datasets, GSE2513 containing pterygium information and GSE176510 containing pSS information, were selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of pterygium or pSS patients compared with healthy control conjunctiva, and the common DEGs between them were analyzed. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were conducted for common DEGs. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database to find the hub genes, which were verified in clinical samples. There were 14 co-upregulated DEGs. The GO and KEGG analyses showed that these common DEGs were enriched in pathways correlated with virus infection, antigen processing and presentation, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and Th17 cell differentiation. The hub genes (IL1R1, ICAM1, IRAK1, S100A9, and S100A8) were selected by PPI construction. In the era of the COVID-19 epidemic, the relationship between virus infection, vaccination, and the incidence of pSS and pterygium growth deserves more attention.
Collapse
|
6
|
Wolf J, Hajdu RI, Boneva S, Schlecht A, Lapp T, Wacker K, Agostini H, Reinhard T, Auw-Hädrich C, Schlunck G, Lange C. Characterization of the Cellular Microenvironment and Novel Specific Biomarkers in Pterygia Using RNA Sequencing. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:714458. [PMID: 35174178 PMCID: PMC8841401 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.714458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
With a worldwide prevalence of ~12%, pterygium is a common degenerative and environmentally triggered ocular surface disorder characterized by wing-shaped growth of conjunctival tissue onto the cornea that can lead to blindness if left untreated. This study characterizes the transcriptional profile and the cellular microenvironment of conjunctival pterygia and identifies novel pterygia-specific biomarkers. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded pterygia as well as healthy conjunctival specimens were analyzed using MACE RNA sequencing (n = 8 each) and immunohistochemistry (pterygia n = 7, control n = 3). According to the bioinformatic cell type enrichment analysis using xCell, the cellular microenvironment of pterygia was characterized by an enrichment of myofibroblasts, T-lymphocytes and various antigen-presenting cells, including dendritic cells and macrophages. Differentially expressed genes that were increased in pterygia compared to control tissue were mainly involved in autophagy (including DCN, TMBIM6), cellular response to stress (including TPT1, DDX5) as well as fibroblast proliferation and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (including CTNNB1, TGFBR1, and FN1). Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed a significantly increased FN1 stromal immunoreactivity in pterygia when compared to control tissue. In addition, a variety of factors involved in apoptosis were significantly downregulated in pterygia, including LCN2, CTSD, and NISCH. Furthermore, 450 pterygia-specific biomarkers were identified by including transcriptional data of different ocular surface pathologies serving as controls (training group), which were then validated using transcriptional data of cultured human pterygium cells. Among the most pterygia-specific factors were transcripts such as AHNAK, RTN4, TPT1, FSTL1, and SPARC. Immunohistochemical validation of SPARC revealed a significantly increased stromal immunoreactivity in pterygia when compared to controls, most notably in vessels and intravascular vessel wall-adherent mononuclear cells. Taken together, the present study provides new insights into the cellular microenvironment and the transcriptional profile of pterygia, identifies new and specific biomarkers and in addition to fibrosis-related genes, uncovers autophagy, stress response and apoptosis modulation as pterygium-associated processes. These findings expand our understanding of the pathophysiology of pterygia, provide new diagnostic tools, and may enable new targeted therapeutic options for this common and sight-threatening ocular surface disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Wolf
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Rozina Ida Hajdu
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Stefaniya Boneva
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Anja Schlecht
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wuerzburg University, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Thabo Lapp
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Katrin Wacker
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Hansjürgen Agostini
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Thomas Reinhard
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Claudia Auw-Hädrich
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Günther Schlunck
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Clemens Lange
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Ophtha-Lab, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital, Münster, Germany
- *Correspondence: Clemens Lange
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Li J, Tao T, Yu Y, Xu N, Du W, Zhao M, Jiang Z, Huang L. Expression profiling suggests the involvement of hormone-related, metabolic, and Wnt signaling pathways in pterygium progression. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:943275. [PMID: 36187094 PMCID: PMC9515788 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.943275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pterygium is an ocular surface disease that can cause visual impairment if it progressively invades the cornea. Although many pieces of research showed ultraviolet radiation is a trigger of pterygium pathological progress, the underlying mechanism in pterygium remains indistinct. METHODS In this study, we used microarray to evaluate the changes of transcripts between primary pterygium and adjacent normal conjunctiva samples in China. Then, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses. Moreover, we constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) and miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks to predict possible regulatory relationships. We next performed gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to explore the similarities and differences of transcripts between Asian studies from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Furthermore, we took the intersection of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with other data and identified hub genes of the development of pterygium. Finally, we utilized real-time quantitative PCR to verify the expression levels of candidate genes. RESULTS A total of 49 DEGs were identified. The enrichment analyses of DEGs showed that pathways such as the Wnt-signaling pathway and metabolism-related pathways were upregulated, while pathways such as hormone-related and transcription factor-associated pathways were downregulated. The PPI and miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks provide ideas for future research directions. The GSEA of selecting Asian data revealed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition and myogenesis existed in the pathology of pterygium in the Asian group. Furthermore, five gene sets (interferon-gamma response, Wnt beta-catenin signaling, oxidative phosphorylation, DNA repair, and MYC targets v2) were found only in our Chinese datasets. After taking an intersection between selecting datasets, we identified two upregulated (SPP1 and MYH11) and five downregulated (ATF3, FOS, EGR1, FOSB, and NR4A2) hub genes. We finally chose night genes to verify their expression levels, including the other two genes (SFRP2 and SFRP4) involved in Wnt signaling; Their expression levels were significantly different between pterygium and conjunctiva. CONCLUSIONS We consider hormone-related, metabolic, and Wnt signaling pathways may be important in the pathology of pterygium development. Nine candidate genes we identified deserve further study and can be potential therapeutic targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiarui Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People’s Hospital Eye diseases, and Optometry Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Tianchang Tao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People’s Hospital Eye diseases, and Optometry Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yingying Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People’s Hospital Eye diseases, and Optometry Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Ningda Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People’s Hospital Eye diseases, and Optometry Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Du
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People’s Hospital Eye diseases, and Optometry Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Mingwei Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People’s Hospital Eye diseases, and Optometry Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengxuan Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Lvzhen Huang, ; Zhengxuan Jiang,
| | - Lvzhen Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People’s Hospital Eye diseases, and Optometry Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Lvzhen Huang, ; Zhengxuan Jiang,
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Jiang Y, Zhang X, Zhang X, Zhao K, Zhang J, Yang C, Chen Y. Comprehensive Analysis of the Transcriptome-Wide m6A Methylome in Pterygium by MeRIP Sequencing. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:670528. [PMID: 34249924 PMCID: PMC8267473 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.670528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim Pterygium is a common ocular surface disease, which is affected by a variety of factors. Invasion of the cornea can cause severe vision loss. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a common post-transcriptional modification of eukaryotic mRNA, which can regulate mRNA splicing, stability, nuclear transport, and translation. To our best knowledge, there is no current research on the mechanism of m6A in pterygium. Methods We obtained 24 pterygium tissues and 24 conjunctival tissues from each of 24 pterygium patients recruited from Shanghai Yangpu Hospital, and the level of m6A modification was detected using an m6A RNA Methylation Quantification Kit. Expression and location of METTL3, a key m6A methyltransferase, were identified by immunostaining. Then we used m6A-modified RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and bioinformatics analyses to compare the differential expression of m6A methylation in pterygium and normal conjunctival tissue. Results We identified 2,949 dysregulated m6A peaks in pterygium tissue, of which 2,145 were significantly upregulated and 804 were significantly downregulated. The altered m6A peak of genes were found to play a key role in the Hippo signaling pathway and endocytosis. Joint analyses of MeRIP-seq and RNA-seq data identified 72 hypermethylated m6A peaks and 15 hypomethylated m6A peaks in mRNA. After analyzing the differentially methylated m6A peaks and synchronously differentially expressed genes, we searched the Gene Expression Omnibus database and identified five genes related to the development of pterygium (DSP, MXRA5, ARHGAP35, TMEM43, and OLFML2A). Conclusion Our research shows that m6A modification plays an important role in the development of pterygium and can be used as a potential new target for the treatment of pterygium in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kun Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chuanxi Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yihui Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Liu X, Zhang J, Nie D, Zeng K, Hu H, Tie J, Sun L, Peng L, Liu X, Wang J. Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis to Identify the Important Coding and Non-coding RNAs Involved in the Pathogenesis of Pterygium. Front Genet 2021; 12:646550. [PMID: 33790949 PMCID: PMC8005612 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.646550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Pterygium is a common ocular surface disease characterized by abnormal fibrovascular proliferation and invasion, similar to tumorigenesis. The formation of tumors is related to a change in the expression of various RNAs; however, whether they are involved in the formation and development of pterygium remains unclear. In this study, transcriptome analysis of messenger RNAs (mRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) of paired pterygium and normal conjunctiva was performed to explore key genes regulating the development of pterygium. In total, 579 mRNAs, 275 lncRNAs, and 21 circRNAs were differentially expressed (DE) in pterygium compared with paired conjunctival tissues. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that DE RNAs were associated with extracellular matrix organization, blood vessel morphogenesis, and focal adhesion. Furthermore, through protein-protein interaction network and mRNA-lncRNA co-expression network analysis, key mRNAs including FN1, VCAM1, and MMP2, and key lncRNAs including MIR4435-2HG and LINC00968 were screened and might be involved in the pathogenesis of pterygium. In addition, several circRNAs including hsa_circ_0007482 and hsa_circ_001730 were considered to be involved in the pterygium development. This study provides a scientific basis for elucidating the pathogenesis of pterygium and will be beneficial for the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liu
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Danyao Nie
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kun Zeng
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huiling Hu
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinjun Tie
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Liangnan Sun
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ling Peng
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinhua Liu
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiantao Wang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Identification of Functional Genes in Pterygium Based on Bioinformatics Analysis. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:2383516. [PMID: 33299863 PMCID: PMC7704136 DOI: 10.1155/2020/2383516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Purpose The competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network regulatory has been investigated in the occurrence and development of many diseases. This research aimed at identifying the key RNAs of ceRNA network in pterygium and exploring the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods Differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and mRNAs were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and analyzed with the R programming language. LncRNA and miRNA expressions were extracted and pooled by the GEO database and compared with those in published literature. The lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was constructed of selected lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs. Metascape was used to perform Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses on mRNAs of the ceRNA network and to perform Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) Network analysis on the String website to find candidate hub genes. The Comparative Toxicogenomic Database (CTD) was used to find hub genes closely related to pterygium. The differential expressions of hub genes were verified using the reverse transcription-real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Result There were 8 lncRNAs, 12 miRNAs, and 94 mRNAs filtered to construct the primary ceRNA network. A key lncRNA LIN00472 ranking the top 1 node degree was selected to reconstruct the LIN00472 network. The GO and KEGG pathway enrichment showed the mRNAs in ceRNA networks mainly involved in homophilic cell adhesion via plasma membrane adhesion molecules, developmental growth, regulation of neuron projection development, cell maturation, synapse assembly, central nervous system neuron differentiation, and PID FOXM1 PATHWAY. According to the Protein-Protein Interaction Network (PPI) analysis on mRNAs in LINC00472 network, 10 candidate hub genes were identified according to node degree ranking. Using the CTD database, we identified 8 hub genes closely related to pterygium; RT-qPCR verified 6 of them were highly expressed in pterygium. Conclusion Our research found LINC00472 might regulate 8 hub miRNAs (miR-29b-3p, miR-183-5p, miR-138-5p, miR-211-5p, miR-221-3p, miR-218-5p, miR-642a-5p, miR-5000-3p) and 6 hub genes (CDH2, MYC, CCNB1, RELN, ERBB4, RB1) in the ceRNA network through mainly PID FOXM1 PATHWAY and play an important role in the development of pterygium.
Collapse
|
11
|
Aghamollaei H, Parvin S, Shahriary A. Review of proteomics approach to eye diseases affecting the anterior segment. J Proteomics 2020; 225:103881. [PMID: 32565161 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2020.103881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Visual impairment and blindness is a major health burden worldwide, and major ocular diseases causing visual impairment pertain to the anterior segment of the eye. Anterior segment ocular diseases are common, yet complex entities. Although many treatment options and surgical techniques are available for these ailments, the underlying cause and pathogenesis is still unclear. Finding ways to fundamentally treat these patients and rectify the underlying dysregulations leading to the disease may help cure patients completely without major complications. Proteomics approaches are a novel way to distinguish dysregulated proteins in a variety of biological tissues in a hypothesis-free manner, thus helping to find the responsible pathways leading to a certain disease. The aim of the current study is to review the available knowledge in scientific literature regarding the proteomics studies done on anterior segment eye diseases and suggest potential clinical implications to exploit the results of these studies. SIGNIFICANCE: Anterior segment ocular diseases are responsible for a major proportion of visual impairment and blindness worldwide. Although ophthalmologists have several treatment options that can alleviate or control the progression of these diseases, no definite cure is available for most of them. Moreover, because these diseases are progressive, prompt diagnosis is of utmost important. Proteomics studies enable us to identify and quantify the dysregulated proteins in a biological specimen in a hypothesis-free manner. Understanding the dysregulated protein pathways shines a light on the pathogenesis of the disease. Moreover, these dysregulated proteins may act as biomarkers to help in diagnosis and treatment follow-up. Hence, in this article we sought out to review the available scientific literature regarding the proteomics studies of anterior segment ocular diseases and to identify potential applications of proteomic studies in clinic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Aghamollaei
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Systems biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahram Parvin
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Systems biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Shahriary
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Systems biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhang J, Xiang J, Wu D, Dai Y, Xu J. Shared gene signature between pterygium and meibomian gland dysfunction uncovered through gene-expression meta-analysis. Ann Hum Genet 2019; 83:397-404. [PMID: 31373692 DOI: 10.1111/ahg.12340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pterygium and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) are two clinically correlated ocular diseases. We propose to investigate the shared gene signature between pterygium and MGD. METHODS Microarray datasets were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Initial processing of the data was performed using the R programming package. Gene-expression values were log2 transformed and normalized by quantile normalization. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in each individual dataset were analyzed by the limma package. The integration of different pterygium datasets and gene-expression meta-analysis was conducted by the NetworkAnalyst package. A Venn diagram was created to find the overlapped DEGs between MGD and pterygium datasets. Gene ontology enrichment and pathway analysis were performed using the ToppGene Suite. RESULTS We found 193 DEGs significantly up-regulated in pterygium, with the combined effect sizes ranging from 1.53 to 3.78. A gene signature consisting of 11 DEGs were found to be shared by pterygium and MGD (SPRR3, SERPINB13, NMU, KRT10, IL37, KRT6B, PI3, S100A2, MAL, AURKA, and RGCC), and bioinformatics analyses showed that these overlapped DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways related to keratinization, cell-cycle regulation, and formation of the cornified envelope. CONCLUSION We identified a shared gene signature between pterygium and MGD through gene-expression meta-analysis. The analysis of this signature underlined that keratinization-related pathways may play important roles in the development of these two clinically correlated pathologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Eye Institute, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Xiang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Eye Institute, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Eye Institute, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiqin Dai
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Eye Institute, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianjiang Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Eye Institute, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Proliferative Effects of Histamine on Primary Human Pterygium Fibroblasts. Mediators Inflamm 2016; 2016:9862496. [PMID: 27872516 PMCID: PMC5107241 DOI: 10.1155/2016/9862496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose. It has been confirmed that inflammatory cytokines are involved in the progression of pterygium. Histamine can enhance proliferation and migration of many cells. Therefore, we intend to investigate the proliferative and migratory effects of histamine on primary culture of human pterygium fibroblasts (HPFs). Methods. Pterygium and conjunctiva samples were obtained from surgery, and toluidine blue staining was used to identify mast cells. 3-[4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) was performed to evaluate the proliferative rate of HPFs and human conjunctival fibroblasts (HCFs); ki67 expression was also measured by immunofluorescence analysis. Histamine receptor-1 (H1R) antagonist (Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride) and histamine receptor-2 (H2R) antagonist (Nizatidine) were added to figure out which receptor was involved. Wound healing model was used to evaluate the migratory ability of HPFs. Results. The numbers of total mast cells and degranulated mast cells were both higher in pterygium than in conjunctiva. Histamine had a proliferative effect on both HPFs and HCFs, the effective concentration (10 μmol/L) on HPFs was lower than on HCFs (100 μmol/L), and the effect could be blocked by H1R antagonist. Histamine showed no migratory effect on HPFs. Conclusion. Histamine may play an important role in the proliferation of HPFs and act through H1R.
Collapse
|
14
|
Hou A, Law KP, Tin MQ, Lim YP, Tong L. In vitro secretomics study of pterygium-derived fibroblasts by iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics strategy. Exp Eye Res 2016; 153:14-22. [PMID: 27725197 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/06/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Pterygium is a triangular shaped ocular fibrous surface lesion growing from conjunctiva towards central cornea, causing ocular irritation, astigmatism, and visual disturbance. The condition is characterized by epithelial proliferation, fibrovascular growth, chronic inflammation, and prominent extracellular matrix remodeling. Studies have suggested that aberrant extracellular proteins secreted by fibroblasts lead to abnormal matrix production and tissue invasion contributing to the development of the disease. In this study, secreted proteins collected from paired pterygium and conjunctival fibroblasts in vitro were identified and quantified by LC-MS iTRAQ-based analysis, in which 433 proteins common to all samples were identified. Among these proteins, 48.0% (208) were classified as classically secreted proteins, 17.1% (74) were exported out of the cells via non-classical secretion pathways, and 31.2% (135) were exosome proteins. A minority (3.7%) was not previously known to be secreted, or might be contaminants. 31 and 27 proteins were found up- or down-regulated in the conditioned media of pterygium fibroblasts relative to the media of control cells, respectively. Molecular function analysis showed that these proteins either belonged to catalytic proteins, structural molecules or were involved with receptor activities and protein binding. Further pathway analysis revealed that these proteins were involved in ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, cancer-related, p53 signaling, complement and coagulation, and TGF-beta signaling pathways. These molecules identified may serve as extracellular ligands to activate intracellular pathways, possibly serving as potential therapeutic targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aihua Hou
- Ocular Surface Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore
| | - Kai Pong Law
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Min Qi Tin
- Ocular Surface Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore
| | - Yoon Pin Lim
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Louis Tong
- Ocular Surface Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore; Singapore National Eye Center, Singapore; Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Cardenas-Cantu E, Valenzuela J, Zavala J, Valdez-Garcýa JE. Basis of Pterygium Development. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.5005/highlights-44-6-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
|
16
|
Fibroblast biology in pterygia. Exp Eye Res 2016; 142:32-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2015.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2014] [Revised: 01/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
17
|
Mass spectrometry-based proteomics for pre-eclampsia and preterm birth. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:10952-85. [PMID: 26006232 PMCID: PMC4463685 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160510952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy-related complications such as pre-eclampsia and preterm birth now represent a notable burden of adverse health. Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder unique to pregnancy. It is an important cause of maternal death worldwide and a leading cause of fetal growth restriction and iatrogenic prematurity. Fifteen million infants are born preterm each year globally, but more than one million of those do not survive their first month of life. Currently there are no predictive tests available for diagnosis of these pregnancy-related complications and the biological mechanisms of the diseases have not been fully elucidated. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics have all the necessary attributes to provide the needed breakthrough in understanding the pathophysiology of complex human diseases thorough the discovery of biomarkers. The mass spectrometry methodologies employed in the studies for pregnancy-related complications are evaluated in this article. Top-down proteomic and peptidomic profiling by laser mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry, and bottom-up quantitative proteomics and targeted proteomics by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry have been applied to elucidate protein biomarkers and biological mechanism of pregnancy-related complications. The proteomes of serum, urine, amniotic fluid, cervical-vaginal fluid, placental tissue, and cytotrophoblastic cells have all been investigated. Numerous biomarkers or biomarker candidates that could distinguish complicated pregnancies from healthy controls have been proposed. Nevertheless, questions as to the clinically utility and the capacity to elucidate the pathogenesis of the pre-eclampsia and preterm birth remain to be answered.
Collapse
|
18
|
Al-Swailem S, Xu Z, Wu L, Hartsock MJ, Yiu SC, Duh EJ. Induction of endothelial RAGE expression in pterygium. Mol Vis 2014; 20:1740-8. [PMID: 25593504 PMCID: PMC4279753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Chronic inflammation is a critical process in pterygium development and progression, including promotion of angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) actively participate in and regulate inflammation. Pterygium research has uncovered multiple inflammatory cytokines that are upregulated, but there has been minimal focus on EC activation. The Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGE), a major proinflammatory molecule expressed in the vascular endothelium and other cell types, is a major instigator of endothelial cell activation. In this study, we explored the hypothesis that RAGE is upregulated in ECs in pterygium. To this end, we examined RAGE expression and immunolocalization in human pterygium and normal conjunctival tissue, with a particular interest in assessing endothelial RAGE. METHODS Pterygium specimens were obtained from 25 patients during surgery at the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital (KKESH). In the same patients, conjunctiva were obtained from the autograft during surgery. Tissue specimens were formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded. Tissue sections were analyzed with immunohistochemistry with anti-RAGE antibody. Expression and localization of RAGE were evaluated in pterygium and corresponding conjunctiva. RESULTS RAGE expression was detected in the vascular endothelium in all pterygium tissue specimens and most conjunctival specimens. Other cell types exhibited expression, notably epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and possibly macrophages. Strikingly, endothelial RAGE expression was increased in 19 of 25 pterygium tissue specimens, compared to the corresponding control conjunctiva. CONCLUSIONS Our data reveal that RAGE expression is upregulated in vascular endothelial cells in pterygium. RAGE upregulation is an important mechanism by which endothelial cells amplify the overall inflammatory response, and suppression of RAGE has been shown to prevent the progression of some systemic disease processes in experimental models. This suggests that pharmacologic targeting of RAGE, which is already being attempted in clinical trials for some diseases, could be useful in treating pterygium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samar Al-Swailem
- King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Zhenhua Xu
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Lijuan Wu
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Matthew J. Hartsock
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Samuel C. Yiu
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Elia J. Duh
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
Pterygium pathogenesis is mainly related to UV light exposure. However, the exact mechanisms by which it is formed have not been elucidated. Clinical advances in surgical treatment use conjunctival autografts and amniotic membranes in combination with adjuvant therapies, including mitomycin C, β-radiation, and 5-fluoroacil, to reduce recurrence. Several studies aim to unveil the molecular mechanisms underlying pterygium growth and proliferation. They demonstrate the role of different factors, such as viruses, oxidative stress, DNA methylation, apoptotic and oncogenic proteins, loss of heterozygosity, microsatellite instability, inflammatory mediators, extracellular matrix modulators, lymphangiogenesis, cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and alterations in cholesterol metabolism in pterygium development. Understanding the molecular basis of pterygium provides new potential therapeutic targets for its prevention and elimination. This review focuses on providing a broad overview of what is currently known regarding molecular mechanisms of pterygium pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Cárdenas-Cantú
- a Ophthalmology Research Chair, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey , Monterrey , Mexico and
| | - Judith Zavala
- a Ophthalmology Research Chair, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey , Monterrey , Mexico and
| | - Jorge Valenzuela
- a Ophthalmology Research Chair, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey , Monterrey , Mexico and
| | - Jorge E Valdez-García
- a Ophthalmology Research Chair, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey , Monterrey , Mexico and.,b Ophthalmology Institute, Tec Salud, Tecnologico de Monterrey , Monterrey , Mexico
| |
Collapse
|