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Šterk M, Zhang Y, Pohorec V, Leitgeb EP, Dolenšek J, Benninger RKP, Stožer A, Kravets V, Gosak M. Network representation of multicellular activity in pancreatic islets: Technical considerations for functional connectivity analysis. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012130. [PMID: 38739680 PMCID: PMC11115366 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Within the islets of Langerhans, beta cells orchestrate synchronized insulin secretion, a pivotal aspect of metabolic homeostasis. Despite the inherent heterogeneity and multimodal activity of individual cells, intercellular coupling acts as a homogenizing force, enabling coordinated responses through the propagation of intercellular waves. Disruptions in this coordination are implicated in irregular insulin secretion, a hallmark of diabetes. Recently, innovative approaches, such as integrating multicellular calcium imaging with network analysis, have emerged for a quantitative assessment of the cellular activity in islets. However, different groups use distinct experimental preparations, microscopic techniques, apply different methods to process the measured signals and use various methods to derive functional connectivity patterns. This makes comparisons between findings and their integration into a bigger picture difficult and has led to disputes in functional connectivity interpretations. To address these issues, we present here a systematic analysis of how different approaches influence the network representation of islet activity. Our findings show that the choice of methods used to construct networks is not crucial, although care is needed when combining data from different islets. Conversely, the conclusions drawn from network analysis can be heavily affected by the pre-processing of the time series, the type of the oscillatory component in the signals, and by the experimental preparation. Our tutorial-like investigation aims to resolve interpretational issues, reconcile conflicting views, advance functional implications, and encourage researchers to adopt connectivity analysis. As we conclude, we outline challenges for future research, emphasizing the broader applicability of our conclusions to other tissues exhibiting complex multicellular dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Šterk
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Yaowen Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Viljem Pohorec
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Richard K. P. Benninger
- Department of Bioengineering, Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
- Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Andraž Stožer
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Vira Kravets
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Marko Gosak
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea, Maribor
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2
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Manipulating polydispersity of lens β-crystallins using divalent cations demonstrates evidence of calcium regulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2212051119. [PMID: 36417439 PMCID: PMC9860307 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212051119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Crystallins comprise the protein-rich tissue of the eye lens. Of the three most common vertebrate subtypes, β-crystallins exhibit the widest degree of polydispersity due to their complex multimerization properties in situ. While polydispersity enables precise packing densities across the concentration gradient of the lens for vision, it is unclear why there is such a high degree of structural complexity within the β-crystallin subtype and what the role of this feature is in the lens. To investigate this, we first characterized β-crystallin polydispersity and then established a method to dynamically disrupt it in a process that is dependent on isoform composition and the presence of divalent cationic salts (CaCl2 or MgCl2). We used size-exclusion chromatography together with dynamic light scattering and mass spectrometry to show how high concentrations of divalent cations dissociate β-crystallin oligomers, reduce polydispersity, and shift the overall protein surface charge-properties that can be reversed when salts are removed. While the direct, physiological relevance of these divalent cations in the lens is still under investigation, our results support that specific isoforms of β-crystallin modulate polydispersity through multiple chemical equilibria and that this native state is disrupted by cation binding. This dynamic process may be essential to facilitating the molecular packing and optical function of the lens.
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Study of the Natural Crystalline Lens Characteristics Using Dual-Energy Computed Tomography. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12112857. [PMID: 36428915 PMCID: PMC9689271 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12112857] [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: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a paucity of radiologic literature regarding age-related cataract, and little is known about any differences in the imaging appearance of the natural crystalline lens on computed tomography (CT) exams among different demographic groups. In this retrospective review of 198 eyes in 103 adults who underwent dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) exams of the head, regions of interest spanning 3−5 mm were placed over the center of the lens, and the x-ray attenuation of each lens was recorded in Hounsfield Units (HU) at 3 energy levels: 40 keV, 70 keV, and 190 keV. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to assess the association of clinical or demographic data with lens attenuation. The mean HU values were significantly lower for the older vs. younger group at 40 keV (GEE p-value = 0.022), but there was no significant difference at higher energy levels (p > 0.05). Mean HU values were significantly higher for females vs. males and non-whites vs. non-Hispanic whites at all 3 energy levels in bivariate and multivariable analyses (all p-value < 0.05). There was no significant association between lens attenuation and either diabetes or smoking status. The crystalline lens of females and non-whites had higher attenuation on DECT which may suggest higher density or increased concentration of materials like calcium and increased potential for cataract formation. Given the large scope of cataracts as a cause of visual impairment and the racial disparities that exist in its detection and treatment, further investigation into the role of opportunistic imaging to detect cataract formation is warranted.
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Networks behind the morphology and structural design of living systems. Phys Life Rev 2022; 41:1-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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5
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Stožer A, Šterk M, Paradiž Leitgeb E, Markovič R, Skelin Klemen M, Ellis CE, Križančić Bombek L, Dolenšek J, MacDonald PE, Gosak M. From Isles of Königsberg to Islets of Langerhans: Examining the Function of the Endocrine Pancreas Through Network Science. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:922640. [PMID: 35784543 PMCID: PMC9240343 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.922640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Islets of Langerhans are multicellular microorgans located in the pancreas that play a central role in whole-body energy homeostasis. Through secretion of insulin and other hormones they regulate postprandial storage and interprandial usage of energy-rich nutrients. In these clusters of hormone-secreting endocrine cells, intricate cell-cell communication is essential for proper function. Electrical coupling between the insulin-secreting beta cells through gap junctions composed of connexin36 is particularly important, as it provides the required, most important, basis for coordinated responses of the beta cell population. The increasing evidence that gap-junctional communication and its modulation are vital to well-regulated secretion of insulin has stimulated immense interest in how subpopulations of heterogeneous beta cells are functionally arranged throughout the islets and how they mediate intercellular signals. In the last decade, several novel techniques have been proposed to assess cooperation between cells in islets, including the prosperous combination of multicellular imaging and network science. In the present contribution, we review recent advances related to the application of complex network approaches to uncover the functional connectivity patterns among cells within the islets. We first provide an accessible introduction to the basic principles of network theory, enumerating the measures characterizing the intercellular interactions and quantifying the functional integration and segregation of a multicellular system. Then we describe methodological approaches to construct functional beta cell networks, point out possible pitfalls, and specify the functional implications of beta cell network examinations. We continue by highlighting the recent findings obtained through advanced multicellular imaging techniques supported by network-based analyses, giving special emphasis to the current developments in both mouse and human islets, as well as outlining challenges offered by the multilayer network formalism in exploring the collective activity of islet cell populations. Finally, we emphasize that the combination of these imaging techniques and network-based analyses does not only represent an innovative concept that can be used to describe and interpret the physiology of islets, but also provides fertile ground for delineating normal from pathological function and for quantifying the changes in islet communication networks associated with the development of diabetes mellitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andraž Stožer
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Marko Šterk
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Eva Paradiž Leitgeb
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Rene Markovič
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Maša Skelin Klemen
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Cara E. Ellis
- Department of Pharmacology and Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Jurij Dolenšek
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Patrick E. MacDonald
- Department of Pharmacology and Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Marko Gosak
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Marko Gosak,
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6
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Gosak M, Gojić D, Spasovska E, Hawlina M, Andjelic S. Cataract Progression Associated with Modifications in Calcium Signaling in Human Lens Epithelia as Studied by Mechanical Stimulation. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11050369. [PMID: 33919270 PMCID: PMC8143283 DOI: 10.3390/life11050369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ca2+ homeostasis and signaling disturbances are associated with lens pathophysiology and are involved in cataract formation. Here, we explored the spatiotemporal changes in Ca2+ signaling in lens epithelial cells (LECs) upon local mechanical stimulation, to better understand the LECs’ intercellular communication and its association with cataractogenesis. We were interested in if the progression of the cataract affects the Ca2+ signaling and if modifications of the Ca2+ homeostasis in LECs are associated with different cataract types. Experiments were done on the human postoperative anterior lens capsule (LC) preparations consisting of the monolayer of LECs on the basement membrane. Our findings revealed that the Ca2+ signal spreads radially from the stimulation point and that the amplitude of Ca2+ transients decreases with increasing distance. It is noteworthy that a comparison of signaling characteristics with respect to the degree of cataract progression revealed that, in LCs from more developed cataracts, the Ca2+ wave propagates faster and the amplitudes of Ca2+ signals are lower, while their durations are longer. No differences were identified when comparing LCs with regard to the cataract type. Moreover, experiments with Apyrase have revealed that the Ca2+ signals are not affected by ATP-dependent paracrine communication. Our results indicated that cataract progression is associated with modifications in Ca2+ signaling in LECs, suggesting the functional importance of altered Ca2+ signaling of LECs in cataractogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Gosak
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Dajana Gojić
- Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (D.G.); (E.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Elena Spasovska
- Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (D.G.); (E.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Marko Hawlina
- Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (D.G.); (E.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Sofija Andjelic
- Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (D.G.); (E.S.); (M.H.)
- Correspondence:
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7
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Kreuzer M, Dučić T, Hawlina M, Andjelic S. Synchrotron-based FTIR microspectroscopy of protein aggregation and lipids peroxidation changes in human cataractous lens epithelial cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15489. [PMID: 32968091 PMCID: PMC7511928 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72413-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide but the mechanisms involved in the process of cataractogenesis are not yet fully understood. Two most prevalent types of age-related cataracts are nuclear (N) and cortical (C) cataracts. A common environmental factor in most age-related cataracts is believed to be oxidative stress. The lens epithelium, the first physical and biological barrier in the lens, is build from lens epithelial cells (LECs). LECs are important for the maintenance of lens transparency as they control energy production, antioxidative mechanisms and biochemical transport for the whole lens. The purpose of this study is to characterize compounds in LECs originated from N and C cataracts, by using the synchrotron radiation-based Fourier Transform Infrared (SR-FTIR) microspectroscopy, in order to understand the functional importance of their different bio-macromolecules in cataractogenesis. We used the SR-FTIR microspectroscopy setup installed on the beamline MIRAS at the Spanish synchrotron light source ALBA, where measurements were set to achieve single cell resolution, with high spectral stability and high photon flux. The results showed that protein aggregation in form of fibrils was notably pronounced in LECs of N cataracts, while oxidative stress and the lipids peroxidation were more pronounced in LECs of C cataracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kreuzer
- CELLS-ALBA, Carrer de la Llum 2-26, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08290, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tanja Dučić
- CELLS-ALBA, Carrer de la Llum 2-26, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08290, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Marko Hawlina
- Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Grablovičeva 46, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sofija Andjelic
- Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Grablovičeva 46, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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8
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Brink PR, Valiunas V, White TW. Lens Connexin Channels Show Differential Permeability to Signaling Molecules. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186943. [PMID: 32971763 PMCID: PMC7555617 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gap junction channels mediate the direct intercellular passage of small ions as well as larger solutes such as second messengers. A family of proteins called connexins make up the subunits of gap junction channels in chordate animals. Each individual connexin forms channels that exhibit distinct permeability to molecules that influence cellular signaling, such as calcium ions, cyclic nucleotides, or inositol phosphates. In this review, we examine the permeability of connexin channels containing Cx43, Cx46, and Cx50 to signaling molecules and attempt to relate the observed differences in permeability to possible in vivo consequences that were revealed by studies of transgenic animals where these connexin genes have been manipulated. Taken together, these data suggest that differences in the permeability of individual connexin channels to larger solutes like 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) could play a role in regulating epithelial cell division, differentiation, and homeostasis in organs like the ocular lens.
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9
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Valiunas V, White TW. Connexin43 and connexin50 channels exhibit different permeability to the second messenger inositol triphosphate. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8744. [PMID: 32457413 PMCID: PMC7251084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65761-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gap junction channels made of different connexins have distinct permeability to second messengers, which could affect many cell processes, including lens epithelial cell division. Here, we have compared the permeability of IP3 and Ca2+ through channels made from two connexins, Cx43 and Cx50, that are highly expressed in vertebrate lens epithelial cells. Solute transfer was measured while simultaneously monitoring junctional conductance via dual whole-cell/perforated patch clamp. HeLa cells expressing Cx43 or Cx50 were loaded with Fluo-8, and IP3 or Ca2+ were delivered via patch pipette to one cell of a pair, or to a monolayer while fluorescence intensity changes were recorded. Cx43 channels were permeable to IP3 and Ca2+. Conversely, Cx50 channels were impermeable to IP3, while exhibiting high permeation of Ca2+. Reduced Cx50 permeability to IP3 could play a role in regulating cell division and homeostasis in the lens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginijus Valiunas
- The Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Thomas W White
- The Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
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10
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Analysis of ATP-Induced Ca 2+ Responses at Single Cell Level in Retinal Pigment Epithelium Monolayers. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1185:525-530. [PMID: 31884665 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-27378-1_86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Calcium is one of the most important second messengers in cells and thus involved in a variety of physiological processes. In retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), Ca2+ and its ATP-dependent signaling pathways play important roles in the retina maintenance functions. Changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration can be measured from living cells by Ca2+ imaging. Combining these measurements with quantitative analysis of Ca2+ response properties enables studies of signaling pathways affecting RPE functions. However, robust tools for response analysis from large cell populations are lacking. We developed MATLAB-based analysis tools for single cell level Ca2+ response data recorded from large fields of intact RPE monolayers. The analysis revealed significant heterogeneity in ATP-induced Ca2+ responses inside cell populations regarding magnitude and response kinetics. Further analysis including response grouping and parameter correlations allowed us to characterize the populations at the level of single cells.
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11
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Lens-specific conditional knockout of Msx2 in mice leads to ocular anterior segment dysgenesis via activation of a calcium signaling pathway. J Transl Med 2019; 99:1714-1727. [PMID: 30683901 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-018-0180-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocular anterior segment dysgenesis (ASD) is a failure of normal development of anterior structures of the eye, leading to lens opacification. The underlying mechanisms relating to ASD are still unclear. Previous studies have implicated transcriptional factor muscle segment homeobox 2 (Msx2) in ASD. In this study, we used Msx2 conditional knockout (CKO) mice as a model and found that Msx2 deficiency in surface ectoderm induced ASD. Loss of Msx2 function specifically affected lens development, while other eye structures were not significantly affected. Multiple lines of evidence show that calcium signaling pathways are involved in this pathogenesis. Our study demonstrates that Msx2 plays an essential role in lens development by activating a yet undetermined calcium signaling pathway.
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12
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Gosak M, Markovič R, Dolenšek J, Slak Rupnik M, Marhl M, Stožer A, Perc M. Network science of biological systems at different scales: A review. Phys Life Rev 2018; 24:118-135. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2017.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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13
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Zhang N, Zhang C, Wang X, Qi Y. High-throughput sequencing reveals novel lincRNA in age-related cataract. Int J Mol Med 2017; 40:1829-1839. [PMID: 29039457 PMCID: PMC5716429 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2017.3185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related cataract (ARC) is a major cause of blindness. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a heterogeneous class of RNAs that are non-protein-coding transcripts >200 nucleotides in length. LncRNAs are involved in various critical biological processes, such as chromatin remodeling, gene transcription, and protein transport and trafficking. Furthermore, the dysregulation of lncRNAs causes a number of complex human diseases, including coronary artery diseases, autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders and various cancers. However, the role of lncRNA in cataract remains unclear. Therefore, in the present study, lens anterior capsular membrane was collected from normal subjects and patients with ARC and total RNA was extracted. High-throughput sequencing was applied to detect differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs. The analysis identified a total of 42,556 candidate differentially expressed mRNAs (27,447 +15,109) and a total of 7,041 candidate differentially expressed lncRNAs (4,146 + 2,895). Through bioinformatics analysis, the significant differential expression of novel lincRNA was observed and its possible molecular mechanism was explored. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to validate the different expression levels of selected lncRNAs. These findings may lead to the development of novel strategies for genetic diagnosis and gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Chunmei Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Yanhua Qi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
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14
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Ainsbury EA, Barnard S, Bright S, Dalke C, Jarrin M, Kunze S, Tanner R, Dynlacht JR, Quinlan RA, Graw J, Kadhim M, Hamada N. Ionizing radiation induced cataracts: Recent biological and mechanistic developments and perspectives for future research. MUTATION RESEARCH-REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2016; 770:238-261. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2016.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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