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Mokady D, Charish J, Barretto-Burns P, Grisé KN, Coles BLK, Raab S, Ortin-Martinez A, Müller A, Fasching B, Jain P, Drukker M, van der Kooy D, Steger M. Small-Molecule-Directed Endogenous Regeneration of Visual Function in a Mammalian Retinal Degeneration Model. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1521. [PMID: 38338800 PMCID: PMC10855388 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031521] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Degenerative retinal diseases associated with photoreceptor loss are a leading cause of visual impairment worldwide, with limited treatment options. Phenotypic profiling coupled with medicinal chemistry were used to develop a small molecule with proliferative effects on retinal stem/progenitor cells, as assessed in vitro in a neurosphere assay and in vivo by measuring Msx1-positive ciliary body cell proliferation. The compound was identified as having kinase inhibitory activity and was subjected to cellular pathway analysis in non-retinal human primary cell systems. When tested in a disease-relevant murine model of adult retinal degeneration (MNU-induced retinal degeneration), we observed that four repeat intravitreal injections of the compound improved the thickness of the outer nuclear layer along with the regeneration of the visual function, as measured with ERG, visual acuity, and contrast sensitivity tests. This serves as a proof of concept for the use of a small molecule to promote endogenous regeneration in the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphna Mokady
- Endogena Therapeutics, Inc., 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 0B7, Canada (P.B.-B.)
| | - Jason Charish
- Endogena Therapeutics, Inc., 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 0B7, Canada (P.B.-B.)
| | | | - Kenneth N. Grisé
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Donnelly Centre Rm 1110, 160 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Brenda L. K. Coles
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Donnelly Centre Rm 1110, 160 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Susanne Raab
- Endogena Therapeutics, AG, Binzmuehlestrasse 170 d, CH-8050 Zuerich, Switzerland
| | - Arturo Ortin-Martinez
- Endogena Therapeutics, Inc., 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 0B7, Canada (P.B.-B.)
| | - Alex Müller
- Endogena Therapeutics, AG, Binzmuehlestrasse 170 d, CH-8050 Zuerich, Switzerland
| | - Bernhard Fasching
- Endogena Therapeutics, AG, Binzmuehlestrasse 170 d, CH-8050 Zuerich, Switzerland
| | - Payal Jain
- Endogena Therapeutics, Inc., 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 0B7, Canada (P.B.-B.)
| | - Micha Drukker
- Endogena Therapeutics, AG, Binzmuehlestrasse 170 d, CH-8050 Zuerich, Switzerland
| | - Derek van der Kooy
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Donnelly Centre Rm 1110, 160 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Matthias Steger
- Endogena Therapeutics, AG, Binzmuehlestrasse 170 d, CH-8050 Zuerich, Switzerland
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Arepalli S, Wykoff CC, Abraham JR, Lunasco L, Yu H, Hu M, Srivastava SK, Reese JL, Brown D, Ehlers JP. Longitudinal analysis of aqueous humour cytokine expression and OCT-based imaging biomarkers in retinal vein occlusions treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy in the IMAGINE study. Eye (Lond) 2023; 37:1928-1935. [PMID: 36220884 PMCID: PMC10275974 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-022-02265-2] [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: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is the second most common retinal vascular disorder. Despite promising advances with anti-VEGF therapy, select patients are unresponsive to therapy. A precision medicine-based approach for therapeutic decision-making based on underlying biomarkers may facilitate treatment based on the underlying pathway. This study aims to identify the baseline and longitudinal cytokine profiles of RVO-related macular oedema and correlating these expression profiles with higher order OCT features using a novel retinal segmentation and feature extraction platform. SUBJECTS/METHODS The IMAGINE study is a post-hoc assessment of aqueous humour cytokines with correlation to higher level analysis of imaging studies. OCT scans underwent machine learning enhanced segmentation of the internal limiting membrane (ILM), ellipsoid zone (EZ) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), as well as evaluating volumetric fluid metrics. Samples of aqueous humour were obtained at baseline, as well as months 4 and 9 prior to treatment. These samples were analysed for the expression of multiple cytokines. Patients were divided into Responders and Non-Responders based on OCT profiles. Additionally, patients were categorised as a Rebounder if their CST increased by 50% after initial improvement. RESULTS Twenty-six eyes were included. The OCT-based response schema identified 21 Responders (81%) and 5 Non-Responders (19%). VEGF levels directly correlated with intraretinal fluid volume and angiogenin was inversely correlated with fluid indices. Multiple cytokines, including ANGPTL4, were directly correlated with ellipsoid zone disruption. The baseline VEGF levels were significantly higher in all responders compared to Non-Responders (p = 0.02). Rebounders tended to have significantly decreased levels of angiogenin and TIMP-1 (p = 0.019, p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS Cytokine expression was linked to specific OCT features and treatment response in RVO. Identification of an imaging phenotype that could serve as a surrogate for underlying active disease pathways could enhance treatment decision-making and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sruthi Arepalli
- The Tony and Leona Campane Center for Excellence in Image-Guided Surgery and Advanced Imaging Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Vitreoretinal Service, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Charles C Wykoff
- Retinal Consultants of Texas, Retina Consultants of America, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joseph R Abraham
- The Tony and Leona Campane Center for Excellence in Image-Guided Surgery and Advanced Imaging Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Vitreoretinal Service, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Leina Lunasco
- The Tony and Leona Campane Center for Excellence in Image-Guided Surgery and Advanced Imaging Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Hannah Yu
- Retinal Consultants of Texas, Retina Consultants of America, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ming Hu
- The Tony and Leona Campane Center for Excellence in Image-Guided Surgery and Advanced Imaging Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Quantitative Health Sciences, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sunil K Srivastava
- The Tony and Leona Campane Center for Excellence in Image-Guided Surgery and Advanced Imaging Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Vitreoretinal Service, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jamie L Reese
- The Tony and Leona Campane Center for Excellence in Image-Guided Surgery and Advanced Imaging Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - David Brown
- Retinal Consultants of Texas, Retina Consultants of America, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Justis P Ehlers
- The Tony and Leona Campane Center for Excellence in Image-Guided Surgery and Advanced Imaging Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Vitreoretinal Service, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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Zheng M, Lee EJ, Jeong S, Craft CM. Gene Expression of Clusterin, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1, and Their Receptors in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells and Müller Glial Cells Is Modulated by Inflammatory Stresses. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1415:215-219. [PMID: 37440036 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-27681-1_31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Balanced activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors are essential for photoreceptor (PR) cell survival. PR rod cell survival in rodent models of inherited retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is prolonged by recombinant tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 or clusterin (CLU) proteins. Retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) and Müller glia (MG) cells support PR cells. In human RPE and MG cell lines, we measured their mRNA levels of the two genes with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) with interleukin (IL)-1β treatment, a key pathological component in retinal degeneration. Endogenous CLU gene expression was significantly downregulated by IL-1β in both cell types, whereas TIMP-1 expression was upregulated in MG cells, suggesting the transcriptional control of CLU is potentially more sensitive to inflammatory conditions. The expression levels of CLU endocytic receptors revealed that the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2 (LRP2) was upregulated only in MG cells by the treatment with no detectable change in RPE cells. Like LRP2, IL-1β upregulated TIMP-1 receptor LRP1 expression in MG cells; however, it was decreased in the expression of RPE cells. These data suggest that the gene expression of CLU and TIMP-1 and their receptors may be dynamically modulated in inflammatory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmei Zheng
- Mary D. Allen Vision Research Laboratory, USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eun-Jin Lee
- Mary D. Allen Vision Research Laboratory, USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Shinwu Jeong
- Mary D. Allen Vision Research Laboratory, USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cheryl Mae Craft
- Mary D. Allen Vision Research Laboratory, USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Lee EJ, Zheng M, Craft CM, Jeong S. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) are localized in the nucleus of retinal Müller glial cells and modulated by cytokines and oxidative stress. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253915. [PMID: 34270579 PMCID: PMC8284794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in the pathology of numerous inflammatory retinal degenerations, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Our previous work revealed that intravitreal injections with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) reduce the progression of rod cell death and inhibit cone cell remodeling that involves reactive gliosis in retinal Müller glial cells (MGCs) in rodent models. The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of how TIMP-1 functions in the retina remain to be resolved; however, MGCs are involved in structural homeostasis, neuronal cell survival and death. In the present study, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 expression patterns were investigated in a human MGC line (MIO-M1) under inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β and TNF-α) and oxidative stress (H2O2) conditions. First, both IL-1β and TNF-α, but not H2O2, have a mild in vitro pro-survival effect on MIO-M1 cells. Treatment with either cytokine results in the imbalanced secretion of MMP-9 and TIMP-1. H2O2 treatment has little effect on their secretion. The investigation of their intracellular expression led to interesting observations. MMP-9 and TIMP-1 are both expressed, not only in the cytoplasm, but also inside the nucleus. None of the treatments alters the MMP-9 intracellular distribution pattern. In contrast to MMP-9, TIMP-1 is detected as speckles. Intracellular TIMP-1 aggregation forms in the cytoplasmic area with IL-1β treatment. With H2O2 treatments, the cell morphology changes from cobbles to spindle shapes and the nuclei become larger with increases in TIMP-1 speckles in an H2O2 dose-dependent manner. Two TIMP-1 cell surface receptors, low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1) and cluster of differentiation 82 (CD82), are expressed within the nucleus of MIO-M1 cells. Overall, these observations suggest that intracellular TIMP-1 is a target of proinflammatory and oxidative insults in the MGCs. Given the importance of the roles for MGCs in the retina, the functional implication of nuclear TIMP-1 and MMP-9 in MGCs is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Jin Lee
- Mary D. Allen Vision Research Laboratory, USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, United States of America
| | - Mengmei Zheng
- Mary D. Allen Vision Research Laboratory, USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Cheryl Mae Craft
- Mary D. Allen Vision Research Laboratory, USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Shinwu Jeong
- Mary D. Allen Vision Research Laboratory, USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Kim J, Kim JH, Do JY, Lee JY, Yanai R, Lee IK, Suk K, Park DH. Key Role of Microglial Matrix Metalloproteinases in Choroidal Neovascularization. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:638098. [PMID: 33716674 PMCID: PMC7954091 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.638098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), especially neovascular AMD with choroidal neovascularization (CNV), is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. Although matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in pathological ocular angiogenesis, including CNV, the cellular origin of MMPs in AMD remains unknown. The present study investigated the role of microglial MMPs in CNV. MMP activities were analyzed by gelatin zymography in aqueous humor samples from patients with CNV and laser-induced CNV mice. Active MMP-9 was increased in the aqueous humor samples from neovascular AMD patients compared with control subjects. In the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/choroid from CNV mice, active MMP-9 increased, beginning 1 h post-CNV induction, and remained upregulated until Day 7. In RPE/choroid from CNV mice, active MMP-9 was suppressed by minocycline, a known microglial inhibitor, at 6 h and 1-day post-CNV induction. Flow cytometry revealed that the proportion of activated microglia increased very early, beginning at 1 h post-CNV induction, and was maintained until Day 7. Similarly, immunohistochemistry revealed increased microglial activation and MMP-9 expression on CNV lesions at 6 h and 1-day post-CNV induction. SB-3CT, an MMP inhibitor, decreased vascular leakage and lesion size in laser-induced CNV mice. These findings indicated nearly immediate recruitment of activated microglia and very early MMP-9 activation in the RPE/choroid. The present study newly identified a potential role for early microglial MMP-9 expression in CNV, and furthermore that modulating microglial MMP expression is a novel putative therapeutic for CNV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhee Kim
- Leading-edge Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jong-Heon Kim
- Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Ji Yeon Do
- Leading-edge Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jung Yi Lee
- Leading-edge Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea.,R&D Center, JD Bioscience Inc., Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Ryoji Yanai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
| | - In-Kyu Lee
- Leading-edge Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea.,Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea.,Research Institute of Aging and Metabolism, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Kyoungho Suk
- Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Dong Ho Park
- Leading-edge Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea.,Research Institute of Aging and Metabolism, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.,Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
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Rahimi M, Leahy S, Matei N, Blair NP, Jeong S, Craft CM, Shahidi M. Assessment of inner retinal oxygen metrics and thickness in a mouse model of inherited retinal degeneration. Exp Eye Res 2021; 205:108480. [PMID: 33539865 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The retinal degeneration 1 (rd1) mouse is a well-established model of inherited retinal degeneration, displaying photoreceptor degeneration and retinal vasculature damage. The purpose of the current study was to determine alterations in the rate of oxygen delivery from retinal circulation (DO2), the rate of oxygen extraction from the retinal circulation for metabolism (MO2), and oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) in rd1 mice. The study was performed in a total of 18 wild type (WT) and 10 rd1 mice at both 3-weeks and 12-weeks of age. Retinal arterial and venous oxygen contents (O2A and O2V) were measured using phosphorescence lifetime imaging. Total retinal blood flow (TRBF) was determined by fluorescence and red-free imaging. DO2 and MO2 were determined as TRBF × O2A and TRBF × (O2A-O2V), respectively. OEF was calculated as MO2/DO2. The thickness of individual retinal layers was measured from histology sections and inner retina (IR) and total retina (TR) thickness were calculated. TRBF, DO2 and MO2 were lower in rd1 mice compared to WT mice (P ≤ 0.001), whereas OEF was not significantly different between rd1 and WT mice (P = 0.4). TRBF and DO2 were lower at 3-weeks of age compared to 12-weeks of age (P ≤ 0.01), while MO2 was not significantly different between age groups (P = 0.4) and OEF was higher at 3-weeks of age compared to 12-weeks of age (P = 0.003). Additionally, the outer and inner retinal cell layer thicknesses were decreased in rd1 mice at 12-weeks of age compared to both age-matched WT mice and rd1 mice at 3-weeks of age (P ≤ 0.02). MO2 was directly correlated with both IR and TR thickness (R ≥ 0.50; P ≤ 0.03, N = 20). The findings indicate that the rate oxygen is supplied by the retinal circulation is decreased and the reduction in oxygen extracted for metabolism is related to retinal cell layer thinning in rd1 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansour Rahimi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, USC Roski Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sophie Leahy
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, USC Roski Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nathanael Matei
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, USC Roski Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Norman P Blair
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Shinwu Jeong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, USC Roski Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cheryl Mae Craft
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, USC Roski Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mahnaz Shahidi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, USC Roski Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Expression of Pro-Angiogenic Markers Is Enhanced by Blue Light in Human RPE Cells. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020; 9:antiox9111154. [PMID: 33233546 PMCID: PMC7699675 DOI: 10.3390/antiox9111154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal dystrophies are characterized by photoreceptor death. Oxidative stress usually occurs, increasing vision loss, and oxidative damage is often reported in retinitis pigmentosa (RP). More than 300 genes have been reported as RP causing. In contrast, choroidal neovascularization (CNV) only occasionally develops in the late stages of RP. We herein study the regulation of RP causative genes that are likely linked to CNV onset under oxidative conditions. We studied how the endogenous adduct N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine (A2E) affects the expression of angiogenic markers in human retinal pigment epithelium (H-RPE) cells and a possible correlation with RP-causing genes. H-RPE cells were exposed to A2E and blue light for 3 and 6h. By transcriptome analysis, genes differentially expressed between A2E-treated cells and untreated ones were detected. The quantification of differential gene expression was performed by the Limma R package. Enrichment pathway analysis by the FunRich tool and gene prioritization by ToppGene allowed us to identify dysregulated genes involved in angiogenesis and linked to RP development. Two RP causative genes, AHR and ROM1, can be associated with an increased risk of CNV development. Genetic analysis of RP patients affected by CNV will confirm this hypothesis.
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Zhang XT, Xu Z, Shi KP, Guo DL, Li H, Wang L, Zhu XB. Elevated expression of TREK-TRAAK K 2P channels in the retina of adult rd1 mice. Int J Ophthalmol 2019; 12:924-929. [PMID: 31236347 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2019.06.07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To examine the expression of Twik-related K+ channel 1 (TREK-1), Twik-related K+ channel 2 (TREK-2), and Twik-related arachidonic acid-stimulated K+ channel (TRAAK) in the retina of adult rd1 mice and to detect the protective roles of TREK-TRAAK two-pore-domain K+ (K2P) channels against retinal degeneration. METHODS Twenty-eight-day-old C57BL/6J mice and 28-day-old rd1 mice were used in this study. Retinal protein, retinal RNA, and embedded eyeballs were prepared from these two groups of mice. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses were used to assess the gene transcription and protein levels, respectively. Retinal structures were observed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to observe the retinal localization of TREK-TRAAK channels. Current changes in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after activation of TREK-TRAAK channels were examined using a patch-clamp technique. RESULTS Compared with C57BL/6J mice, rd1 mice exhibited significantly higher retinal mRNA and protein expression levels of TREK-1, TREK-2, and TRAAK channels. In both groups, immunohistochemistry showed expression of TREK-TRAAK channels in retinal layers. After addition of the TREK-TRAAK channel agonist arachidonic acid (AA), whole-cell voltage step evoked currents were significantly higher in RGCs from rd1 mice than in RGCs from control C57BL/6J mice, suggesting that TREK-TRAAK channels were opened in RGCs from rd1 mice. CONCLUSION TREK-TRAAK K2P channels' expression is increased in adult rd1 mice. AA induced the opening of TREK-TRAAK K2P channels in adult rd1 mice and may thus counterbalance depolarization of RGCs and protect the retina from excitotoxicity. TREK-TRAAK channels may play a protective role against retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Tong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Zhen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Kang-Pei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Dian-Lei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Han Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiao-Bo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong Province, China
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Zhang Q, Xiao X, Zheng J, Li M, Yu M, Ping F, Wang T, Wang X. Compound Danshen Dripping Pill Inhibits Retina Cell Apoptosis in Diabetic Rats. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1501. [PMID: 30405447 PMCID: PMC6207599 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Scope: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a severe microvascular complication of diabetes. Previous clinical trials have shown that Compound Danshen Dripping Pill (CDDP) improves DR symptoms. However, the mechanism involved remains unclear. Procedures: Rats fed a high-fat diet and injected with streptozotocin (STZ) were used as an experimental type 2 diabetes rodent model. CDDP was administered to two groups of diabetic rats at 0.2 and 0.4 g/kg/day via gastric gavage for 12 weeks. After the 12 weeks of treatment, retinal function was evaluated by electroretinography (ERG). Histological staining and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays were also performed. Retinal genome expression was determined by gene array. Results: We found that CDDP moderated ERG and histological abnormalities in diabetic rats, independent of blood glucose level. A gene array showed that CDDP changed 262 genes significantly in the diabetic retina. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated that differentially expressed genes in the CDDP-treated groups were involved mainly in the apoptosis pathway. Moreover, CDDP reduced the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the diabetic retinas. CDDP prevented the reduction in Bcl-2 expression and the increase in BCL-2 associated X (Bax) and caspase-3 (Casp3) expression in diabetic rats. Conclusion: Our results suggest that CDDP exerts its neuroprotective functions by inhibiting cell apoptosis in diabetic rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Translational Medicine Center, Ministry of Health, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinhua Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Translational Medicine Center, Ministry of Health, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Translational Medicine Center, Ministry of Health, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Translational Medicine Center, Ministry of Health, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Miao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Translational Medicine Center, Ministry of Health, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Ping
- Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Translational Medicine Center, Ministry of Health, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Translational Medicine Center, Ministry of Health, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Translational Medicine Center, Ministry of Health, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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