1
|
Rosmus DD, Koch J, Hausmann A, Chiot A, Arnhold F, Masuda T, Kierdorf K, Hansen SM, Kuhrt H, Fröba J, Wolf J, Boneva S, Gericke M, Ajami B, Prinz M, Lange C, Wieghofer P. Redefining the ontogeny of hyalocytes as yolk sac-derived tissue-resident macrophages of the vitreous body. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:168. [PMID: 38961498 PMCID: PMC11223341 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03110-x] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The eye is a highly specialized sensory organ which encompasses the retina as a part of the central nervous system, but also non-neural compartments such as the transparent vitreous body ensuring stability of the eye globe and a clear optical axis. Hyalocytes are the tissue-resident macrophages of the vitreous body and are considered to play pivotal roles in health and diseases of the vitreoretinal interface, such as proliferative vitreoretinopathy or diabetic retinopathy. However, in contrast to other ocular macrophages, their embryonic origin as well as the extent to which these myeloid cells might be replenished by circulating monocytes remains elusive. RESULTS In this study, we combine transgenic reporter mice, embryonic and adult fate mapping approaches as well as parabiosis experiments with multicolor immunofluorescence labeling and confocal laser-scanning microscopy to comprehensively characterize the murine hyalocyte population throughout development and in adulthood. We found that murine hyalocytes express numerous well-known myeloid cell markers, but concomitantly display a distinct immunophenotype that sets them apart from retinal microglia. Embryonic pulse labeling revealed a yolk sac-derived origin of murine hyalocytes, whose precursors seed the developing eye prenatally. Finally, postnatal labeling and parabiosis established the longevity of hyalocytes which rely on Colony Stimulating Factor 1 Receptor (CSF1R) signaling for their maintenance, independent of blood-derived monocytes. CONCLUSION Our study identifies hyalocytes as long-living progeny of the yolk sac hematopoiesis and highlights their role as integral members of the innate immune system of the eye. As a consequence of their longevity, immunosenescence processes may culminate in hyalocyte dysfunction, thereby contributing to the development of vitreoretinal diseases. Therefore, myeloid cell-targeted therapies that convey their effects through the modification of hyalocyte properties may represent an interesting approach to alleviate the burden imposed by diseases of the vitreoretinal interface.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dennis-Dominik Rosmus
- Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Cellular Neuroanatomy, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, Augsburg University, Universitätsstrasse 2, 86159, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Jana Koch
- Cellular Neuroanatomy, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, Augsburg University, Universitätsstrasse 2, 86159, Augsburg, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Annika Hausmann
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Aude Chiot
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Franz Arnhold
- Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Takahiro Masuda
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Division of Molecular Neuroimmunology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Katrin Kierdorf
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Centre for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Marie Hansen
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Heidrun Kuhrt
- Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Janine Fröba
- Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julian Wolf
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Molecular Surgery Laboratory, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Stefaniya Boneva
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Martin Gericke
- Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bahareh Ajami
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Marco Prinz
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Clemens Lange
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Ophtha Lab, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital, 48145, Münster, Germany
| | - Peter Wieghofer
- Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
- Cellular Neuroanatomy, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, Augsburg University, Universitätsstrasse 2, 86159, Augsburg, Germany.
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tarallo V, Magliacane Trotta S, Panico S, D'Orsi L, Mercadante G, Cicatiello V, De Falco S. PlGF and VEGF-A/PlGF Heterodimer are Crucial for Recruitment and Activation of Immune Cells During Choroid Neovascularization. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:12. [PMID: 38967942 PMCID: PMC11232896 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.8.12] [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: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells, such as retinal microglia/macrophages, in the subretinal space contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This study aims to explore the functional role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A), placental growth factor (PlGF) and VEGF-A/PlGF heterodimer in immune homeostasis and activation during pathological laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Methods To investigate these roles, we utilized the PlGF-DE knockin (KI) mouse model, which is the full functional knockout (KO) of PlGF. In this model, mice express a variant of PlGF, named PlGF-DE, that is unable to bind and activate VEGFR-1 but can still form heterodimer with VEGF-A. Results Our findings demonstrate that, although there is no difference in healthy conditions, PlGF-DE-KI mice exhibit decreased microglia reactivity and reduced recruitment of both microglia and monocyte-macrophages, compared to wild-type mice during laser-induced CNV. This impairment is associated with a reduction in VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR-1) phosphorylation in the retinae of PlGF-DE-KI mice compared to C57Bl6/J mice. Corroborating these data, intravitreal delivery of PlGF or VEGF-A/PlGF heterodimer in PlGF-DE-KI mice rescued the immune cell response at the early phase of CNV compared to VEGF-A delivery. Conclusions In summary, our study suggests that targeting PlGF and the VEGF-A/PlGF heterodimer, thereby preventing VEGFR-1 activation, could represent a potential therapeutic approach for the management of inflammatory processes in diseases such as AMD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Tarallo
- Angiogenesis Lab, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics ‘Adriano Buzzati-Traverso’ - CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Sara Magliacane Trotta
- Angiogenesis Lab, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics ‘Adriano Buzzati-Traverso’ - CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Sonia Panico
- Angiogenesis Lab, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics ‘Adriano Buzzati-Traverso’ - CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Luca D'Orsi
- Angiogenesis Lab, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics ‘Adriano Buzzati-Traverso’ - CNR, Naples, Italy
- BIOVIIIx srl, Via Alessandro Manzoni 1, Napoli, Italy
| | - Grazia Mercadante
- Angiogenesis Lab, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics ‘Adriano Buzzati-Traverso’ - CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Cicatiello
- Angiogenesis Lab, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics ‘Adriano Buzzati-Traverso’ - CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Sandro De Falco
- Angiogenesis Lab, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics ‘Adriano Buzzati-Traverso’ - CNR, Naples, Italy
- BIOVIIIx srl, Via Alessandro Manzoni 1, Napoli, Italy
- AnBition srl, Via Alessandro Manzoni 1, Napoli, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wu M, Zhang X, Karunaratne S, Lee JH, Lampugnani ER, Selva KJ, Chung AW, Mueller SN, Chinnery HR, Downie LE. Intravital Imaging of the Human Cornea Reveals the Differential Effects of Season on Innate and Adaptive Immune Cell Morphodynamics. Ophthalmology 2024:S0161-6420(24)00273-2. [PMID: 38703795 DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2024.04.020] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Defining how the in vivo immune status of peripheral tissues is shaped by the external environment has remained a technical challenge. We recently developed Functional in vivo confocal microscopy (Fun-IVCM) for dynamic, longitudinal imaging of corneal immune cells in living humans. This study investigated the effect of seasonal-driven environmental factors on the morphodynamic features of human corneal immune cell subsets. DESIGN Longitudinal, observational clinical study. PARTICIPANTS Sixteen healthy participants (aged 18-40 years) attended 2 visits in distinct seasons in Melbourne, Australia (Visit 1, November-December 2021 [spring-summer]; Visit 2, April-June 2022 [autumn-winter]). METHODS Environmental data were collected over each period. Participants underwent ocular surface examinations and corneal Fun-IVCM (Heidelberg Engineering). Corneal scans were acquired at 5.5 ± 1.5-minute intervals for up to 5 time points. Time-lapse Fun-IVCM videos were created to analyze corneal immune cells, comprising epithelial T cells and dendritic cells (DCs), and stromal macrophages. Tear cytokines were analyzed using a multiplex bead-based immunoassay. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Difference in the density, morphology, and dynamic parameters of corneal immune cell subsets over the study periods. RESULTS Visit 1 was characterized by higher temperature, lower humidity, and higher air particulate and pollen levels compared with Visit 2. Clinical ocular surface parameters and the density of immune cell subsets were similar across visits. At Visit 1 , corneal epithelial DCs were larger, with a lower dendrite probing speed (0.38 ± 0.21 vs. 0.68 ± 0.33 μm/min; P < 0.001) relative to Visit 2; stromal macrophages were more circular and had less dynamic activity (Visit 1, 7.2 ± 1.9 vs. Visit 2, 10.3 ± 3.7 dancing index; P < 0.001). Corneal T cell morphodynamics were unchanged across periods. Basal tear levels of interleukin 2 and CXCL10 were relatively lower during spring-summer. CONCLUSIONS This study identifies that the in vivo morphodynamics of innate corneal immune cells (DCs, macrophages) are modified by environmental factors, but such effects are not evident for adaptive immune cells (T cells). The cornea is a potential in vivo window to investigate season-dependent environmental influences on the human immune system. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengliang Wu
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xinyuan Zhang
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Senuri Karunaratne
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ji-Hyun Lee
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Edwin R Lampugnani
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Menzies Institute for Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Kevin J Selva
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amy W Chung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Scott N Mueller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Holly R Chinnery
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Laura E Downie
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zhang Y, Zhou A. Macrophage activation contributes to diabetic retinopathy. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024; 102:585-597. [PMID: 38429382 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-024-02437-5] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is recognized as a neurovascular complication of diabetes, and emerging evidence underscores the pivotal role of inflammation in its pathophysiology. Macrophage activation is increasingly acknowledged as a key contributor to the onset and progression of DR. Different populations of macrophages originating from distinct sources contribute to DR-associated inflammation. Retinal macrophages can be broadly categorized into two main groups based on their origin: intrinsic macrophages situated within the retina and vitreoretinal interface and macrophages derived from infiltrating monocytes. The former comprises microglia (MG), perivascular macrophages, and macrophage-like hyalocytes. Retinal MG, as the principal population of tissue-resident population of mononuclear phagocytes, exhibits high heterogeneity and plasticity while serving as a crucial connector between retinal capillaries and synapses. This makes MG actively involved in the pathological processes across various stages of DR. Activated hyalocytes also contribute to the pathological progression of advanced DR. Additionally, recruited monocytes, displaying rapid turnover in circulation, augment the population of retinal macrophages during DR pathogenesis, exerting pathogenic or protective effect based on different subtypes. In this review, we examine novel perspectives on macrophage biology based on recent studies elucidating the diversity of macrophage identity and function, as well as the mechanisms influencing macrophage behavior. These insights may pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies in the management of DR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Aiyi Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Künzel SE, Pompös IM, Flesch LTM, Frentzel DP, Knecht VA, Winkler S, Skosyrski S, Rübsam A, Dreher F, Kociok N, Schütte M, Dubrac A, Lange B, Yaspo ML, Lehrach H, Strauß O, Joussen AM, Zeitz O. Exploring the Impact of Saccharin on Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Comprehensive Study in Patients and Mice. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:5. [PMID: 38558091 PMCID: PMC10996979 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.4.5] [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: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose We aimed to determine the impact of artificial sweeteners (AS), especially saccharin, on the progression and treatment efficacy of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) under anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF-A) treatment. Methods In a cross-sectional study involving 46 patients with nAMD undergoing intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy, 6 AS metabolites were detected in peripheral blood using liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Disease features were statistically tested against these metabolite levels. Additionally, a murine choroidal neovascularization (CNV) model, induced by laser, was used to evaluate the effects of orally administered saccharin, assessing both imaging outcomes and gene expression patterns. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods were used to evaluate functional expression of sweet taste receptors in a retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell line. Results Saccharin levels in blood were significantly higher in patients with well-controlled CNV activity (P = 0.004) and those without subretinal hyper-reflective material (P = 0.015). In the murine model, saccharin-treated mice exhibited fewer leaking laser scars, lesser occurrence of bleeding, smaller fibrotic areas (P < 0.05), and a 40% decrease in mononuclear phagocyte accumulation (P = 0.06). Gene analysis indicated downregulation of inflammatory and VEGFR-1 response genes in the treated animals. Human RPE cells expressed taste receptor type 1 member 3 (TAS1R3) mRNA and reacted to saccharin stimulation with changes in mRNA expression. Conclusions Saccharin appears to play a protective role in patients with nAMD undergoing intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment, aiding in better pathological lesion control and scar reduction. The murine study supports this observation, proposing saccharin's potential in mitigating pathological VEGFR-1-induced immune responses potentially via the RPE sensing saccharin in the blood stream.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steffen E. Künzel
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt–Universität zu Berlin, Department of Ophthalmology, Hindenburgdamm 30, Berlin, Germany
| | - Inga-Marie Pompös
- Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität, Berlin Institute of Health, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Leonie T. M. Flesch
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt–Universität zu Berlin, Department of Ophthalmology, Hindenburgdamm 30, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominik P. Frentzel
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt–Universität zu Berlin, Department of Ophthalmology, Hindenburgdamm 30, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vitus A. Knecht
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt–Universität zu Berlin, Department of Ophthalmology, Hindenburgdamm 30, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silvia Winkler
- Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität, Berlin Institute of Health, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sergej Skosyrski
- Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität, Berlin Institute of Health, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne Rübsam
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt–Universität zu Berlin, Department of Ophthalmology, Hindenburgdamm 30, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Dreher
- Alacris Theranostics, Max-Planck-Straße 3, Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Kociok
- Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität, Berlin Institute of Health, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Moritz Schütte
- Alacris Theranostics, Max-Planck-Straße 3, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexandre Dubrac
- Département de Pathologie et Biologie Cellulaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bodo Lange
- Alacris Theranostics, Max-Planck-Straße 3, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marie-Laure Yaspo
- Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 63-73, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hans Lehrach
- Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 63-73, Berlin, Germany
| | - Olaf Strauß
- Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität, Berlin Institute of Health, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Antonia M. Joussen
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt–Universität zu Berlin, Department of Ophthalmology, Hindenburgdamm 30, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Zeitz
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt–Universität zu Berlin, Department of Ophthalmology, Hindenburgdamm 30, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Alam J, Yaman E, Silva GCV, Chen R, de Paiva CS, Stepp MA, Pflugfelder SC. Single cell analysis of short-term dry eye induced changes in cornea immune cell populations. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1362336. [PMID: 38560382 PMCID: PMC10978656 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1362336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Dry eye causes corneal inflammation, epitheliopathy and sensorineural changes. This study evaluates the hypothesis that dry eye alters the percentages and transcriptional profiles of immune cell populations in the cornea. Methods Desiccating stress (DS) induced dry eye was created by pharmacologic suppression of tear secretion and exposure to drafty low humidity environment. Expression profiling of corneal immune cells was performed by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Cell differentiation trajectories and cell fate were modeled through RNA velocity analysis. Confocal microscopy was used to immunodetect corneal immune cells. Irritation response to topical neurostimulants was assessed. Results Twelve corneal immune cell populations based on their transcriptional profiles were identified at baseline and consist of monocytes, resident (rMP) and MMP12/13 high macrophages, dendritic cells (cDC2), neutrophils, mast cells, pre T/B cells, and innate (γDT, ILC2, NK) and conventional T and B lymphocytes. T cells and resident macrophages (rMP) were the largest populations in the normal cornea comprising 18.6 and 18.2 percent, respectively. rMP increased to 55.2% of cells after 5 days of DS. Significant changes in expression of 1,365 genes (adj p < 0.0001) were noted in rMP with increases in cytokines and chemokines (Tnf, Cxcl1, Ccl12, Il1rn), inflammatory markers (Vcam, Adam17, Junb), the TAM receptor (Mertk), and decreases in complement and MHCII genes. A differentiation trajectory from monocytes to terminal state rMP was found. Phagocytosis, C-type lectin receptor signaling, NF-kappa B signaling and Toll-like receptor signaling were among the pathways with enhanced activity in these cells. The percentage of MRC1+ rMPs increased in the cornea and they were observed in the basal epithelium adjacent to epithelial nerve plexus. Concentration of the chemokine CXCL1 increased in the cornea and it heightened irritation/pain responses to topically applied hypertonic saline. Conclusion These findings indicate that DS recruits monocytes that differentiate to macrophages with increased expression of inflammation associated genes. The proximity of these macrophages to cornea nerves and their expression of neurosensitizers suggests they contribute to the corneal sensorineural changes in dry eye.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jehan Alam
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ebru Yaman
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Gerda Cristal Villalba Silva
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rui Chen
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Cintia S. de Paiva
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Mary Ann Stepp
- Departments of Anatomy, Regenerative Biology and Ophthalmology, The George Washington University Medical School and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Stephen C. Pflugfelder
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bobotis BC, Halvorson T, Carrier M, Tremblay MÈ. Established and emerging techniques for the study of microglia: visualization, depletion, and fate mapping. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1317125. [PMID: 38425429 PMCID: PMC10902073 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1317125] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) is an essential hub for neuronal communication. As a major component of the CNS, glial cells are vital in the maintenance and regulation of neuronal network dynamics. Research on microglia, the resident innate immune cells of the CNS, has advanced considerably in recent years, and our understanding of their diverse functions continues to grow. Microglia play critical roles in the formation and regulation of neuronal synapses, myelination, responses to injury, neurogenesis, inflammation, and many other physiological processes. In parallel with advances in microglial biology, cutting-edge techniques for the characterization of microglial properties have emerged with increasing depth and precision. Labeling tools and reporter models are important for the study of microglial morphology, ultrastructure, and dynamics, but also for microglial isolation, which is required to glean key phenotypic information through single-cell transcriptomics and other emerging approaches. Strategies for selective microglial depletion and modulation can provide novel insights into microglia-targeted treatment strategies in models of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions, cancer, and autoimmunity. Finally, fate mapping has emerged as an important tool to answer fundamental questions about microglial biology, including their origin, migration, and proliferation throughout the lifetime of an organism. This review aims to provide a comprehensive discussion of these established and emerging techniques, with applications to the study of microglia in development, homeostasis, and CNS pathologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Caroline Bobotis
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Torin Halvorson
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Micaël Carrier
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Département de Psychiatrie et de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
- Axe neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Axe neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhao Q, Lai K. Role of immune inflammation regulated by macrophage in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration. Exp Eye Res 2024; 239:109770. [PMID: 38145794 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109770] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can lead to irreversible impairment of visual function, and the number of patients with AMD has been increasing globally. The immunoinflammatory theory is an important pathogenic mechanism of AMD, with macrophages serving as the primary inflammatory infiltrating cells in AMD lesions. Its powerful immunoinflammatory regulatory function has attracted considerable attention. Herein, we provide an overview of the involvement of macrophage-regulated immunoinflammation in different stages of AMD. Additionally, we summarize novel therapeutic approaches for AMD, focusing on targeting macrophages, such as macrophage/microglia modulators, reduction of macrophage aggregation in the subretinal space, modulation of macrophage effector function, macrophage phenotypic alterations, and novel biomimetic nanocomposites development based on macrophage-associated functional properties. We aimed to provide a basis and reference for the further exploration of AMD pathogenesis, developmental influences, and new therapeutic approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, No.7 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Kunbei Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, No.7 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Roubeix C, Nous C, Augustin S, Ronning KE, Mathis T, Blond F, Lagouge-Roussey P, Crespo-Garcia S, Sullivan PM, Gautier EL, Reichhart N, Sahel JA, Burns ME, Paques M, Sørensen TL, Strauss O, Guillonneau X, Delarasse C, Sennlaub F. Splenic monocytes drive pathogenic subretinal inflammation in age-related macular degeneration. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:22. [PMID: 38233865 PMCID: PMC10792815 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03011-z] [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: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is invariably associated with the chronic accumulation of activated mononuclear phagocytes in the subretinal space. The mononuclear phagocytes are composed of microglial cells but also of monocyte-derived cells, which promote photoreceptor degeneration and choroidal neovascularization. Infiltrating blood monocytes can originate directly from bone marrow, but also from a splenic reservoir, where bone marrow monocytes develop into angiotensin II receptor (ATR1)+ splenic monocytes. The involvement of splenic monocytes in neurodegenerative diseases such as AMD is not well understood. Using acute inflammatory and well-phenotyped AMD models, we demonstrate that angiotensin II mobilizes ATR1+ splenic monocytes, which we show are defined by a transcriptional signature using single-cell RNA sequencing and differ functionally from bone marrow monocytes. Splenic monocytes participate in the chorio-retinal infiltration and their inhibition by ATR1 antagonist and splenectomy reduces the subretinal mononuclear phagocyte accumulation and pathological choroidal neovascularization formation. In aged AMD-risk ApoE2-expressing mice, a chronic AMD model, ATR1 antagonist and splenectomy also inhibit the chronic retinal inflammation and associated cone degeneration that characterizes these mice. Our observation of elevated levels of plasma angiotensin II in AMD patients, suggests that similar events take place in clinical disease and argue for the therapeutic potential of ATR1 antagonists to inhibit splenic monocytes for the treatment of blinding AMD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Roubeix
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Caroline Nous
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Augustin
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France
| | - Kaitryn E Ronning
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France
| | - Thibaud Mathis
- Service d'Ophtalmologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69004, Lyon, France
| | - Frédéric Blond
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France
| | | | - Sergio Crespo-Garcia
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick M Sullivan
- Department of Medicine, Centers for Aging and Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Durham Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Emmanuel L Gautier
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMR_S 1166, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Nadine Reichhart
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - José-Alain Sahel
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France
| | - Marie E Burns
- Center for Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Michel Paques
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France
- Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, INSERM-DHOS Clinical Investigation Center 1423, Paris, France
| | - Torben Lykke Sørensen
- Clinical Eye Research Division, Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital Roskilde, Roskilde, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Olaf Strauss
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Xavier Guillonneau
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France
| | - Cécile Delarasse
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France.
| | - Florian Sennlaub
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR_S 968, Institut de la Vision, 75012, Paris, France.
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lei S, Hu M, Wei Z. Single-cell sequencing reveals an important role of SPP1 and microglial activation in age-related macular degeneration. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1322451. [PMID: 38259505 PMCID: PMC10801008 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1322451] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate the role of senescence-related cytokines (SRCs) in the pathophysiology of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Design The whole study is based on single-cell and bulk tissue transcriptomic analysis of the human neuroretinas with or without AMD. The transcriptomic data of human neuroretinas was obtained from Gene-Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Methods For single-cell transcriptomic analysis, the gene expression matrix goes through quality control (QC) filtering, being normalized, scaled and integrated for downstream analysis. The further analyses were performed using Seurat R package and CellChat R package. After cell type annotation, the expression of phenotype and functional markers of microglia was investigated and cell-cell communication analysis was performed. For bulk tissue transcriptomic analysis, GSE29801 dataset contains the transcriptomic data of human macular neuroretina (n = 118) from control group and AMD patients. The expression of SPP1 in control and AMD subtypes were compared by Student's t-test. In addition, the AMD macular neuroretina were classified into SPP1-low and SPP1-high groups according to the expression level of SPP1. The differentially expressed genes between these two groups were subsequently identified and the pathway enrichment analysis for these genes was further conducted. Results Secreted phosphoprotein 1, as an SRC, was revealed to be highly expressed in microglia of AMD neuroretina and the SPP1-receptor signaling was highly activated in AMD neuroretina. In addition, SPP1 signaling was associated with the pro-inflammatory phenotype and phagocytic state of microglia. SPP1 expression was elevated in macular neuroretina with late dry and wet AMD and the inflammatory pathways were found to be activated in SPP1-high AMD macular neuroretina. Conclusion Our findings indicated that SPP1 and microglial activation might play an important role in the pathophysiology of AMD. Therefore, SPP1 might serve as a potential therapeutic target for AMD. More in vitro and in vivo studies are required to confirm the results and the therapeutic effect of SPP1-targeting strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shizhen Lei
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mang Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ahsanuddin S, Wu AY. Single-cell transcriptomics of the ocular anterior segment: a comprehensive review. Eye (Lond) 2023; 37:3334-3350. [PMID: 37138096 PMCID: PMC10156079 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-023-02539-3] [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: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the cellular and genetic composition of ocular tissues is essential for uncovering the pathophysiology of ocular diseases. Since the introduction of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in 2009, vision researchers have performed extensive single-cell analyses to better understand transcriptome complexity and heterogeneity of ocular structures. This technology has revolutionized our ability to identify rare cell populations and to make cross-species comparisons of gene expression in both steady state and disease conditions. Importantly, single-cell transcriptomic analyses have enabled the identification of cell-type specific gene markers and signalling pathways between ocular cell populations. While most scRNA-seq studies have been conducted on retinal tissues, large-scale transcriptomic atlases pertaining to the ocular anterior segment have also been constructed in the past three years. This timely review provides vision researchers with an overview of scRNA-seq experimental design, technical limitations, and clinical applications in a variety of anterior segment-related ocular pathologies. We review open-access anterior segment-related scRNA-seq datasets and illustrate how scRNA-seq can be an indispensable tool for the development of targeted therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Ahsanuddin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Albert Y Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Droho S, Voigt AP, Sterling JK, Rajesh A, Chan KS, Cuda CM, Perlman H, Lavine JA. NR4A1 deletion promotes pro-angiogenic polarization of macrophages derived from classical monocytes in a mouse model of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:238. [PMID: 37858232 PMCID: PMC10588116 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02928-1] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neovascular age-related macular degeneration causes vision loss from destructive angiogenesis, termed choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Cx3cr1-/- mice display alterations in non-classical monocytes and microglia with increased CNV size, suggesting that non-classical monocytes may inhibit CNV formation. NR4A1 is a transcription factor that is necessary for maturation of non-classical monocytes from classical monocytes. While Nr4a1-/- mice are deficient in non-classical monocytes, results are confounded by macrophage hyper-activation. Nr4a1se2/se2 mice lack a transcriptional activator, resulting in non-classical monocyte loss without macrophage hyper-activation. MAIN BODY We subjected Nr4a1-/- and Nr4a1se2/se2 mice to the laser-induced CNV model and performed multi-parameter flow cytometry. We found that both models lack non-classical monocytes, but only Nr4a1-/- mice displayed increased CNV area. Additionally, CD11c+ macrophages were increased in Nr4a1-/- mice. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis uncovered that CD11c+ macrophages were enriched from Nr4a1-/- mice and expressed a pro-angiogenic transcriptomic profile that was disparate from prior reports of macrophage hyper-activation. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that non-classical monocytes are dispensable during CNV, and NR4A1 deficiency results in increased recruitment of pro-angiogenic macrophages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven Droho
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Andrew P Voigt
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Jacob K Sterling
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Amrita Rajesh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Kyle S Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Carla M Cuda
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Harris Perlman
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Jeremy A Lavine
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Boneva S, Haritoglou C, Schultheiss M, Binder S, Sebag J. [Role of vitreous in the pathogenesis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration]. DIE OPHTHALMOLOGIE 2023; 120:992-998. [PMID: 37801159 DOI: 10.1007/s00347-023-01934-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Age-related changes in vitreous molecular and anatomic morphology begin early in life and involve two major processes: vitreous liquefaction and weakening of vitreo-retinal adhesion. An imbalance in these two processes results in anomalous posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), which comprises, among other conditions, vitreo-macular adhesion (VMA) and traction (VMT). VMA is more common in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) than age-matched control patients, with the site of posterior vitreous adherence to the inner retina correlating with location of neovascular complexes. The pernicious effects of an attached posterior vitreous on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progression involve mechanical forces, enhanced fluid influx and inflammation in and between the retinal layers, hypoxia leading to an accumulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and other stimulatory cytokines, and probably an infiltration of hyalocytes. It has been shown that vitrectomy not only mitigates progression to end-stage AMD, but existing choroidal neovascularization regresses after surgery. Thus, surgical PVD induction during vitrectomy or by pharmacologic vitreolysis may be considered in non-responders to anti-VEGF treatment with concomitant VMA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefaniya Boneva
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland.
| | | | - Maximilian Schultheiss
- Augenklinik Herzog Carl Theodor, München, Deutschland
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - Susanne Binder
- Lehrstuhl für Ophthalmologie, Sigmund Freud Universität, Wien, Österreich
| | - J Sebag
- VMR Institute for Vitreous Macula Retina, Huntington Beach, CA, USA
- Doheny Eye Institute, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Li W, Gurdziel K, Pitchaikannu A, Gupta N, Hazlett LD, Xu S. The miR-183/96/182 cluster is a checkpoint for resident immune cells and shapes the cellular landscape of the cornea. Ocul Surf 2023; 30:17-41. [PMID: 37536656 PMCID: PMC10834862 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2023.07.012] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The conserved miR-183/96/182 cluster (miR-183C) regulates both corneal sensory innervation and corneal resident immune cells (CRICs). This study is to uncover its role in CRICs and in shaping the corneal cellular landscape at a single-cell (sc) level. METHODS Corneas of naïve, young adult [2 and 6 months old (mo)], female miR-183C knockout (KO) mice and wild-type (WT) littermates were harvested and dissociated into single cells. Dead cells were removed using a Dead Cell Removal kit. CD45+ CRICs were enriched by Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting (MACS). scRNA libraries were constructed and sequenced followed by comprehensive bioinformatic analyses. RESULTS The composition of major cell types of the cornea stays relatively stable in WT mice from 2 to 6 mo, however the compositions of subtypes of corneal cells shift with age. Inactivation of miR-183C disrupts the stability of the major cell-type composition and age-related transcriptomic shifts of subtypes of corneal cells. The diversity of CRICs is enhanced with age. Naïve mouse cornea contains previously-unrecognized resident fibrocytes and neutrophils. Resident macrophages (ResMφ) adopt cornea-specific function by expressing abundant extracellular matrix (ECM) and ECM organization-related genes. Naïve cornea is endowed with partially-differentiated proliferative ResMφ and contains microglia-like Mφ. Resident lymphocytes, including innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), NKT and γδT cells, are the major source of innate IL-17a. miR-183C limits the diversity and polarity of ResMφ. CONCLUSION miR-183C serves as a checkpoint for CRICs and imposes a global regulation of the cellular landscape of the cornea.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weifeng Li
- Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics, McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Department of Genetic Medicine, USA; Wilmer Eye Institute, School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Ahalya Pitchaikannu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Naman Gupta
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Linda D Hazlett
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Shunbin Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zhang Y, Park YS, Kim IB. A Distinct Microglial Cell Population Expressing Both CD86 and CD206 Constitutes a Dominant Type and Executes Phagocytosis in Two Mouse Models of Retinal Degeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14236. [PMID: 37762541 PMCID: PMC10532260 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglial cells are the key regulators of inflammation during retinal degeneration (RD) and are conventionally classified as M1 or M2. However, whether the M1/M2 classification exactly reflects the functional classification of microglial cells in the retina remains debatable. We examined the spatiotemporal changes of microglial cells in the blue-LED and NaIO3-induced RD mice models using M1/M2 markers and functional genes. TUNEL assay was performed to detect photoreceptor cell death, and microglial cells were labeled with anti-IBA1, P2RY12, CD86, and CD206 antibodies. FACS was used to isolate microglial cells with anti-CD206 and CD86 antibodies, and qRT-PCR was performed to evaluate Il-10, Il-6, Trem-2, Apoe, and Lyz2 expression. TUNEL-positive cells were detected in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) from 24 h to 72 h post-RD induction. At 24 h, P2RY12 was decreased and CD86 was increased, and CD86/CD206 double-labeled cells occupied the dominant population at 72 h. And CD86/CD206 double-labeled cells showed a significant increase in Apoe, Trem2, and Lyz2 levels but not in those of Il-6 and Il-10. Our results demonstrate that microglial cells in active RD cannot be classified as M1 or M2, and the majority of microglia express both CD86 and CD206, which are involved in phagocytosis rather than inflammation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (Y.Z.); (Y.S.P.)
- Catholic Neuroscience Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Soo Park
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (Y.Z.); (Y.S.P.)
- Catholic Neuroscience Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Beom Kim
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (Y.Z.); (Y.S.P.)
- Catholic Neuroscience Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
- Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Clahsen T, Hadrian K, Notara M, Schlereth SL, Howaldt A, Prokosch V, Volatier T, Hos D, Schroedl F, Kaser-Eichberger A, Heindl LM, Steven P, Bosch JJ, Steinkasserer A, Rokohl AC, Liu H, Mestanoglu M, Kashkar H, Schumacher B, Kiefer F, Schulte-Merker S, Matthaei M, Hou Y, Fassbender S, Jantsch J, Zhang W, Enders P, Bachmann B, Bock F, Cursiefen C. The novel role of lymphatic vessels in the pathogenesis of ocular diseases. Prog Retin Eye Res 2023; 96:101157. [PMID: 36759312 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2022.101157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Historically, the eye has been considered as an organ free of lymphatic vessels. In recent years, however, it became evident, that lymphatic vessels or lymphatic-like vessels contribute to several ocular pathologies at various peri- and intraocular locations. The aim of this review is to outline the pathogenetic role of ocular lymphatics, the respective molecular mechanisms and to discuss current and future therapeutic options based thereon. We will give an overview on the vascular anatomy of the healthy ocular surface and the molecular mechanisms contributing to corneal (lymph)angiogenic privilege. In addition, we present (i) current insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms occurring during pathological neovascularization of the cornea triggered e.g. by inflammation or trauma, (ii) the role of lymphatic vessels in different ocular surface pathologies such as dry eye disease, corneal graft rejection, ocular graft versus host disease, allergy, and pterygium, (iii) the involvement of lymphatic vessels in ocular tumors and metastasis, and (iv) the novel role of the lymphatic-like structure of Schlemm's canal in glaucoma. Identification of the underlying molecular mechanisms and of novel modulators of lymphangiogenesis will contribute to the development of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of ocular diseases associated with pathological lymphangiogenesis in the future. The preclinical data presented here outline novel therapeutic concepts for promoting transplant survival, inhibiting metastasis of ocular tumors, reducing inflammation of the ocular surface, and treating glaucoma. Initial data from clinical trials suggest first success of novel treatment strategies to promote transplant survival based on pretransplant corneal lymphangioregression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Clahsen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Karina Hadrian
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria Notara
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Simona L Schlereth
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Antonia Howaldt
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Verena Prokosch
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Volatier
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Deniz Hos
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Falk Schroedl
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology - Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Alexandra Kaser-Eichberger
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology - Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Ludwig M Heindl
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Philipp Steven
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cluster of Excellence: Cellular Stress Responses in Ageing-Associated Diseases, CECAD, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jacobus J Bosch
- Centre for Human Drug Research and Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Alexander C Rokohl
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hanhan Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mert Mestanoglu
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hamid Kashkar
- Institute for Molecular Immunology, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), CECAD Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Björn Schumacher
- Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cluster of Excellence: Cellular Stress Responses in Ageing-Associated Diseases, CECAD, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Friedemann Kiefer
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Stefan Schulte-Merker
- Institute for Cardiovascular Organogenesis and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, WWU Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Mario Matthaei
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Yanhong Hou
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, 83 Fenyang Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Sonja Fassbender
- IUF‒Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Duesseldorf, Germany; Immunology and Environment, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jonathan Jantsch
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Philip Enders
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Björn Bachmann
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Felix Bock
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Claus Cursiefen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cluster of Excellence: Cellular Stress Responses in Ageing-Associated Diseases, CECAD, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Liu X, Zhang S, Mao Y, Lin S, Wu H, Ou S. Optimization of method for achieving a single-cell suspension from mouse corneas. Exp Eye Res 2023:109544. [PMID: 37336469 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109544] [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: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
The single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technique is used to explore the biological characteristics of tissues under pathological and physiological conditions that include certain chronic eye diseases. Harvesting of single-cell suspensions is one challenge inherent to scRNA-seq procedures. This study aimed to use an optimized method to digest a whole mouse cornea to harvest single-cell suspensions. We utilized five different mouse cornea digestion methods to obtain single-cell suspensions: (1) 5 dissected mouse corneas were cut into pieces (∼0.5 mm) and digested in trypsin for 10 min, and this digestion was repeated for 10 cycles; (2) 5 dissected mouse corneas were cut into pieces and incubated with 5 mg/ml collagenase A at 37 °C for 1h and then further digested in trypsin at 37 °C for 10 min; (3) used the same approach as that used in method 2, but the second digestion step was performed in TrypLE for 20 min; (4) used the same approach as that used in method 2, but the concentration of collagenase A was 2 mg/ml and the incubation time was 2h; (5) used the same approach as that used in method 3, but the corneas were incubated in 2 mg/ml collagenase A at 37 °C for 2h. Trypan blue staining was used to calculate the cell viability and agglomeration rate. The cell types and percentages were determined using immunofluorescence staining. RNA integrity number (RIN) was measured by Agilent 2100. Method 1 showed the lowest cell yield (0.375 × 105), epithelial cell percentage, and less than 70% cell viability, thus not a proper protocol. Method 2 showed the highest cell viability (over 90%), percentage of single-cell (89.53%), and high cell quantity (1.05 × 105). Method 3 had a significantly lower cell viability (55.30%). Cell agglomeration rates of method 4 and 5 reached up to 20% and 13%, and with lower cell viability (72.51%, 59.87%, respectively) and decreased epithelial cell rate compared to method 2 and 3. The results suggest that method 2 (5 mg/ml collagenase A and trypsin) is a preferred protocol for digesting mouse cornea to obtain single-cell suspension which achieves the criterion of single-cell RNA sequencing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Liu
- Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cornea & Ocular Surface Diseases, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Shengpeng Zhang
- Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cornea & Ocular Surface Diseases, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Yi Mao
- The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 350000, Guizhou, China; Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cornea & Ocular Surface Diseases, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Sijie Lin
- Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cornea & Ocular Surface Diseases, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Huping Wu
- Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cornea & Ocular Surface Diseases, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China.
| | - Shangkun Ou
- The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 350000, Guizhou, China; Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cornea & Ocular Surface Diseases, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China; School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Xiamen, Fujian, 361002, China.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Andries L, Kancheva D, Masin L, Scheyltjens I, Van Hove H, De Vlaminck K, Bergmans S, Claes M, De Groef L, Moons L, Movahedi K. Immune stimulation recruits a subset of pro-regenerative macrophages to the retina that promotes axonal regrowth of injured neurons. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:85. [PMID: 37226256 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01580-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The multifaceted nature of neuroinflammation is highlighted by its ability to both aggravate and promote neuronal health. While in mammals retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are unable to regenerate following injury, acute inflammation can induce axonal regrowth. However, the nature of the cells, cellular states and signalling pathways that drive this inflammation-induced regeneration have remained elusive. Here, we investigated the functional significance of macrophages during RGC de- and regeneration, by characterizing the inflammatory cascade evoked by optic nerve crush (ONC) injury, with or without local inflammatory stimulation in the vitreous. By combining single-cell RNA sequencing and fate mapping approaches, we elucidated the response of retinal microglia and recruited monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) to RGC injury. Importantly, inflammatory stimulation recruited large numbers of MDMs to the retina, which exhibited long-term engraftment and promoted axonal regrowth. Ligand-receptor analysis highlighted a subset of recruited macrophages that exhibited expression of pro-regenerative secreted factors, which were able to promote axon regrowth via paracrine signalling. Our work reveals how inflammation may promote CNS regeneration by modulating innate immune responses, providing a rationale for macrophage-centred strategies for driving neuronal repair following injury and disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lien Andries
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, Box 2464, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Daliya Kancheva
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Luca Masin
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, Box 2464, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Isabelle Scheyltjens
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hannah Van Hove
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karen De Vlaminck
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Steven Bergmans
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, Box 2464, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Marie Claes
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, Box 2464, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Lies De Groef
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, Box 2464, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
- Cellular Communication and Neurodegeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Division, Department of Biology, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, Box 2464, 3000, Louvain, Belgium.
| | - Kiavash Movahedi
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Brioschi S, Belk JA, Peng V, Molgora M, Rodrigues PF, Nguyen KM, Wang S, Du S, Wang WL, Grajales-Reyes GE, Ponce JM, Yuede CM, Li Q, Baer JM, DeNardo DG, Gilfillan S, Cella M, Satpathy AT, Colonna M. A Cre-deleter specific for embryo-derived brain macrophages reveals distinct features of microglia and border macrophages. Immunity 2023; 56:1027-1045.e8. [PMID: 36791722 PMCID: PMC10175109 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Genetic tools to target microglia specifically and efficiently from the early stages of embryonic development are lacking. We generated a constitutive Cre line controlled by the microglia signature gene Crybb1 that produced nearly complete recombination in embryonic brain macrophages (microglia and border-associated macrophages [BAMs]) by the perinatal period, with limited recombination in peripheral myeloid cells. Using this tool in combination with Flt3-Cre lineage tracer, single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis, and confocal imaging, we resolved embryonic-derived versus monocyte-derived BAMs in the mouse cortex. Deletion of the transcription factor SMAD4 in microglia and embryonic-derived BAMs using Crybb1-Cre caused a developmental arrest of microglia, which instead acquired a BAM specification signature. By contrast, the development of genuine BAMs remained unaffected. Our results reveal that SMAD4 drives a transcriptional and epigenetic program that is indispensable for the commitment of brain macrophages to the microglia fate and highlight Crybb1-Cre as a tool for targeting embryonic brain macrophages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Brioschi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Julia A Belk
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Peng
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Martina Molgora
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Patrick Fernandes Rodrigues
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Khai M Nguyen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shoutang Wang
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Siling Du
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Wei-Le Wang
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gary E Grajales-Reyes
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jennifer M Ponce
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Carla M Yuede
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Qingyun Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - John M Baer
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - David G DeNardo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA; Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA; Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Susan Gilfillan
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Marina Cella
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ansuman T Satpathy
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Benhar I, Ding J, Yan W, Whitney IE, Jacobi A, Sud M, Burgin G, Shekhar K, Tran NM, Wang C, He Z, Sanes JR, Regev A. Temporal single-cell atlas of non-neuronal retinal cells reveals dynamic, coordinated multicellular responses to central nervous system injury. Nat Immunol 2023; 24:700-713. [PMID: 36807640 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01437-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Non-neuronal cells are key to the complex cellular interplay that follows central nervous system insult. To understand this interplay, we generated a single-cell atlas of immune, glial and retinal pigment epithelial cells from adult mouse retina before and at multiple time points after axonal transection. We identified rare subsets in naive retina, including interferon (IFN)-response glia and border-associated macrophages, and delineated injury-induced changes in cell composition, expression programs and interactions. Computational analysis charted a three-phase multicellular inflammatory cascade after injury. In the early phase, retinal macroglia and microglia were reactivated, providing chemotactic signals concurrent with infiltration of CCR2+ monocytes from the circulation. These cells differentiated into macrophages in the intermediate phase, while an IFN-response program, likely driven by microglia-derived type I IFN, was activated across resident glia. The late phase indicated inflammatory resolution. Our findings provide a framework to decipher cellular circuitry, spatial relationships and molecular interactions following tissue injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inbal Benhar
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Jiarui Ding
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Wenjun Yan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Irene E Whitney
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anne Jacobi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Malika Sud
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Grace Burgin
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Karthik Shekhar
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas M Tran
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chen Wang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua R Sanes
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aviv Regev
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Scholand KK, Mack AF, Guzman GU, Maniskas ME, Sampige R, Govindarajan G, McCullough LD, de Paiva CS. Heterochronic Parabiosis Causes Dacryoadenitis in Young Lacrimal Glands. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:4897. [PMID: 36902330 PMCID: PMC10003158 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054897] [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: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with inflammation and oxidative stress in the lacrimal gland (LG). We investigated if heterochronic parabiosis of mice could modulate age-related LG alterations. In both males and females, there were significant increases in total immune infiltration in isochronic aged LGs compared to that in isochronic young LGs. Male heterochronic young LGs were significantly more infiltrated compared to male isochronic young LGs. While both females and males had significant increases in inflammatory and B-cell-related transcripts in isochronic and heterochronic aged LGs compared to levels isochronic and heterochronic young LGs, females had a greater fold expression of some of these transcripts than males. Through flow cytometry, specific subsets of B cells were increased in the male heterochronic aged LGs compared to those in male isochronic aged LGs. Our results indicate that serum soluble factors from young mice were not enough to reverse inflammation and infiltrating immune cells in aged tissues and that there were specific sex-related differences in parabiosis treatment. This suggests that age-related changes in the LG microenvironment/architecture participate in perpetuating inflammation, which is not reversible by exposure to youthful systemic factors. In contrast, male young heterochronic LGs were significantly worse than their isochronic counterparts, suggesting that aged soluble factors can enhance inflammation in the young host. Therapies that aim at improving cellular health may have a stronger impact on improving inflammation and cellular inflammation in LGs than parabiosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin K. Scholand
- Ocular Surface Center, Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Alexis F. Mack
- BRAINS Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gary U. Guzman
- BRAINS Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Michael E. Maniskas
- BRAINS Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ritu Sampige
- Ocular Surface Center, Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gowthaman Govindarajan
- Ocular Surface Center, Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Louise D. McCullough
- BRAINS Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cintia S. de Paiva
- Ocular Surface Center, Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology Graduate Program, Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Fu X, Feng S, Qin H, Yan L, Zheng C, Yao K. Microglia: The breakthrough to treat neovascularization and repair blood-retinal barrier in retinopathy. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1100254. [PMID: 36756614 PMCID: PMC9899825 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1100254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia are the primary resident retinal macrophages that monitor neuronal activity in real-time and facilitate angiogenesis during retinal development. In certain retinal diseases, the activated microglia promote retinal angiogenesis in hypoxia stress through neurovascular coupling and guide neovascularization to avascular areas (e.g., the outer nuclear layer and macula lutea). Furthermore, continuously activated microglia secrete inflammatory factors and expedite the loss of the blood-retinal barrier which causes irreversible damage to the secondary death of neurons. In this review, we support microglia can be a potential cellular therapeutic target in retinopathy. We briefly describe the relevance of microglia to the retinal vasculature and blood-retinal barrier. Then we discuss the signaling pathway related to how microglia move to their destinations and regulate vascular regeneration. We summarize the properties of microglia in different retinal disease models and propose that reducing the number of pro-inflammatory microglial death and conversing microglial phenotypes from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory are feasible for treating retinal neovascularization and the damaged blood-retinal barrier (BRB). Finally, we suppose that the unique properties of microglia may aid in the vascularization of retinal organoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuefei Fu
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuyu Feng
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huan Qin
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin Yan
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Caiyan Zheng
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Yao
- Institute of Visual Neuroscience and Stem Cell Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China,College of Life Sciences and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China,Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China,*Correspondence: Kai Yao,
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wolf J, Lapp T, Reinhard T, Agostini H, Schlunck G, Lange C. Web-based gene expression analysis-paving the way to decode healthy and diseased ocular tissue. DIE OPHTHALMOLOGIE 2023; 120:59-65. [PMID: 36098765 PMCID: PMC9469811 DOI: 10.1007/s00347-022-01721-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene expression analysis using RNA sequencing has helped to improve the understanding of many diseases. Databases, such as the Gene Expression Omnibus database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information provide RNA sequencing raw data from various diseased tissue types but their analysis requires advanced bioinformatics skills. Therefore, specific ocular databases provide the transcriptional profiles of different ocular tissues and in addition enable intuitive web-based data analysis. OBJECTIVE The aim of this narrative review is to provide an overview of ocular transcriptome databases and to compare them with the Human Eye Transcriptome Atlas newly established in Freiburg. METHODS PubMed literature search. RESULTS A total of nine ocular transcriptome databases focusing on different aspects were identified. The iSyTE and Express platforms specialize in gene expression during lens and retinal development in mice, whereas retina.tigem.it, Eye in a Disk, and Spectacle focus on selected ocular tissues such as the retina. Spectacle, UCSC Cell Browser and Single Cell Portal allow intuitive exploration of single cell RNA sequencing data derived from retinal, choroid, cornea, iris, trabecular meshwork and sclera specimens. The microarray profiles of a variety of healthy ocular tissues are included in the Ocular Tissue Database. The Human Eye Transcriptome Atlas provides the largest collection of different ocular tissue types, contains the highest number of ocular diseases and is characterized by a high level of quality achieved by methodological consistency. CONCLUSION Ocular transcriptome databases provide comprehensive and intuitive insights into the transcriptional profiles of a variety of healthy and diseased ocular tissues. Thus, they improve our understanding of the underlying molecular mediators, support hypothesis generation and help in the search for new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for various ocular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Wolf
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Thabo Lapp
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Reinhard
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Hansjürgen Agostini
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Günther Schlunck
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Clemens Lange
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. .,Ophtha-Lab, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Ronning KE, Karlen SJ, Burns ME. Structural and functional distinctions of co-resident microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages after retinal degeneration. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:299. [PMID: 36510226 PMCID: PMC9743742 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02652-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both resident microglia and invading peripheral immune cells can respond to injury and degeneration in the central nervous system. However, after dead and dying neurons have been cleared and homeostasis is re-established, it is unknown whether resident immune cells fully resume normal functions and to what degree the peripheral immune cells take up residence. METHODS Using flow cytometry, in vivo retinal imaging, immunohistochemistry, and single-cell mRNA sequencing, we assess resident microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages in the retina during and after the loss of photoreceptors in the Arr1-/- mouse model of inducible degeneration. RESULTS We find that photoreceptor loss results in a small, sustained increase in mononuclear phagocytes and, after degeneration wanes, these cells re-establish a spatial mosaic reminiscent of healthy retinas. Transcriptomic analysis revealed the population remained unusually heterogeneous, with several subpopulations expressing gene patterns consistent with mildly activated phenotypes. Roughly a third of "new resident" cells expressed markers traditionally associated with both microglial and monocytic lineages, making their etiology ambiguous. Using an inducible Cre-based fluorescent lineage tracing paradigm to confirm the origins of new resident immune cells, we found approximately equal numbers of microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages after degeneration had subsided. In vivo retinal imaging and immunohistochemical analysis showed that both subpopulations remained functionally responsive to sites of local damage, though on average the monocyte-derived cells had less morphological complexity, expressed higher levels of MHCII, and had less migratory activity than the native resident population. CONCLUSIONS Monocytic cells that infiltrate the retina during degeneration differentiate into monocyte-derived macrophages that can remain in the retina long-term. These monocyte-derived macrophages adopt ramified morphologies and microglia-like gene expression. However, they remain distinguishable in morphology and gene expression from resident microglia and appear to differ functionally, showing less responsiveness to subsequent retinal injuries. These findings support the idea that persistent changes in the local immune population that occur in response to cell loss in aging and progressive retinal diseases may include the establishment of subpopulations of bone marrow-derived cells whose ability to respond to subsequent insults wanes over time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitryn E Ronning
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, 1544 Newton Court, Davis, CA, 95618, USA
| | - Sarah J Karlen
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Marie E Burns
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, 1544 Newton Court, Davis, CA, 95618, USA. .,Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA. .,Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
McPherson SW, Heuss ND, Abedin M, Roehrich H, Pierson MJ, Gregerson DS. Parabiosis reveals the correlation between the recruitment of circulating antigen presenting cells to the retina and the induction of spontaneous autoimmune uveoretinitis. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:295. [PMID: 36494807 PMCID: PMC9733026 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02660-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Characterizing immune cells and conditions that govern their recruitment and function in autoimmune diseases of the nervous system or in neurodegenerative processes is an area of active investigation. We sought to analyze the origin of antigen presenting cells associated with the induction of retinal autoimmunity using a system that relies on spontaneous autoimmunity, thus avoiding uncertainties associated with immunization with adjuvants at remotes sites or adoptive transfer of in vitro activated T cells. METHODS R161H mice (B10.RIII background), which spontaneously and rapidly develop severe spontaneous autoimmune uveoretinitis (SAU), were crossed to CD11cDTR/GFP mice (B6/J) allowing us to track the recruitment to and/or expansion within the retina of activated, antigen presenting cells (GFPhi cells) in R161H+/- × CD11cDTR/GFP F1 mice relative to the course of SAU. Parabiosis between R161H+/- × CD11cDTR/GFP F1 mice and B10.RIII × B6/J F1 (wild-type recipient) mice was done to explore the origin and phenotype of antigen presenting cells crucial for the induction of autoimmunity. Analysis was done by retinal imaging, flow cytometry, and histology. RESULTS Onset of SAU in R161H+/- × CD11cDTR/GFP F1 mice was delayed relative to B10.RIII-R161H+/- mice revealing a disease prophase prior to frank autoimmunity that was characterized by expansion of GFPhi cells within the retina prior to any clinical or histological evidence of autoimmunity. Parabiosis between mice carrying the R161H and CD11cDTR/GFP transgenes and transgene negative recipients showed that recruitment of circulating GFPhi cells into retinas was highly correlative with the occurrence of SAU. CONCLUSIONS Our results here contrast with our previous findings showing that retinal antigen presenting cells expanding in response to either sterile mechanical injury or neurodegeneration were derived from myeloid cells within the retina or optic nerve, thus highlighting a unique facet of retinal autoimmunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott W. McPherson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th Street SE, Lions Research Building, Room 482A, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Neal D. Heuss
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th Street SE, Lions Research Building, Room 482A, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Md. Abedin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th Street SE, Lions Research Building, Room 482A, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Heidi Roehrich
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th Street SE, Lions Research Building, Room 482A, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Mark J. Pierson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th Street SE, Lions Research Building, Room 482A, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Dale S. Gregerson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, 2001 6th Street SE, Lions Research Building, Room 482A, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Xu H, Chen M. Immune response in retinal degenerative diseases - Time to rethink? Prog Neurobiol 2022; 219:102350. [PMID: 36075351 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Retinal degeneration comprises a group of diseases whereby either the retinal neurons or the neurovascular unit degenerates leading to the loss of visual function. Although the initial cause varies in different conditions, inflammation is known to play an important role in disease pathogenesis. Recent advances in molecular and cell biology and systems biology have yielded unexpected findings, including the heterogeneity of immune cells in the degenerative retina, bidirectional neuron-microglia cross talk, and links to the gut microbiome. Here we discuss the immune response in retinal degenerative conditions, taking into account both regional (retinal) and systemic factors. We propose to classify retinal degeneration into dry and wet forms based on whether the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) is breached and fluid is accumulated in retinal parenchyma. The dry form has a relatively intact BRB and is characterised by progressive retinal thinning. Immune response to degenerative insults is dominated by the retinal defence system, which remains to be regulated by neurons. In contrast, the wet form has retinal oedema due to BRB damaged. Inflammation is executed by infiltrating immune cells as well as the retinal defence system. The gut microbiome will have easy access to the retina in wet retinal degeneration and may affect significantly retinal immune response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heping Xu
- Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science, Changsha 410000, China; The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
| | - Mei Chen
- The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Murenu E, Gerhardt MJ, Biel M, Michalakis S. More than meets the eye: The role of microglia in healthy and diseased retina. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1006897. [PMID: 36524119 PMCID: PMC9745050 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1006897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia are the main resident immune cells of the nervous system and as such they are involved in multiple roles ranging from tissue homeostasis to response to insults and circuit refinement. While most knowledge about microglia comes from brain studies, some mechanisms have been confirmed for microglia cells in the retina, the light-sensing compartment of the eye responsible for initial processing of visual information. However, several key pieces of this puzzle are still unaccounted for, as the characterization of retinal microglia has long been hindered by the reduced population size within the retina as well as the previous lack of technologies enabling single-cell analyses. Accumulating evidence indicates that the same cell type may harbor a high degree of transcriptional, morphological and functional differences depending on its location within the central nervous system. Thus, studying the roles and signatures adopted specifically by microglia in the retina has become increasingly important. Here, we review the current understanding of retinal microglia cells in physiology and in disease, with particular emphasis on newly discovered mechanisms and future research directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Murenu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany,*Correspondence: Elisa Murenu, ; ; Stylianos Michalakis,
| | | | - Martin Biel
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Stylianos Michalakis
- Department of Ophthalmology, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany,*Correspondence: Elisa Murenu, ; ; Stylianos Michalakis,
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Margeta MA, Yin Z, Madore C, Pitts KM, Letcher SM, Tang J, Jiang S, Gauthier CD, Silveira SR, Schroeder CM, Lad EM, Proia AD, Tanzi RE, Holtzman DM, Krasemann S, Chen DF, Butovsky O. Apolipoprotein E4 impairs the response of neurodegenerative retinal microglia and prevents neuronal loss in glaucoma. Immunity 2022; 55:1627-1644.e7. [PMID: 35977543 PMCID: PMC9488669 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) allele is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer disease and a decreased risk of glaucoma, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we found that in two mouse glaucoma models, microglia transitioned to a neurodegenerative phenotype characterized by upregulation of Apoe and Lgals3 (Galectin-3), which were also upregulated in human glaucomatous retinas. Mice with targeted deletion of Apoe in microglia or carrying the human APOE4 allele were protected from retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss, despite elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Similarly to Apoe-/- retinal microglia, APOE4-expressing microglia did not upregulate neurodegeneration-associated genes, including Lgals3, following IOP elevation. Genetic and pharmacologic targeting of Galectin-3 ameliorated RGC degeneration, and Galectin-3 expression was attenuated in human APOE4 glaucoma samples. These results demonstrate that impaired activation of APOE4 microglia is protective in glaucoma and that the APOE-Galectin-3 signaling can be targeted to treat this blinding disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milica A Margeta
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhuoran Yin
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charlotte Madore
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Kristen M Pitts
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sophia M Letcher
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jing Tang
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuhong Jiang
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christian D Gauthier
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sebastian R Silveira
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin M Schroeder
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eleonora M Lad
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Alan D Proia
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Pathology, Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lillington, NC, USA
| | - Rudolph E Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, Mass General Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - David M Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Susanne Krasemann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dong Feng Chen
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Oleg Butovsky
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Jones CH, Gui W, Schumann RG, Boneva SK, Lange CAK, van Overdam KA, Chui TYP, Rosen RB, Engelbert M, Sebag J. Hyalocytes in proliferative vitreo-retinal diseases. EXPERT REVIEW OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 2022; 17:263-280. [DOI: 10.1080/17469899.2022.2100764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Wei Gui
- VMR Institute for Vitreous Macula Retina, Huntington Beach, California, USA
| | - Ricarda G. Schumann
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefaniya K. Boneva
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Clemens A. K. Lange
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Ophtha-Lab, Department of Ophthalmology at St. Franziskus Hospital, Muenster, Germany
| | - Koen A. van Overdam
- Department of Vitreo-Retinal surgery, The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Toco Y. P. Chui
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York
- Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard B. Rosen
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York
- Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Engelbert
- Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York
- NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - J. Sebag
- VMR Institute for Vitreous Macula Retina, Huntington Beach, California, USA
- Doheny Eye Institute, UCLA, Pasadena, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Neuroimmune crosstalk in the cornea: The role of immune cells in corneal nerve maintenance during homeostasis and inflammation. Prog Retin Eye Res 2022; 91:101105. [PMID: 35868985 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2022.101105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In the cornea, resident immune cells are in close proximity to sensory nerves, consistent with their important roles in the maintenance of nerves in both homeostasis and inflammation. Using in vivo confocal microscopy in humans, and ex vivo immunostaining and fluorescent reporter mice to visualize corneal sensory nerves and immune cells, remarkable progress has been made to advance our understanding of the physical and functional interactions between corneal nerves and immune cells. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent studies relating to corneal immune cells and sensory nerves, and their interactions in health and disease. In particular, we consider how disrupted corneal nerve axons can induce immune cell activity, including in dendritic cells, macrophages and other infiltrating cells, directly and/or indirectly by releasing neuropeptides such as substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide. We summarize growing evidence that the role of corneal intraepithelial immune cells is likely different in corneal wound healing versus other inflammatory-dominated conditions. The role of different types of macrophages is also discussed, including how stromal macrophages with anti-inflammatory phenotypes communicate with corneal nerves to provide neuroprotection, while macrophages with pro-inflammatory phenotypes, along with other infiltrating cells including neutrophils and CD4+ T cells, can be inhibitory to corneal re-innervation. Finally, this review considers the bidirectional interactions between corneal immune cells and corneal nerves, and how leveraging this interaction could represent a potential therapeutic approach for corneal neuropathy.
Collapse
|
31
|
Szczepan M, Llorián-Salvador M, Chen M, Xu H. Immune Cells in Subretinal Wound Healing and Fibrosis. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:916719. [PMID: 35755781 PMCID: PMC9226489 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.916719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The subretinal space is devoid of any immune cells under normal conditions and is an immune privileged site. When photoreceptors and/or retinal pigment epithelial cells suffer from an injury, a wound healing process will be initiated. Retinal microglia and the complement system, as the first line of retinal defense, are activated to participate in the wound healing process. If the injury is severe or persists for a prolonged period, they may fail to heal the damage and circulating immune cells will be summoned leading to chronic inflammation and abnormal wound healing, i.e., subretinal or intraretinal fibrosis, a sight-threatening condition frequently observed in rhematogenous retinal detachment, age-related macular degeneration and recurrent uveoretinitis. Here, we discussed the principles of subretinal wound healing with a strong focus on the conditions whereby the damage is beyond the healing capacity of the retinal defense system and highlighted the roles of circulating immune cells in subretinal wound healing and fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manon Szczepan
- The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - María Llorián-Salvador
- The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Mei Chen
- The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Heping Xu
- The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom,Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science, Changsha, China,*Correspondence: Heping Xu,
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Fuellen G, Jünemann A. Gene Expression Data for Investigating Glaucoma Treatment Options and Pharmacology in the Anterior Segment, State-of-the-Art and Future Directions. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:912043. [PMID: 35757536 PMCID: PMC9213806 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.912043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma treatment options as well as its etiology are far from understood. Gene expression (transcriptomics) data of the anterior segment of the eye can help by elucidating the molecular-mechanistic underpinnings, and we present an up-to-date description and discussion of what gene expression data are publicly available, and for which purposes these can be used. We feature the few resources covering all segments of the eye, and we then specifically focus on the anterior segment, and provide an extensive list of the Gene Expression Omnibus data that may be useful. We also feature single-cell data of relevance, particularly three datasets from tissues of relevance to aqueous humor outflow. We describe how the data have been used by researchers, by following up resource citations and data re-analyses. We discuss datasets and analyses pertaining to fibrosis following glaucoma surgery, and to glaucoma resulting from the use of steroids. We conclude by pointing out the current lack and underutilization of ocular gene expression data, and how the state of the art is expected to improve in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georg Fuellen
- Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Aging Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Anselm Jünemann
- Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Aging Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
- Department of General Ophthalmology and Pediatric Ophthalmology Service, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Rosmus DD, Lange C, Ludwig F, Ajami B, Wieghofer P. The Role of Osteopontin in Microglia Biology: Current Concepts and Future Perspectives. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10040840. [PMID: 35453590 PMCID: PMC9027630 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The innate immune landscape of the central nervous system (CNS), including the brain and the retina, consists of different myeloid cell populations with distinct tasks to fulfill. Whereas the CNS borders harbor extraparenchymal CNS-associated macrophages whose main duty is to build up a defense against invading pathogens and other damaging factors from the periphery, the resident immune cells of the CNS parenchyma and the retina, microglia, are highly dynamic cells with a plethora of functions during homeostasis and disease. Therefore, microglia are constantly sensing their environment and closely interacting with surrounding cells, which is in part mediated by soluble factors. One of these factors is Osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional protein that is produced by different cell types in the CNS, including microglia, and is upregulated in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory conditions. In this review, we discuss the current literature about the interaction between microglia and OPN in homeostasis and several disease entities, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s and cerebrovascular diseases (AD, CVD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR), in the context of the molecular pathways involved in OPN signaling shaping the function of microglia. As nearly all CNS diseases are characterized by pathological alterations in microglial cells, accompanied by the disturbance of the homeostatic microglia phenotype, the emergence of disease-associated microglia (DAM) states and their interplay with factors shaping the DAM-signature, such as OPN, is of great interest for therapeutical interventions in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Clemens Lange
- Eye Center, Freiburg Medical Center, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; (C.L.); (F.L.)
- Ophtha-Lab, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital, 48145 Muenster, Germany
| | - Franziska Ludwig
- Eye Center, Freiburg Medical Center, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; (C.L.); (F.L.)
| | - Bahareh Ajami
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
| | - Peter Wieghofer
- Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
- Cellular Neuroanatomy, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, Medical Faculty, Augsburg University, 86159 Augsburg, Germany
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Transcriptional and Distributional Profiling of Microglia in Retinal Angiomatous Proliferation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073443. [PMID: 35408803 PMCID: PMC8998238 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Macular neovascularization type 3, formerly known as retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP), is a hallmark of age-related macular degeneration and is associated with an accumulation of myeloid cells, such as microglia (MG) and infiltrating blood-derived macrophages (MAC). However, the contribution of MG and MAC to the myeloid cell pool at RAP sites and their exact functions remain unknown. In this study, we combined a microglia-specific reporter mouse line with a mouse model for RAP to identify the contribution of MG and MAC to myeloid cell accumulation at RAP and determined the transcriptional profile of MG using RNA sequencing. We found that MG are the most abundant myeloid cell population around RAP, whereas MAC are rarely, if ever, associated with late stages of RAP. RNA sequencing of RAP-associated MG showed that differentially expressed genes mainly contribute to immune-associated processes, including chemotaxis and migration in early RAP and proliferative capacity in late RAP, which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Interestingly, MG upregulated only a few angiomodulatory factors, suggesting a rather low angiogenic potential. In summary, we showed that MG are the dominant myeloid cell population at RAP sites. Moreover, MG significantly altered their transcriptional profile during RAP formation, activating immune-associated processes and exhibiting enhanced proliferation, however, without showing substantial upregulation of angiomodulatory factors.
Collapse
|
35
|
Wolf J, Boneva S, Rosmus DD, Agostini H, Schlunck G, Wieghofer P, Schlecht A, Lange C. In-Depth Molecular Profiling Specifies Human Retinal Microglia Identity. Front Immunol 2022; 13:863158. [PMID: 35371110 PMCID: PMC8971200 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.863158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia are the tissue-resident macrophages of the retina and brain, being critically involved in organ development, tissue homeostasis, and response to cellular damage. Until now, little is known about the molecular signature of human retinal microglia and how it differs from the one of brain microglia and peripheral monocytes. In addition, it is not yet clear to what extent murine retinal microglia resemble those of humans, which represents an important prerequisite for translational research. The present study applies fluorescence-activated cell sorting to isolate human retinal microglia from enucleated eyes and compares their transcriptional profile with the one of whole retinal tissue, human brain microglia as well as classical, intermediate and non-classical monocytes. Finally, human retinal microglia are compared to murine retinal microglia, isolated from Cx3cr1GFP/+ mice. Whereas human retinal microglia exhibited a high grade of similarity in comparison to their counterparts in the brain, several enriched genes were identified in retinal microglia when compared to whole retinal tissue, as well as classical, intermediate, and non-classical monocytes. In relation to whole retina sequencing, several risk genes associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) were preferentially expressed in retinal microglia, indicating their potential pathophysiological involvement. Although a high degree of similarity was observed between human and murine retinal microglia, several species-specific genes were identified, which should be kept in mind when employing mouse models to investigate retinal microglia biology. In summary, this study provides detailed insights into the molecular profile of human retinal microglia, identifies a plethora of tissue-specific and species-specific genes in comparison to human brain microglia and murine retinal microglia, and thus highlights the significance of retinal microglia in human retinal diseases and for translational research approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Wolf
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefaniya Boneva
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Hansjürgen Agostini
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Günther Schlunck
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Peter Wieghofer
- Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Cellular Neuroanatomy, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Anja Schlecht
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Clemens Lange
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Ophtha-Lab, Department of Ophthalmology at St. Franziskus Hospital, Muenster, Germany
- *Correspondence: Clemens Lange,
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Munro DAD, Movahedi K, Priller J. Macrophage compartmentalization in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid system. Sci Immunol 2022; 7:eabk0391. [PMID: 35245085 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abk0391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Macrophages reside within the diverse anatomical compartments of the central nervous system (CNS). Within each compartment, these phagocytes are exposed to unique combinations of niche signals and mechanical stimuli that instruct their tissue-specific identities. Whereas most CNS macrophages are tissue-embedded, the macrophages of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) system are bathed in an oscillating liquid. Studies using multiomics technologies have recently uncovered the transcriptomic and proteomic profiles of CSF macrophages, enhancing our understanding of their cellular characteristics in both rodents and humans. Here, we review the relationships between CNS macrophage populations, with a focus on the origins, phenotypes, and functions of CSF macrophages in health and disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A D Munro
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Kiavash Movahedi
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium.,Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Josef Priller
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.,Neuropsychiatry and Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin and DZNE, 10117 Berlin, Germany.,Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Wolf J, Lapp T, Reinhard T, Agostini H, Schlunck G, Lange C. [Web-based gene expression analysis-paving the way to decode healthy and diseased ocular tissue]. Ophthalmologe 2022; 119:929-936. [PMID: 35194679 PMCID: PMC8863098 DOI: 10.1007/s00347-022-01592-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene expression analysis using RNA sequencing has helped to improve the understanding of many diseases. Databases, such as the Gene Expression Omnibus database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information provide RNA sequencing raw data from various diseased tissue types but their analysis requires advanced bioinformatics skills. Therefore, specific ocular databases provide the transcriptional profiles of different ocular tissues and in addition enable intuitive web-based data analysis. OBJECTIVE The aim of this narrative review is to provide an overview of ocular transcriptome databases and to compare them with the Human Eye Transcriptome Atlas newly established in Freiburg. METHODS PubMed literature search. RESULTS A total of nine ocular transcriptome databases focusing on different aspects were identified. The iSyTE and Express platforms specialize in gene expression during lens and retinal development in mice, whereas retina.tigem.it, Eye in a Disk, and Spectacle focus on selected ocular tissues such as the retina. Spectacle, UCSC Cell Browser and Single Cell Portal allow intuitive exploration of single cell RNA sequencing data derived from retinal, choroid, cornea, iris, trabecular meshwork and sclera specimens. The microarray profiles of a variety of healthy ocular tissues are included in the Ocular Tissue Database. The Human Eye Transcriptome Atlas provides the largest collection of different ocular tissue types, contains the highest number of ocular diseases and is characterized by a high level of quality achieved by methodological consistency. CONCLUSION Ocular transcriptome databases provide comprehensive and intuitive insights into the transcriptional profiles of a variety of healthy and diseased ocular tissues. Thus, they improve our understanding of the underlying molecular mediators, support hypothesis generation and help in the search for new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for various ocular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Wolf
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland.
| | - Thabo Lapp
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland
| | - Thomas Reinhard
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland
| | - Hansjürgen Agostini
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland
| | - Günther Schlunck
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland
| | - Clemens Lange
- Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland. .,Ophtha-Lab, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital, Muenster, Muenster, Deutschland.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Wolf J, Schlecht A, Rosmus DD, Boneva S, Agostini H, Schlunck G, Wieghofer P, Lange C. Comparative transcriptome analysis of human and murine choroidal neovascularization identifies fibroblast growth factor inducible-14 as phylogenetically conserved mediator of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2022; 1868:166340. [PMID: 35032596 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visual outcome of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration has significantly improved during the last years following the introduction of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. However, about one third of patients show persistent exudation and decreasing visual acuity despite recurrent anti-VEGF treatment, which implies a role of other, still unknown proangiogenic mediators. METHODS The present study applied transcriptional profiling of human and mouse (C57BL/6J wildtype) choroidal neovascularization (CNV) membranes each with reference to healthy control tissue to identify yet unrecognized mediators of CNV formation. Key factors were further investigated by immunohistochemistry as well as by intravitreal inhibition experiments and multiplex protein assays in the laser-induced CNV mouse model. FINDINGS Transcriptional profiles of CNV membranes were characterized by enhanced activation of blood vessel development, cytoskeletal organization, and cytokine production, with angiogenesis and wound healing processes predominating in humans and activation of immune processes in mice. Besides several species-specific factors, 95 phylogenetically conserved CNV-associated genes were detected, among which fibroblast growth factor inducible-14 (FN14), a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family, was identified as a key player of CNV formation. Blocking the pathway by intravitreal injection of a FN14 decoy receptor modulated the cytokine profile - most notably IL-6 - and led to a significant reduction of CNV size in vivo. INTERPRETATION This study characterizes the transcriptome of human and mouse CNV membranes in an unprejudiced manner and identifies FN14 as a phylogenetically conserved mediator of CNV formation and a promising new therapeutic target for neovascular AMD. FUNDING This study was funded by the Helmut Ecker Foundation and the Volker Homann Foundation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Wolf
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Anja Schlecht
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Institute of Anatomy, Wuerzburg University, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | | | - Stefaniya Boneva
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Hansjürgen Agostini
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Günther Schlunck
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Peter Wieghofer
- Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany; Cellular Neuroanatomy, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Clemens Lange
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Ophtha-Lab, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Wieghofer P, Engelbert M, Chui TYP, Rosen RB, Sakamoto T, Sebag J. Hyalocyte origin, structure, and imaging. EXPERT REVIEW OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 2022; 17:233-248. [PMID: 36632192 PMCID: PMC9831111 DOI: 10.1080/17469899.2022.2100762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Hyalocytes have been recognized as resident tissue macrophages of the vitreous body since the mid-19th century. Despite this, knowledge about their origin, turnover, and dynamics is limited. Areas covered Historically, initial studies on the origin of hyalocytes used light and electron microscopy. Modern investigations across species including rodents and humans will be described. Novel imaging is now available to study human hyalocytes in vivo. The shared ontogeny with retinal microglia and their eventual interdependence as well as differences will be discussed. Expert opinion Owing to a common origin as myeloid cells, hyalocytes and retinal microglia have similarities, but hyalocytes appear to be distinct as resident macrophages of the vitreous body.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Wieghofer
- Cellular Neuroanatomy, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Universitätsstraße 2, 86159 Augsburg, Germany,Corresponding authors: Peter Wieghofer. , J Sebag.
| | - Michael Engelbert
- Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York, New York, NY 10022, USA.,LuEsther T. Mertz Retinal Research Center, Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Toco YP Chui
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Richard B Rosen
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Taiji Sakamoto
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - J Sebag
- Doheny Eye Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Clinical Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,VMR Institute for Vitreous Macula Retina, Huntington Beach, CA, USA.,Corresponding authors: Peter Wieghofer. , J Sebag.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Immunosenescence in Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV)-Transcriptional Profiling of Naïve and CNV-Associated Retinal Myeloid Cells during Aging. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413318. [PMID: 34948115 PMCID: PMC8707893 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413318] [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: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunosenescence is considered a possible factor in the development of age-related macular degeneration and choroidal neovascularization (CNV). However, age-related changes of myeloid cells (MCs), such as microglia and macrophages, in the healthy retina or during CNV formation are ill-defined. In this study, Cx3cr1-positive MCs were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting from six-week (young) and two-year-old (old) Cx3cr1GFP/+ mice, both during physiological aging and laser-induced CNV development. High-throughput RNA-sequencing was performed to define the age-dependent transcriptional differences in MCs during physiological aging and CNV development, complemented by immunohistochemical characterization and the quantification of MCs, as well as CNV size measurements. These analyses revealed that myeloid cells change their transcriptional profile during both aging and CNV development. In the steady state, senescent MCs demonstrated an upregulation of factors contributing to cell proliferation and chemotaxis, such as Cxcl13 and Cxcl14, as well as the downregulation of microglial signature genes. During CNV formation, aged myeloid cells revealed a significant upregulation of angiogenic factors such as Arg1 and Lrg1 concomitant with significantly enlarged CNV and an increased accumulation of MCs in aged mice in comparison to young mice. Future studies need to clarify whether this observation is an epiphenomenon or a causal relationship to determine the role of immunosenescence in CNV formation.
Collapse
|
41
|
Sankowski R, Monaco G, Prinz M. Evaluating microglial phenotypes using single-cell technologies. Trends Neurosci 2021; 45:133-144. [PMID: 34872773 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Recent single-cell technologies have enabled researchers to simultaneously assess the transcriptomes and other modalities of thousands of cells within their spatial context. Here, we have summarized available single-cell methods for dissociated tissues and tissue slides with respect to the specifics of microglial biology. We have focused on next-generation-based technologies. We review the potential of these single-cell sequencing methods and newer multiomics approaches to extend the understanding of microglia function beyond the status quo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roman Sankowski
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Berta-Ottenstein-Programme for Clinician Scientists, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Single-Cell Omics Platform Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gianni Monaco
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Single-Cell Omics Platform Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marco Prinz
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Rosmus DD, Wieghofer P. Guardians of the eye: new tales about retinal microglia and other ocular macrophages. Neural Regen Res 2021; 17:1275-1277. [PMID: 34782571 PMCID: PMC8643067 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.327335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
|
43
|
Langmann T. Cytokine signaling as key regulator of pathological angiogenesis in the eye. EBioMedicine 2021; 73:103662. [PMID: 34740107 PMCID: PMC8577337 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Langmann
- Laboratory for Experimental Immunology of the Eye, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, D-50931 Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, D-50931 Cologne, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Wang T, Zhou P, Xie X, Tomita Y, Cho S, Tsirukis D, Lam E, Luo HR, Sun Y. Myeloid lineage contributes to pathological choroidal neovascularization formation via SOCS3. EBioMedicine 2021; 73:103632. [PMID: 34688035 PMCID: PMC8546367 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103632] [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: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pathological neovascularization in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. Increasing evidence shows that cells of myeloid lineage play important roles in controlling pathological endothelium formation. Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) pathway has been linked to neovascularization. Methods We utilised a laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) mouse model to investigate the neovascular aspect of human AMD. In several cell lineage reporter mice, bone marrow chimeric mice and Socs3 loss-of-function (knockout) and gain-of-function (overexpression) mice, immunohistochemistry, confocal, and choroidal explant co-culture with bone marrow-derived macrophage medium were used to study the mechanisms underlying pathological CNV formation via myeloid SOCS3. Findings SOCS3 was significantly induced in myeloid lineage cells, which were recruited into the CNV lesion area. Myeloid Socs3 overexpression inhibited laser-induced CNV, reduced myeloid lineage-derived macrophage/microglia recruitment onsite, and attenuated pro-inflammatory factor expression. Moreover, SOCS3 in myeloid regulated vascular sprouting ex vivo in choroid explants and SOCS3 agonist reduced in vivo CNV. Interpretation These findings suggest that myeloid lineage cells contributed to pathological CNV formation regulated by SOCS3. Funding This project was funded by NIH/NEI (R01EY030140, R01EY029238), BrightFocus Foundation, American Health Assistance Foundation (AHAF), and Boston Children's Hospital Ophthalmology Foundation for YS and the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (U01HL098166) for PZ.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tianxi Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pingzhu Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xuemei Xie
- Division of Blood Bank, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yohei Tomita
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steve Cho
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Demetrios Tsirukis
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Enton Lam
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hongbo Robert Luo
- Division of Blood Bank, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Joint Program in Transfusion Medicine, Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ye Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Miller EB, Karlen SJ, Ronning KE, Burns ME. Tracking distinct microglia subpopulations with photoconvertible Dendra2 in vivo. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:235. [PMID: 34654439 PMCID: PMC8520240 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02285-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The ability to track individual immune cells within the central nervous system has revolutionized our understanding of the roles that microglia and monocytes play in synaptic maintenance, plasticity, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, distinguishing between similar subpopulations of mobile immune cells over time during episodes of neuronal death and tissue remodeling has proven to be challenging. Methods We recombineered a photoconvertible fluorescent protein (Dendra2; D2) downstream of the Cx3cr1 promoter commonly used to drive expression of fluorescent markers in microglia and monocytes. Like the popular Cx3cr1–GFP line (Cx3cr1+/GFP), naïve microglia in Cx3cr1–Dendra2 mice (Cx3cr1+/D2) fluoresce green and can be noninvasively imaged in vivo throughout the CNS. In addition, individual D2-expressing cells can be photoconverted, resulting in red fluorescence, and tracked unambiguously within a field of green non-photoconverted cells for several days in vivo. Results Dendra2-expressing retinal microglia were noninvasively photoconverted in both ex vivo and in vivo conditions. Local in vivo D2 photoconversion was sufficiently robust to quantify cell subpopulations by flow cytometry, and the protein was stable enough to survive tissue processing for immunohistochemistry. Simultaneous in vivo fluorescence imaging of Dendra2 and light scattering measurements (Optical Coherence Tomography, OCT) were used to assess responses of individual microglial cells to localized neuronal damage and to identify the infiltration of monocytes from the vasculature in response to large scale neurodegeneration. Conclusions The ability to noninvasively and unambiguously track D2-expressing microglia and monocytes in vivo through space and time makes the Cx3cr1–Dendra2 mouse model a powerful new tool for disentangling the roles of distinct immune cell subpopulations in neuroinflammation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-021-02285-x. New mouse for tracking microglia and all mononuclear phagocytes both ex and in vivo within the CNS over time. Dendra2 protein is stable enough to survive tissue processing for immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry quantification. Simultaneous fluorescence imaging of Dendra2 and light scattering measurements can be used to assess the immune response to retinal damage. Chronic in vivo imaging reveals mixed populations of microglia and monocytes during retinal degeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric B Miller
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, 1544 Newton Court, Davis, CA, 95618, USA
| | - Sarah J Karlen
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Kaitryn E Ronning
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, 1544 Newton Court, Davis, CA, 95618, USA
| | - Marie E Burns
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, 1544 Newton Court, Davis, CA, 95618, USA. .,Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA. .,Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Borst K, Dumas AA, Prinz M. Microglia: Immune and non-immune functions. Immunity 2021; 54:2194-2208. [PMID: 34644556 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 74.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
As resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS), microglia are associated with diverse functions essential to the developing and adult brain during homeostasis and disease. They are aided in their tasks by intricate bidirectional communication with other brain cells under steady-state conditions as well as with infiltrating peripheral immune cells during perturbations. Harmonious cell-cell communication involving microglia are considered crucial to maintain the healthy state of the tissue environment and to overcome pathology such as neuroinflammation. Analyses of such intercellular pathways have contributed to our understanding of the heterogeneous but context-associated microglial responses to environmental cues across neuropathology, including inflammatory conditions such as infections and autoimmunity, as well as immunosuppressive states as seen in brain tumors. Here, we summarize the latest evidence demonstrating how these interactions drive microglia immune and non-immune functions, which coordinate the transition from homeostatic to disease-related cellular states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Borst
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Anaelle Aurelie Dumas
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Marco Prinz
- Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Zhang P, Schlecht A, Wolf J, Boneva S, Laich Y, Koch J, Ludwig F, Boeck M, Thien A, Härdtner C, Kierdorf K, Agostini H, Schlunck G, Prinz M, Hilgendorf I, Wieghofer P, Lange C. The role of interferon regulatory factor 8 for retinal tissue homeostasis and development of choroidal neovascularisation. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:215. [PMID: 34544421 PMCID: PMC8454118 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02230-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microglia cells represent the resident innate immune cells of the retina and are important for retinal development and tissue homeostasis. However, dysfunctional microglia can have a negative impact on the structural and functional integrity of the retina under native and pathological conditions. METHODS In this study, we examined interferon-regulatory factor 8 (Irf8)-deficient mice to determine the transcriptional profile, morphology, and temporospatial distribution of microglia lacking Irf8 and to explore the effects on retinal development, tissue homeostasis, and formation of choroidal neovascularisation (CNV). RESULTS Our study shows that Irf8-deficient MG exhibit a considerable loss of microglial signature genes accompanied by a severely altered MG morphology. An in-depth characterisation by fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography and electroretinography revealed no major retinal abnormalities during steady state. However, in the laser-induced CNV model, Irf8-deficient microglia showed an increased activity of biological processes critical for inflammation and cell adhesion and a reduced MG cell density near the lesions, which was associated with significantly increased CNV lesion size. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that loss of Irf8 in microglia has negligible effects on retinal homeostasis in the steady state. However, under pathological conditions, Irf8 is crucial for the transformation of resident microglia into a reactive phenotype and thus for the suppression of retinal inflammation and CNV formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Zhang
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Anja Schlecht
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,Institute of Anatomy, Wuerzburg University, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Julian Wolf
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Stefaniya Boneva
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Yannik Laich
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Jana Koch
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Franziska Ludwig
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Myriam Boeck
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Adrian Thien
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Carmen Härdtner
- Cardiology and Angiology, University Heart Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, University Heart Center Freiburg Bad Krozingen, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Kierdorf
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,CIBSS-Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Medical Faculty, Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Hansjürgen Agostini
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Günther Schlunck
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Marco Prinz
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,Medical Faculty, Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Ingo Hilgendorf
- Cardiology and Angiology, University Heart Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.,Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, University Heart Center Freiburg Bad Krozingen, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Peter Wieghofer
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. .,Institute of Anatomy, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Clemens Lange
- Medical Faculty, Eye Center, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Guo M, Schwartz TD, Dunaief JL, Cui QN. Myeloid cells in retinal and brain degeneration. FEBS J 2021; 289:2337-2361. [PMID: 34478598 PMCID: PMC8891394 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Retinal inflammation underlies multiple prevalent ocular and neurological diseases. Similar inflammatory processes are observed in glaucomatous optic neuropathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, posterior uveitis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. In particular, human and animal studies have demonstrated the important role microglia/macrophages play in initiating and maintaining a pro-inflammatory environment in degenerative processes impacting vision. On the other hand, microglia have also been shown to have a protective role in multiple central nervous system diseases. Identifying the mechanisms underlying cell dysfunction and death is the first step toward developing novel therapeutics for these diseases impacting the central nervous system. In addition to reviewing recent key studies defining important mediators of retinal inflammation, with an emphasis on translational studies that bridge this research from bench to bedside, we also highlight a promising therapeutic class of medications, the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. Finally, we propose areas where additional research is necessary to identify mechanisms that can be modulated to shift the balance from a neurotoxic to a neuroprotective retinal environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Guo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Turner D Schwartz
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joshua L Dunaief
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qi N Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Subretinal fibrosis in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: current concepts, therapeutic avenues, and future perspectives. Cell Tissue Res 2021; 387:361-375. [PMID: 34477966 PMCID: PMC8975778 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-021-03514-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive, degenerative disease of the human retina which in its most aggressive form is associated with the formation of macular neovascularization (MNV) and subretinal fibrosis leading to irreversible blindness. MNVs contain blood vessels as well as infiltrating immune cells, myofibroblasts, and excessive amounts of extracellular matrix proteins such as collagens, fibronectin, and laminin which disrupts retinal function and triggers neurodegeneration. In the mammalian retina, damaged neurons cannot be replaced by tissue regeneration, and subretinal MNV and fibrosis persist and thus fuel degeneration and visual loss. This review provides an overview of subretinal fibrosis in neovascular AMD, by summarizing its clinical manifestations, exploring the current understanding of the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms and discussing potential therapeutic approaches to inhibit subretinal fibrosis in the future.
Collapse
|
50
|
Progranulin deficiency in Iba-1 + myeloid cells exacerbates choroidal neovascularization by perturbation of lysosomal function and abnormal inflammation. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:164. [PMID: 34304733 PMCID: PMC8310601 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02203-1] [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: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the principal cause of permanent blindness among elderly individuals worldwide. Chronic inflammation in the subretinal space is associated with a progression of exudative AMD. Progranulin (PGRN) is a growth factor secreted from myeloid cells and plays an important role in controlling the lysosomal function. A deficiency in PGRN leads to inflammation of the neurons in the central nervous system. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role played by PGRN in the size of the choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in laser-induced CNV mice. Methods CNVs were induced in C57BL/6J mice by laser photocoagulation of the retina. The expression of PGRN and the accumulation of Iba-1+ cells around the sites of the CNVs were determined. Grn−/−, Grn+/−, and Grn+/+ mice with laser-induced CNVs were also studied. To evaluate the effect of macrophages on the inflammation, we used a macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) in which the expression of PGRN was knocked down by RNA interference and peritoneal macrophages derived from Grn−/− and Grn+/+ mice. These cells were incubated under hypoxic conditions (1% O2). Results Iba-1+ myeloid cells migrated and accumulated in the photocoagulation-induced CNV areas, and the CNV lesions secreted high levels of PGRN in Grn+/+ mice. The size of the CNVs was larger in Grn−/− mice than in Grn+/− and Grn+/+ mice. In Grn−/− mice, the number of ocular-infiltrating Iba-1+ cells around the CNV was higher, and these cells produced more VEGF-A than the cells in the Grn+/+ mice. PGRN-silencing of RAW264.7 cells led to abnormal activation of the cells. In addition, hypoxic conditions promoted the production of proangiogenic and proinflammatory cytokines from PGRN-deficient macrophages. Interestingly, the expression level of lysosome-associated proteins and the number of activated lysosomes increased in PGRN-deficient macrophages. Conclusions These findings indicate that PGRN deficiency in Iba-1+ cells activates the lysosomal function that then leads to abnormal inflammation. The aberrant activation of Iba-1+ myeloid cells might contribute to the progression of the CNV and the regulation of these cells might be a novel therapeutic target for exudative AMD. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-021-02203-1.
Collapse
|