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Tan J, Cai S, Luo X, Li Q, Chen Y, Chen Z, Mao Y, Liu G, Yang M, Liu X. Stop codon variant in EFEMP1 is associated with primary open-angle glaucoma due to impaired regulation of aqueous humor outflow. Exp Eye Res 2024; 241:109859. [PMID: 38467175 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109859] [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: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
It is known that the actin cytoskeleton and its associated cellular interactions in the trabecular meshwork (TM) and juxtacanalicular tissues mainly contribute to the formation of resistance to aqueous outflow of the eye. Fibulin-3, encoded by EFEMP1 gene, has a role in extracellular matrix (ECM) modulation, and interacts with enzymatic ECM regulators, but the effects of fibulin-3 on TM cells has not been explored. Here, we report a stop codon variant (c.T1480C, p.X494Q) of EFEMP1 that co-segregates with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) in a Chinese pedigree. In the human TM cells, overexpression of wild-type fibulin-3 reduced intracellular actin stress fibers formation and the extracellular fibronectin levels by inhibiting Rho/ROCK signaling. TGFβ1 up-regulated fibulin-3 protein levels in human TM cells by activating Rho/ROCK signaling. In rat eyes, overexpression of wild-type fibulin-3 decreased the intraocular pressure and the fibronectin expression of TM, however, overexpression of mutant fibulin-3 (c.T1480C, p.X494Q) showed opposite effects in cells and rat eyes. Taken together, the EFEMP1 variant may impair the regulatory capacity of fibulin-3 which has a role for modulating the cell contractile activity and ECM synthesis in TM cells, and in turn may maintain normal resistance of aqueous humor outflow. This study contributes to the understanding of the important role of fibulin-3 in TM pathophysiology and provides a new possible POAG therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junkai Tan
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen Research Center for Eye Diseases and Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Xiamen, 361000, Fujian, China
| | - Suping Cai
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen Research Center for Eye Diseases and Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Xiamen, 361000, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaolin Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanbing Chen
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen Research Center for Eye Diseases and Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Xiamen, 361000, Fujian, China
| | - Zijie Chen
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen Research Center for Eye Diseases and Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Xiamen, 361000, Fujian, China
| | - Yukai Mao
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen Research Center for Eye Diseases and Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Xiamen, 361000, Fujian, China
| | - Guo Liu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Mingming Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xuyang Liu
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen Research Center for Eye Diseases and Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Xiamen, 361000, Fujian, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China.
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Youngblood H, Schoenlein PV, Pasquale LR, Stamer WD, Liu Y. Estrogen dysregulation, intraocular pressure, and glaucoma risk. Exp Eye Res 2023; 237:109725. [PMID: 37956940 PMCID: PMC10842791 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109725] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Characterized by optic nerve atrophy due to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death, glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Of the major risk factors for glaucoma (age, ocular hypertension, and genetics), only elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is modifiable, which is largely regulated by aqueous humor outflow through the trabecular meshwork. Glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone have long been known to elevate IOP and lead to glaucoma. However, several recent studies have reported that steroid hormone estrogen levels inversely correlate with glaucoma risk, and that variants in estrogen signaling genes have been associated with glaucoma. As a result, estrogen dysregulation may contribute to glaucoma pathogenesis, and estrogen signaling may protect against glaucoma. The mechanism for estrogen-related protection against glaucoma is not completely understood but likely involves both regulation of IOP homeostasis and neuroprotection of RGCs. Based upon its known activities, estrogen signaling may promote IOP homeostasis by affecting extracellular matrix turnover, focal adhesion assembly, actin stress fiber formation, mechanosensation, and nitric oxide production. In addition, estrogen receptors in the RGCs may mediate neuroprotective functions. As a result, the estrogen signaling pathway may offer a therapeutic target for both IOP control and neuroprotection. This review examines the evidence for a relationship between estrogen and IOP and explores the possible mechanisms by which estrogen maintains IOP homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Youngblood
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Patricia V Schoenlein
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA; Department of Radiology and Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA; Department of Surgery, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Louis R Pasquale
- Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - W Daniel Stamer
- Department of Ophthalmology and Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yutao Liu
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA; James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA; Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA.
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De Angelis F, Zeleznik OA, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Tylee DS, De Lillo A, Koller D, Cabrera-Mendoza B, Clifford RE, Maihofer AX, Nievergelt CM, Curhan GC, Curhan SG, Polimanti R. Sex differences in the polygenic architecture of hearing problems in adults. Genome Med 2023; 15:36. [PMID: 37165447 PMCID: PMC10173489 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-023-01186-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hearing problems (HP) in adults are common and are associated with several comorbid conditions. Its prevalence increases with age, reflecting the cumulative effect of environmental factors and genetic predisposition. Although several risk loci have been already identified, HP biology and epidemiology are still insufficiently investigated by large-scale genetic studies. METHODS Leveraging the UK Biobank, the Nurses' Health Studies (I and II), the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, and the Million Veteran Program, we conducted a comprehensive genome-wide investigation of HP in 748,668 adult participants (discovery N = 501,825; replication N = 226,043; cross-ancestry replication N = 20,800). We leveraged the GWAS findings to characterize HP polygenic architecture, exploring sex differences, polygenic risk across ancestries, tissue-specific transcriptomic regulation, cause-effect relationships with genetically correlated traits, and gene interactions with HP environmental risk factors. RESULTS We identified 54 risk loci and demonstrated that HP polygenic risk is shared across ancestry groups. Our transcriptomic regulation analysis highlighted the potential role of the central nervous system in HP pathogenesis. The sex-stratified analyses showed several additional associations related to peripheral hormonally regulated tissues reflecting a potential role of estrogen in hearing function. This evidence was supported by the multivariate interaction analysis that showed how genes involved in brain development interact with sex, noise pollution, and tobacco smoking in relation to their HP associations. Additionally, the genetically informed causal inference analysis showed that HP is linked to many physical and mental health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The results provide many novel insights into the biology and epidemiology of HP in adults. Our sex-specific analyses and transcriptomic associations highlighted molecular pathways that may be targeted for drug development or repurposing. Additionally, the potential causal relationships identified may support novel preventive screening programs to identify individuals at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio De Angelis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, USA
- Veteran Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Oana A Zeleznik
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Frank R Wendt
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, USA
- Veteran Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Gita A Pathak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, USA
- Veteran Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Daniel S Tylee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, USA
- Veteran Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Antonella De Lillo
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Dora Koller
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, USA
- Veteran Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Brenda Cabrera-Mendoza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, USA
- Veteran Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Royce E Clifford
- Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Research Service, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Adam X Maihofer
- Research Service, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Caroline M Nievergelt
- Research Service, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Gary C Curhan
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sharon G Curhan
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Veteran Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
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Madjedi KM, Stuart KV, Chua SYL, Foster PJ, Strouthidis NG, Luben RN, Warwick AN, Kang JH, Wiggs JL, Pasquale LR, Khawaja AP. The Association of Female Reproductive Factors with Glaucoma and Related Traits: A Systematic Review. Ophthalmol Glaucoma 2022; 5:628-647. [PMID: 35691565 PMCID: PMC10051419 DOI: 10.1016/j.ogla.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
TOPIC This systematic review summarizes evidence for associations between female reproductive factors (age at menarche, parity, oral contraceptive [OC] use, age at menopause, and postmenopausal hormone [PMH] use) and intraocular pressure (IOP) or open-angle glaucoma (OAG). CLINICAL RELEVANCE Understanding the associations between female reproductive factors and glaucoma may shed light on the disease pathogenesis and aid clinical prediction and personalized treatment strategies. Importantly, some factors are modifiable, which may lead to new therapies. METHODS Two reviewers independently extracted articles in MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases to identify relevant studies. Eligibility criteria included studies with human subjects aged > 18 years; a measured outcome of either IOP or OAG; a cohort, case-control, cross-sectional, or randomized controlled trial design; a reported measure of association, such as the hazard ratio, relative risk, odds ratio, or mean difference, with an associated confidence interval; and a measured exposure of at least 1 of the following variables: age at menarche, parity, OC use, age at menopause, or PMH use. RESULTS We included a total of 27 studies. Substantial differences in study designs, exposure and treatment levels, treatment durations, and variable reporting precluded a meaningful quantitative synthesis of the identified studies. Overall, relatively consistent associations between PMH use and a lower IOP were identified. Estrogen-only PMH use may be associated with lower OAG risk, which may be modified by race. No significant associations were found with combined estrogen-and-progesterone PMH use. No strong associations between parity or age at menarche and glaucoma were found, but a younger age at menopause was associated with an increased glaucoma risk, and adverse associations were identified with a longer duration of OC use, though no overall association with OC use was found. CONCLUSIONS The association between PMH use and lower IOP or OAG risk is a potentially clinically relevant and modifiable risk factor and should be investigated further, although this needs to be interpreted in the context of a high risk of bias across included studies. Future research should examine associations with IOP specifically and how the relationship between genetic factors and OAG risks may be influenced by female reproductive factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kian M Madjedi
- National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust & University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Kelsey V Stuart
- National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust & University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon Y L Chua
- National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust & University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul J Foster
- National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust & University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas G Strouthidis
- National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust & University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert N Luben
- National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust & University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom; Medical Research Council, Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jae H Kang
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Janey L Wiggs
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Louis R Pasquale
- Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Anthony P Khawaja
- National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust & University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
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Liu K, Fan H, Hu H, Cheng Y, Liu J, You Z. Genetic variation reveals the influence of steroid hormones on the risk of retinal neurodegenerative diseases. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1088557. [PMID: 36704044 PMCID: PMC9871487 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1088557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
It is difficult to get evidence from randomized trials of a causal relationship between steroid hormones produced by the adrenal gland and gonad and retinal neurodegenerative disorders (RND). In this study, genetic variations of aldosterone (Aldo), androstenedione (A4), progesterone (P4), hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), and testosterone/17β-estradiol (T/E2) were obtained from genome-wide association studies as instrumental variables. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was used to assess the impact on the risk of RND, including glaucoma (8,591 cases and 210,201 controls), diabetic retinopathy (DR, 14,584 cases and 202,082 controls) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD, 14,034 cases and 91,214 controls). As the main method, inverse variance weighted results suggest that the increased glaucoma risk was affected by T/E2 (OR = 1.11, 95% CI, 1.01-1.22, P = 0.03), which was further validated by other methods (PWM = 0.03, PMLE = 0.03, PMR-RAPS = 0.03). In the replicated stage, the causal relationship between T/E2 and glaucoma was verified based on the MRC-IEU consortium (P = 0.04). No impact of Aldo, A4, P4, 17-OHP, and T/E2 was observed for the risk of DR (P > 0.05) and AMD (P > 0.05). The heterogeneity test (P > 0.05) and pleiotropy test (P > 0.05) verified the robustness of the results. Our results suggest that T/E2 has a suggestive effect on the glaucoma risk. However, the genetic evidence based on a large sample does not support the effect of steroid hormones on DR and AMD risk. Further studies are vital to assess the possibility of steroid hormones as targets for prevention and treatment.
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