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Ding Y, Chen L, Xu J, Feng Y, Liu Q. APAF1 Silencing Ameliorates Diabetic Retinopathy by Suppressing Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Caspase-3/GSDME-Dependent Pyroptosis. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2024; 17:1635-1649. [PMID: 38616988 PMCID: PMC11016255 DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s449049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Diabetic retinopathy (DR) can cause permanent blindness with unstated pathogenesis. We aim to find novel biomarkers and explore the mechanism of apoptotic protease activating factor 1 (APAF1) in DR. Methods Differential expression genes (DEGs) were screened based on GSE60436 dataset to find hub genes involved in pyroptosis after comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. DR mice model was constructed by streptozotocin injection. The pathological structure of retina was observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to assess inflammatory factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and oxidative stress. The mRNA and protein expression levels were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase-chain reaction and Western blot. Cell counting kit and flow cytometry were employed to detect proliferation and apoptosis in high glucose-induced ARPE-19 cells. Results Total 71 pyroptosis-related DEGs were screened. BIRC2, CXCL8, APAF1, PPARG, TP53, and CYCS were identified as hub genes of DR. APAF1 was selected as a potential regulator of DR, which was up-regulated in DR mice. APAF1 silencing alleviated retinopathy and inhibited pyroptosis in DR mice with decreased levels of inflammatory factors, VEGF, and oxidative stress. Moreover, APAF1 silencing promoted proliferation while inhibiting apoptosis and caspase-3/GSDME-dependent pyroptosis with a decrease in TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-18, and lactate dehydrogenase in high glucose-induced ARPE-19 cells. Additionally, caspase-3 activator reversed the promotion effect on proliferation and inhibitory effect on apoptosis and pyroptosis after APAF1 silencing in high glucose-induced ARPE-19 cells. Conclusion APAF1 is a novel biomarker for DR and APAF1 silencing inhibits the development of DR by suppressing caspase-3/GSDME-dependent pyroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Ding
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Linjiang Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuhan Feng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiong Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
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2
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Yuan C, Gerhards L, Solov'yov IA, Dedek K. Biotin-cGMP and -cAMP are able to permeate through the gap junctions of some amacrine cells in the mouse retina despite their large size. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2024; 3:1334602. [PMID: 38983094 PMCID: PMC11182161 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2023.1334602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Gap junctions transmit electrical signals in neurons and serve metabolic coupling and chemical communication. Gap junctions are made of intercellular channels with large pores, allowing ions and small molecules to permeate. In the mammalian retina, intercellular coupling fulfills many vital functions in visual signal processing but is also implicated in promoting cell death after insults, such as excitotoxicity or hypoxia. Conversely, some studies also suggested a role for retinal gap junctions in neuroprotection. Recently, gap junctions were also advocated as conduits for therapeutic drug delivery in neurodegenerative disorders. This requires the permeation of rather large molecules through retinal gap junctions. However, the permeability of retinal networks for molecules >0.6 kDa has not been tested systematically. Here, we used the cut-loading method and probed gap junctional networks in the mouse retina for their permeability to cGMP and cAMP coupled to Biotin, using the well-characterized tracer Neurobiotin as control. Biotin-cGMP and -cAMP have a molecular weight of >0.8 kDa. We show that they cannot pass the gap junctions of horizontal cells but can permeate through the gap junctions of specific amacrine cells in the inner retina. These amacrine cells do not comprise AII amacrine cells and nitric oxide-releasing amacrine cells but some unknown type. In summary, we show that some retinal gap junctions are large enough to let molecules >0.8 kDa pass, making the intercellular delivery of therapeutic agents - already successfully exploited, for example, in cancer - also feasible in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxu Yuan
- Animal Navigation, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Luca Gerhards
- Institute of Physics, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Ilia A Solov'yov
- Institute of Physics, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- CeNaD - Center for Nanoscale Dynamics, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Karin Dedek
- Animal Navigation, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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3
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Liu J, He Y, Lavoie A, Bouvier G, Liu BH. A direction-selective cortico-brainstem pathway adaptively modulates innate behaviors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8467. [PMID: 38123558 PMCID: PMC10733370 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42910-2] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory cortices modulate innate behaviors through corticofugal projections targeting phylogenetically-old brainstem nuclei. However, the principles behind the functional connectivity of these projections remain poorly understood. Here, we show that in mice visual cortical neurons projecting to the optic-tract and dorsal-terminal nuclei (NOT-DTN) possess distinct response properties and anatomical connectivity, supporting the adaption of an essential innate eye movement, the optokinetic reflex (OKR). We find that these corticofugal neurons are enriched in specific visual areas, and they prefer temporo-nasal visual motion, matching the direction bias of downstream NOT-DTN neurons. Remarkably, continuous OKR stimulation selectively enhances the activity of these temporo-nasally biased cortical neurons, which can efficiently promote OKR plasticity. Lastly, we demonstrate that silencing downstream NOT-DTN neurons, which project specifically to the inferior olive-a key structure in oculomotor plasticity, impairs the cortical modulation of OKR and OKR plasticity. Our results unveil a direction-selective cortico-brainstem pathway that adaptively modulates innate behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiashu Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Yingtian He
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Andreanne Lavoie
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Guy Bouvier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, 91400, Saclay, France
| | - Bao-Hua Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5, Canada.
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4
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Umar MS, Ibrahim BM. Vitamin A and vitamin D3 protect the visual apparatus during the development of dopamine-2 receptor knockout mouse model of Parkinsonism. JOURNAL OF COMPLEMENTARY & INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2023; 20:577-589. [PMID: 37311120 DOI: 10.1515/jcim-2023-0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Dopamine-related movement disorders are associated with a loss of visual acuity. Studies have shown that chemical stimulation of the vitamin D3 receptor (VDR) ameliorates movement disorders; however, the chemical stimulation is not effective when there is a deficiency of vitamin A in the cells. In the study, we examine the role of VDR and its interplay with vitamin A in impaired visual function in the dopamine deficit model. METHODS Thirty (30) male mice with an average weight of 26 g ± (2) were divided into six group (NS,-D2,-D2 + VD D2 + VD, -D2 + VA, -D2 + (VD + VA) and -D2 + D2 groups). Dopamine deficit models of movement disorders were created using 15 mg/kg of haloperidol (-D2) injected intraperitoneally daily for 21 days. In the -D2 + (VD + VA) group, 800 IU/day of vitamin D3 (VD) and 1000 IU/day of vitamin A were concurrently used, while in the -D2 + D2 group, bromocriptine (+D2) was used as the standard treatment of the model. At the end of the treatment phase, the animals were subjected to visual water box test for visual acuity. The level of oxidative stress was measured using Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the retina and visual cortex. The level of cytotoxicity in these tissues was measured using Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, while the structural integrity of these tissues was assessed using a light microscope by assessing slide mounted sections that were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. RESULTS A significant decline in time taken to reach the escape platform in the visual water box test was observed in the -D2 (p<0.005) and -D2 + D2 (p<0.05) group. In the retina and the visual cortex, a significant increase in LDH, MDA and the density of degenerating neurons was observed in the -D2 and -D2 + D2 groups. LDH level in the retina was also found to be significantly increased in (-D2 + VD, -D2 + VA, -D2 + (VD + VA). A Significant decrease in SOD was found in the retina and visual cortex of -D2 and -D2 + D2 group. In the histology of the retina, thinning of the retina, retinal fold, distortion and retinal detachment were all seen in the -D2 group. These structural alterations were not seen in other groups. Histological hallmarks of degeneration were observed in the visual cortex of the mice from the -D2 (p<0.001), -D2 + D2 (p<0.005) and -D2 + VD (p<0.05) groups only. CONCLUSIONS Dopamine-deficient models of movement disorders are associated with loss of visual functions, especially due to thinning of the retina, retinal fold, retinal detachment, and neurodegeneration in the visual cortex. Supplementation during the development of the model with vitamin D3 and vitamin A prevented the deterioration of the retina and visual cortex by reducing the degree of oxidative stress and cytotoxicity.
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5
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Jain V, Liang PJM, Raja S, Mikhael M, Cameron MA. Light activation of the dopaminergic system occurs after eye-opening in the mouse retina. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2023; 3:1184627. [PMID: 38983102 PMCID: PMC11182289 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2023.1184627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
The neuromodulator dopamine plays a significant role in light adaptation, eye growth, and modulation of neuronal circuitry in the retina. Dopaminergic amacrine cells in the adult retina release dopamine in response to light stimulation, however, the light-induced activity of these cells in during postnatal development is not known. We assessed the activity of dopaminergic amacrine cells in the retina response to a light pulse in C57BL/6 wild-type animals across various postnatal ages. Expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in dopaminergic amacrine cells was apparent from postnatal day 3 (P3) and restricted to the dorso-temporal region; by P8 TH+ cells were uniformly distributed across the retina. TH cell density increased until P8 and then markedly decreased by P10 to then remain at this density into adulthood. Light-induced c-fos expression was observed in all light-pulsed retinae, however, no c-fos was ever found to be co-localised with TH prior to P12. At P14, one day after eye opening, 100% of TH cells co-localised with c-fos and this was maintained for all older ages analysed. Dopamine and its primary metabolite DOPAC were measured in the vitreous of animals P8-P30. Both analytes were found in the vitreous at all ages, however, a significant difference in dopamine concentration between dark and light-pulsed animals was only observed at P30. DOPAC concentration was found to be significantly light-induced from P16, and the amplitude of this difference increased over time. Our data suggests that dopaminergic cell activation and light-induced dopamine release in the retina is primarily driven by classical photoreceptors after eye-opening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vrinda Jain
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Sushmitha Raja
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Meena Mikhael
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Morven A. Cameron
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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6
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Gupta D, Młynarski W, Sumser A, Symonova O, Svatoň J, Joesch M. Panoramic visual statistics shape retina-wide organization of receptive fields. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:606-614. [PMID: 36959418 PMCID: PMC10076217 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01280-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Statistics of natural scenes are not uniform-their structure varies dramatically from ground to sky. It remains unknown whether these nonuniformities are reflected in the large-scale organization of the early visual system and what benefits such adaptations would confer. Here, by relying on the efficient coding hypothesis, we predict that changes in the structure of receptive fields across visual space increase the efficiency of sensory coding. Using the mouse (Mus musculus) as a model species, we show that receptive fields of retinal ganglion cells change their shape along the dorsoventral retinal axis, with a marked surround asymmetry at the visual horizon, in agreement with our predictions. Our work demonstrates that, according to principles of efficient coding, the panoramic structure of natural scenes is exploited by the retina across space and cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyansh Gupta
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Wiktor Młynarski
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Anton Sumser
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
- Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology, LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Olga Symonova
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Jan Svatoň
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Maximilian Joesch
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria.
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7
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Pang J, Thomas N, Tsuchiya D, Parmely T, Yan D, Xie T, Wang Y. Step-by-step preparation of mouse eye sections for routine histology, immunofluorescence, and RNA in situ hybridization multiplexing. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100879. [PMID: 34806041 PMCID: PMC8585658 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
It can be challenging to maintain tissue integrity using established histology protocols. Here, we describe a protocol composed of Hartman's fixation, window technique, microwave-based tissue processing, optimized depigmentation, and antigen retrieval pretreatment. This is followed by the ViewRNA single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence techniques to optimize routine histological staining and molecular histology multiplexing assays. Our protocol is highly reproducible in any laboratory and may decrease animal usage and lab resource expenditure. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Pang et al. (2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Pang
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 East 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Nancy Thomas
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 East 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Dai Tsuchiya
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 East 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Tari Parmely
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 East 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Deyue Yan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ting Xie
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 East 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Yongfu Wang
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 East 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
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8
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Vatan T, Minehart JA, Zhang C, Agarwal V, Yang J, Speer CM. Volumetric super-resolution imaging by serial ultrasectioning and stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy in mouse neural tissue. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100971. [PMID: 34901889 PMCID: PMC8637648 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we present a protocol for collecting large-volume, four-color, single-molecule localization imaging data from neural tissue. We have applied this technique to map the location and identities of chemical synapses across whole cells in mouse retinae. Our sample preparation approach improves 3D STORM image quality by reducing tissue scattering, photobleaching, and optical distortions associated with deep imaging. This approach can be extended for use on other tissue types enabling life scientists to perform volumetric super-resolution imaging in diverse biological models. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sigal et al. (2015).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarlan Vatan
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Jacqueline A. Minehart
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Chenghang Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Vatsal Agarwal
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Jerry Yang
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Colenso M. Speer
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Brain and Behavior Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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9
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Retinal ganglion cell loss in an ex vivo mouse model of optic nerve cut is prevented by curcumin treatment. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:394. [PMID: 34911931 PMCID: PMC8674341 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00760-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss is a pathologic feature common to several retinopathies associated to optic nerve damage, leading to visual loss and blindness. Although several scientific efforts have been spent to understand the molecular and cellular changes occurring in retinal degeneration, an effective therapy to counteract the retinal damage is still not available. Here we show that eyeballs, enucleated with the concomitant optic nerve cut (ONC), when kept in PBS for 24 h showed retinal and optic nerve degeneration. Examining retinas and optic nerves at different time points in a temporal window of 24 h, we found a thinning of some retinal layers especially RGC's layer, observing a powerful RGC loss after 24 h correlated with an apoptotic, MAPKs and degradative pathways dysfunctions. Specifically, we detected a time-dependent increase of Caspase-3, -9 and pro-apoptotic marker levels, associated with a strong reduction of BRN3A and NeuN levels. Importantly, a powerful activation of JNK, c-Jun, and ERK signaling (MAPKs) were observed, correlated with a significant augmented SUMO-1 and UBC9 protein levels. The degradation signaling pathways was also altered, causing a significant decrease of ubiquitination level and an increased LC3B activation. Notably, it was also detected an augmented Tau protein level. Curcumin, a powerful antioxidant natural compound, prevented the alterations of apoptotic cascade, MAPKs, and SUMO-1 pathways and the degradation system, preserving the RGC survival and the retinal layer thickness. This ex vivo retinal degeneration model could be a useful method to study, in a short time window, the effect of neuroprotective tools like curcumin that could represent a potential treatment to contrast retinal cell death.
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10
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Camerino MJ, Engerbretson IJ, Fife PA, Reynolds NB, Berria MH, Doyle JR, Clemons MR, Gencarella MD, Borghuis BG, Fuerst PG. OFF bipolar cell density varies by subtype, eccentricity, and along the dorsal ventral axis in the mouse retina. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:1911-1925. [PMID: 33135176 PMCID: PMC8009814 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The neural retina is organized along central-peripheral, dorsal-ventral, and laminar planes. Cellular density and distributions vary along the central-peripheral and dorsal-ventral axis in species including primates, mice, fish, and birds. Differential distribution of cell types within the retina is associated with sensitivity to different types of damage that underpin major retinal diseases, including macular degeneration and glaucoma. Normal variation in retinal distribution remains unreported for multiple cell types in widely used research models, including mouse. Here we map the distribution of all known OFF bipolar cell (BC) populations and horizontal cells. We report significant variation in the distribution of OFF BC populations and horizontal cells along the dorsal-ventral and central-peripheral axes of the retina. Distribution patterns are much more pronounced for some populations of OFF BC cells than others and may correspond to the cell type's specialized functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Camerino
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Ian J Engerbretson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Parker A Fife
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Nathan B Reynolds
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Mikel H Berria
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Jamie R Doyle
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Mellisa R Clemons
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Michael D Gencarella
- WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Bart G Borghuis
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisille, Kentuky, USA
| | - Peter G Fuerst
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
- WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Moscow, Idaho, USA
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11
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Van Hook MJ, Monaco C, Bierlein ER, Smith JC. Neuronal and Synaptic Plasticity in the Visual Thalamus in Mouse Models of Glaucoma. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:626056. [PMID: 33584206 PMCID: PMC7873902 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.626056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeostatic plasticity plays important role in regulating synaptic and intrinsic neuronal function to stabilize output following perturbations to circuit activity. In glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease of the visual system commonly associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), the early disease is associated with altered synaptic inputs to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), changes in RGC intrinsic excitability, and deficits in optic nerve transport and energy metabolism. These early functional changes can precede RGC degeneration and are likely to alter RGC outputs to their target structures in the brain and thereby trigger homeostatic changes in synaptic and neuronal properties in those brain regions. In this study, we sought to determine whether and how neuronal and synaptic function is altered in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), an important RGC projection target in the thalamus, and how functional changes related to IOP. We accomplished this using patch-clamp recordings from thalamocortical (TC) relay neurons in the dLGN in two established mouse models of glaucoma—the DBA/2J (D2) genetic mouse model and an inducible glaucoma model with intracameral microbead injections to elevate IOP. We found that the intrinsic excitability of TC neurons was enhanced in D2 mice and these functional changes were mirrored in recordings of TC neurons from microbead-injected mice. Notably, many neuronal properties were correlated with IOP in older D2 mice, when IOP rises. The frequency of miniature excitatory synaptic currents (mEPSCs) was reduced in 9-month-old D2 mice, and vGlut2 staining of RGC synaptic terminals was reduced in an IOP-dependent manner. These data suggest that glaucoma-associated changes to neuronal excitability and synaptic inputs in the dLGN might represent a combination of both stabilizing/homeostatic plasticity and pathological dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Van Hook
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.,Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Corrine Monaco
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Olson Center for Women's Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Elizabeth R Bierlein
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Jennie C Smith
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
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12
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Bhandari A, Smith JC, Zhang Y, Jensen AA, Reid L, Goeser T, Fan S, Ghate D, Van Hook MJ. Early-Stage Ocular Hypertension Alters Retinal Ganglion Cell Synaptic Transmission in the Visual Thalamus. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:426. [PMID: 31607867 PMCID: PMC6761307 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Axonopathy is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases including glaucoma, where elevated intraocular pressure (ocular hypertension, OHT) stresses retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons as they exit the eye and form the optic nerve. OHT causes early changes in the optic nerve such as axon atrophy, transport inhibition, and gliosis. Importantly, many of these changes appear to occur prior to irreversible neuronal loss, making them promising points for early diagnosis of glaucoma. It is unknown whether OHT has similarly early effects on the function of RGC output to the brain. To test this possibility, we elevated eye pressure in mice by anterior chamber injection of polystyrene microbeads. Five weeks post-injection, bead-injected eyes showed a modest RGC loss in the peripheral retina, as evidenced by RBPMS antibody staining. Additionally, we observed reduced dendritic complexity and lower spontaneous spike rate of On-αRGCs, targeted for patch clamp recording and dye filling using a Opn4-Cre reporter mouse line. To determine the influence of OHT on retinal projections to the brain, we expressed Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in melanopsin-expressing RGCs by crossing the Opn4-Cre mouse line with a ChR2-reporter mouse line and recorded post-synaptic responses in thalamocortical relay neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the thalamus evoked by stimulation with 460 nm light. The use of a Opn4-Cre reporter system allowed for expression of ChR2 in a narrow subset of RGCs responsible for image-forming vision in mice. Five weeks following OHT induction, paired pulse and high-frequency stimulus train experiments revealed that presynaptic vesicle release probability at retinogeniculate synapses was elevated. Additionally, miniature synaptic current frequency was slightly reduced in brain slices from OHT mice and proximal dendrites of post-synaptic dLGN relay neurons, assessed using a Sholl analysis, showed a reduced complexity. Strikingly, these changes occurred prior to major loss of RGCs labeled with the Opn4-Cre mouse, as indicated by immunofluorescence staining of ChR2-expressing retinal neurons. Thus, OHT leads to pre- and post-synaptic functional and structural changes at retinogeniculate synapses. Along with RGC dendritic remodeling and optic nerve transport changes, these retinogeniculate synaptic changes are among the earliest signs of glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Bhandari
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Jennie C Smith
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.,Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Aaron A Jensen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Lisa Reid
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Toni Goeser
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Shan Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Deepta Ghate
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Matthew J Van Hook
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
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13
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Wan Y, Liu X, Zheng D, Wang Y, Chen H, Zhao X, Liang G, Yu D, Gan L. Systematic identification of intergenic long-noncoding RNAs in mouse retinas using full-length isoform sequencing. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:559. [PMID: 31286854 PMCID: PMC6615288 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5903-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A great mass of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified in mouse genome and increasing evidences in the last decades have revealed their crucial roles in diverse biological processes. Nevertheless, the biological roles of lncRNAs in the mouse retina remains largely unknown due to the lack of a comprehensive annotation of lncRNAs expressed in the retina. Results In this study, we applied the long-reads sequencing strategy to unravel the transcriptomes of developing mouse retinas and identified a total of 940 intergenic lncRNAs (lincRNAs) in embryonic and neonatal retinas, including about 13% of them were transcribed from unannotated gene loci. Subsequent analysis revealed that function of lincRNAs expressed in mouse retinas were closely related to the physiological roles of this tissue, including 90 lincRNAs that were differentially expressed after the functional loss of key regulators of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) differentiation. In situ hybridization results demonstrated the enrichment of three class IV POU-homeobox genes adjacent lincRNAs (linc-3a, linc-3b and linc-3c) in ganglion cell layer and indicated they were potentially RGC-specific. Conclusions In summary, this study systematically annotated the lincRNAs expressed in embryonic and neonatal mouse retinas and implied their crucial regulatory roles in retinal development such as RGC differentiation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5903-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wan
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyang Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Yuying Wang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huan Chen
- Key Laboratory of microbiological technology and Bioinformatics in Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhao
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guoqing Liang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dongliang Yu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China. .,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Lin Gan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Flaum Eye Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA.
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