Lentiviral-mediated growth-associated protein-43 modification of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells improves traumatic optic neuropathy in rats

Molecular-Physiological Aspects of Regulatory Effect of Peptide Retinoprotectors

Retinal diseases were always difficult problem for clinical ophthalmology. Modern methods of their treatment only decrease risk of complications, however in Russia was created better technology for this purpose: peptide bioregulators, which were made by sequential adding of amino acids one to another, binding with the promoter region of genes, and promoting retinoprotective effect by regulation of their expression, improving the state of the retina.

A Promising Tool in Retina Regeneration: Current Perspectives and Challenges When Using Mesenchymal Progenitor Stem Cells in Veterinary and Human Ophthalmological Applications

Visual impairment is a common ailment of the current world population, with more exposure to CCD screens and fluorescent lighting, approximately 285 billion people suffer from this deficiency and 13% of those are considered clinically blind. More common causes for visual impairment include age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy (Zhu et al. Molecular Medicine Reports, 2015; Kolb et al. 2007; Machalińska et al. Current Eye Research, 34(9),748-760, 2009) among a few. As cases of retinal and optic nerve diseases rise, it is vital to find a treatment, which has led to investigation of the therapeutic potential of various stem cells types (Bull et al. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 50(9), 4244, 2009; Bull et al. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 49(8), 3449, 2008; Yu et al. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 344(4), 1071-1079, 2006; Na et al. Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, 247(4), 503-514, 2008). In previous studies, some of the stem cell variants used include human Muller SCs and bone marrow derived SCs. Some of the regenerative potential characteristics of mesenchymal progenitor stem cells (MSCs) include their multilineage differentiation potential, their immunomodulatory effects, their high proliferative activity, they can be easily cultured in vitro, and finally their potential to synthesize and secrete membrane derived vesicles rich in growth factors, mRNA and miRNA which possibly aid in regulation of tissue damage regeneration. These facts alone, explain why MSCs are so widely used in clinical trials, 350 up to date (Switonski, Reproductive Biology, 14(1), 44-50, 2014). Animal studies have demonstrated that sub-retinal transplantation of MSCs delays retinal degeneration and preserves retinal function through trophic response (Inoue et al. Experimental Eye Research, 85(2), 234-241, 2007). Umbilical cord derived MSCs (UC/MSCs) have also been shown to contain neuroprotective features of ganglion cells in rat studies (Zwart et al. Experimental Neurology, 216(2), 439-448, 2009). This review aims to present current MSC therapies in practice, as well as their retinal regeneration potential in animal models, and their innovative prospects for treatment of human retinal diseases.

Possible role of miR-204 in optic nerve injury through the regulation of GAP-43

Optic nerve injury is a common disease. The present study aimed to examine the possible role of microRNA‑204 (miR‑204) in optic nerve injury through the regulation of growth‑associated protein-43 (GAP‑43). Initially, optic nerve injury models were established in Sprague‑Dawley (SD) rats, and the function of miR‑204 was either enhanced or inhibited through injection of miR‑204 mimic and inhibitor, respectively. Subsequently, the mRNA and protein levels of miR‑204, GAP‑43, toll‑like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB) were examined in retinal tissues using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses. The apoptosis of retinal tissue cells was also detected using a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay. There was a significant increase in the level of miR‑204 in retinal blood vessels of the model SD rats, compared with that in the normal SD rats (P<0.05), and the expression of GAP‑43 was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The results confirmed that the expression of GAP‑43 was significantly reduced, compared with that in the normal control group when the rats were treated with miR‑204 mimic (P<0.05), which was similar to the result in the model group. By contrast, its expression of GAP‑43 was significantly increased when treated with the miR‑204 inhibitor (P<0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 and NF‑κB were significantly increased in the miR‑204 mimic group and model group (P<0.05), whereas the same three factors in the miR‑204 inhibitor group were effectively inhibited, compared with those in the model group, and showed similar results to the normal control group. The apoptotic rates of retinal cells in the miR‑204 mimic group and model group were significantly increased, compared with that in the normal control group (P<0.05), whereas miR‑204 inhibitor effectively reversed the effects on apoptotic rate observed in the model group, showing similar results to those in the normal control group. Taken together, miR‑204 promoted the apoptosis of retinal cells through inhibiting GAP‑43, providing theoretical guidance for the function of GAP‑43 in retinal injury.

Nogo receptor knockdown and ciliary neurotrophic factor attenuate diabetic retinopathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). We investigated whether Nogo receptor (NgR) knockdown and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) treatment, either alone or in combination, ameliorated diabetic retinopathy (DR) in diabetic rat model. STZ‑induced diabetic rats were administrated for a total of 12 weeks with 3 µM siRNA (5 µl) once every 6 weeks and/or 1 µg CNTF weekly. The retinal tissues were excised. We measured cell number in ganglion cell layer (GCL) using H&E staining and cell apoptosis using TUNEL assay. Bax, Bcl‑2, Caspase‑3, F‑actin, GAP‑43, NgR, RhoA and Rock1 levels were then analyzed by Western blotting, Immunohistochemistry or Real‑time PCR. We found that NgR siRNA or CNTF injection alone significantly increased cell count in GCL in diabetic rats, inhibited ganglion cell apoptosis, elevated Bcl‑2, F‑actin and GAP‑43, and decreased Bax, Caspase‑3, NgR, RhoA and Rock1 levels. Combination treatment further prevented retinal ganglion cell loss, enhanced growth cone cytoskeleton and axonal regeneration, and suppressed NgR/RhoA/Rock1. Our results indicate that combination therapy has therapeutic potential for the treatment of DR.