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von der Emde L, Rennen GC, Vaisband M, Hasenauer J, Liegl R, Fleckenstein M, Pfau M, Holz FG, Ach T. Impact of lens autofluorescence and opacification on retinal imaging. BMJ Open Ophthalmol 2024; 9:e001628. [PMID: 38684375 PMCID: PMC11086461 DOI: 10.1136/bmjophth-2023-001628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Retinal imaging, including fundus autofluorescence (FAF), strongly depends on the clearness of the optical media. Lens status is crucial since the ageing lens has both light-blocking and autofluorescence (AF) properties that distort image analysis. Here, we report both lens opacification and AF metrics and the effect on automated image quality assessment. METHODS 227 subjects (range: 19-89 years old) received quantitative AF of the lens (LQAF), Scheimpflug, anterior chamber optical coherence tomography as well as blue/green FAF (BAF/GAF), and infrared (IR) imaging. LQAF values, the Pentacam Nucleus Staging score and the relative lens reflectivity were extracted to estimate lens opacification. Mean opinion scores of FAF and IR image quality were compiled by medical readers. A regression model for predicting image quality was developed using a convolutional neural network (CNN). Correlation analysis was conducted to assess the association of lens scores, with retinal image quality derived from human or CNN annotations. RESULTS Retinal image quality was generally high across all imaging modalities (IR (8.25±1.99) >GAF >BAF (6.6±3.13)). CNN image quality prediction was excellent (average mean absolute error (MAE) 0.9). Predictions were comparable to human grading. Overall, LQAF showed the highest correlation with image quality grading criteria for all imaging modalities (eg, Pearson correlation±CI -0.35 (-0.50 to 0.18) for BAF/LQAF). BAF image quality was most vulnerable to an increase in lenticular metrics, while IR (-0.19 (-0.38 to 0.01)) demonstrated the highest resilience. CONCLUSION The use of CNN-based retinal image quality assessment achieved excellent results. The study highlights the vulnerability of BAF to lenticular remodelling. These results can aid in the development of cut-off values for clinical studies, ensuring reliable data collection for the monitoring of retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon von der Emde
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, NRW, Germany
- University of Bonn, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Geena C Rennen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, NRW, Germany
| | - Marc Vaisband
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III with Haematology, Laboratory for Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Hasenauer
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute, Bonn, Germany
- Helmholtz Center Munich- German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Computational Biology, Bonn, Germany
| | - Raffael Liegl
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, NRW, Germany
| | - Monika Fleckenstein
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, NRW, Germany
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Maximilian Pfau
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland
| | - Frank G Holz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitat Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Ach
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, NRW, Germany
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Shahror RA, Morris CA, Mohammed AA, Wild M, Zaman B, Mitchell CD, Phillips PH, Rusch NJ, Shosha E, Fouda AY. Role of myeloid cells in ischemic retinopathies: recent advances and unanswered questions. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:65. [PMID: 38454477 PMCID: PMC10918977 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03058-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Myeloid cells including microglia and macrophages play crucial roles in retinal homeostasis by clearing cellular debris and regulating inflammation. These cells are activated in several blinding ischemic retinal diseases including diabetic retinopathy, where they may exert both beneficial and detrimental effects on neurovascular function and angiogenesis. Myeloid cells impact the progression of retinal pathologies and recent studies suggest that targeting myeloid cells is a promising therapeutic strategy to mitigate diabetic retinopathy and other ischemic retinal diseases. This review summarizes the recent advances in our understanding of the role of microglia and macrophages in retinal diseases and focuses on the effects of myeloid cells on neurovascular injury and angiogenesis in ischemic retinopathies. We highlight gaps in knowledge and advocate for a more detailed understanding of the role of myeloid cells in retinal ischemic injury to fully unlock the potential of targeting myeloid cells as a therapeutic strategy for retinal ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rami A Shahror
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611, BIOMED-1, B306, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Carol A Morris
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611, BIOMED-1, B306, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Aya A Mohammed
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611, BIOMED-1, B306, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Melissa Wild
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611, BIOMED-1, B306, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Bushra Zaman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611, BIOMED-1, B306, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Christian D Mitchell
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611, BIOMED-1, B306, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Paul H Phillips
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Nancy J Rusch
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611, BIOMED-1, B306, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Esraa Shosha
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611, BIOMED-1, B306, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
- Clinical Pharmacy Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Abdelrahman Y Fouda
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), 4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611, BIOMED-1, B306, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA.
- Clinical Pharmacy Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
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Lee TJ, Goyal A, Jones G, Glass J, Doshi V, Bollinger K, Ulrich L, Ahmed S, Kodeboyina SK, Estes A, Töteberg-Harms M, Zhi W, Sharma S, Sharma A. AHP DB: a reference database of proteins in the human aqueous humor. Database (Oxford) 2024; 2024:baae001. [PMID: 38284936 PMCID: PMC10878049 DOI: 10.1093/database/baae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
The aqueous humor (AH) is a low-viscosity biofluid that continuously circulates from the posterior chamber to the anterior chamber of the eye. Recent advances in high-resolution mass-spectrometry workflows have facilitated the study of proteomic content in small-volume biofluids like AH, highlighting the potential clinical implications of the AH proteome. Nevertheless, in-depth investigations into the role of AH proteins in ocular diseases have encountered challenges due to limited accessibility to these workflows, difficulties in large-scale AH sample collection and the absence of a reference AH proteomic database. In response to these obstacles, and to promote further research on the involvement of AH proteins in ocular physiology and pathology, we have developed the web-based Aqueous Humor Proteomics Database (AHP DB). The current version of AHP DB contains proteomic data from 307 human AH samples, which were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The database offers comprehensive information on 1683 proteins identified in the AH samples. Furthermore, relevant clinical data are provided for each analyzed sample. Researchers also have the option to download these datasets individually for offline use, rendering it a valuable resource for the scientific community. Database URL: https://ahp.augusta.edu/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Jin Lee
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Arnav Goyal
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Garrett Jones
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Joshua Glass
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Vishal Doshi
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Kathryn Bollinger
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Lane Ulrich
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Saleh Ahmed
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Sai Karthik Kodeboyina
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Mass General Brigham, 399 Revolution Drive, Somerville, MA 02145, USA
| | - Amy Estes
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Marc Töteberg-Harms
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Wenbo Zhi
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Shruti Sharma
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Ashok Sharma
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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von der Emde L, Mallwitz M, Vaisband M, Hasenauer J, Saßmannshausen M, Terheyden JH, Sloan KR, Schmitz-Valckenberg S, Finger RP, Holz FG, Ach T. Retest variability and patient reliability indices of quantitative fundus autofluorescence in age-related macular degeneration: a MACUSTAR study report. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17417. [PMID: 37833348 PMCID: PMC10576044 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43417-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the retest variability of quantitative fundus autofluorescence (QAF) in patients with and without age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and evaluate the predictive value of patient reliability indices on retest reliability. A total of 132 eyes from 68 patients were examined, including healthy individuals and those with various stages of AMD. Duplicate QAF imaging was conducted at baseline and 2 weeks later across six study sites. Intraclass correlation (ICC) analysis was used to evaluate the consistency of imaging, and mean opinion scores (MOS) of image quality were generated by two researchers. The contribution of MOS and other factors to retest variation was assessed using mixed-effect linear models. Additionally, a Random Forest Regressor was trained to evaluate the extent to which manual image grading of image quality could be replaced by automated assessment (inferred MOS). The results showed that ICC values were high for all QAF images, with slightly lower values in AMD-affected eyes. The average inter-day ICC was found to be 0.77 for QAF segments within the QAF8 ring and 0.74 for peripheral segments. Image quality was predicted with a mean absolute error of 0.27 on a 5-point scale, and of all evaluated reliability indices, MOS/inferred MOS proved most important. The findings suggest that QAF allows for reliable testing of autofluorescence levels at the posterior pole in patients with AMD in a multicenter, multioperator setting. Patient reliability indices could serve as eligibility criteria for clinical trials, helping identify patients with adequate retest reliability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon von der Emde
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Merten Mallwitz
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Marc Vaisband
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III with Haematology, Medical Oncology, Haemostaseology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Oncologic Center, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Jan Hasenauer
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Helmholtz Center Munich-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Computational Biology, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Marlene Saßmannshausen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Henrik Terheyden
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kenneth R Sloan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, AL, USA
| | | | - Robert P Finger
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Frank G Holz
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Ach
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Straße 2, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
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5
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Liu TYA, Ling C, Hahn L, Jones CK, Boon CJ, Singh MS. Prediction of visual impairment in retinitis pigmentosa using deep learning and multimodal fundus images. Br J Ophthalmol 2023; 107:1484-1489. [PMID: 35896367 PMCID: PMC10579177 DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2021-320897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The efficiency of clinical trials for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) treatment is limited by the screening burden and lack of reliable surrogate markers for functional end points. Automated methods to determine visual acuity (VA) may help address these challenges. We aimed to determine if VA could be estimated using confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO) imaging and deep learning (DL). METHODS Snellen corrected VA and cSLO imaging were obtained retrospectively. The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) dataset was used for 10-fold cross-validations and internal testing. The Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC) dataset was used for external independent testing. Both datasets had the same exclusion criteria: visually significant media opacities and images not centred on the central macula. The JHU dataset included patients with RP with and without molecular confirmation. The AUMC dataset only included molecularly confirmed patients with RP. Using transfer learning, three versions of the ResNet-152 neural network were trained: infrared (IR), optical coherence tomography (OCT) and combined image (CI). RESULTS In internal testing (JHU dataset, 2569 images, 462 eyes, 231 patients), the area under the curve (AUC) for the binary classification task of distinguishing between Snellen VA 20/40 or better and worse than Snellen VA 20/40 was 0.83, 0.87 and 0.85 for IR, OCT and CI, respectively. In external testing (AUMC dataset, 349 images, 166 eyes, 83 patients), the AUC was 0.78, 0.87 and 0.85 for IR, OCT and CI, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our algorithm showed robust performance in predicting visual impairment in patients with RP, thus providing proof-of-concept for predicting structure-function correlation based solely on cSLO imaging in patients with RP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tin Yan Alvin Liu
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Carlthan Ling
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Leo Hahn
- Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam UMC Locatie AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Craig K Jones
- Malone Center for Engineering in Healthcare, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Camiel Jf Boon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam UMC Locatie AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mandeep S Singh
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Genetic Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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6
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Luo S, Holland G, Khazaeinezhad R, Bradford S, Joshi R, Juhasz T. Iridocorneal angle imaging of a human donor eye by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13861. [PMID: 37620338 PMCID: PMC10449890 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37248-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Iridocorneal angle (ICA) details particularly the trabecular meshwork (TM), Schlemm's canal (SC), and collector channels (CCs) play crucial roles in the regulation of the aqueous outflow in the eyes and are closely associated with glaucoma. Current clinical gonioscopy imaging provides no depth information, and studies of 3D high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of these structures are limited. We developed a custom-built spectral-domain (SD-) OCT imaging system to fully characterize the angle details. Imaging of a human cadaver eye reveals the visibility of details in the TM/SC/CC region via a 'crossline' scanning and a series of image processing. This shows that ICA imaging can be used for preoperative glaucoma inspections in the clinical setting with the proposed prototype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangbang Luo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | | | | | - Samantha Bradford
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Rohan Joshi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Tibor Juhasz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- ViaLase Inc., Aliso Viejo, CA, 92656, USA.
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7
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Gyening YK, Boris K, Cyril M, Brush RS, Nassogne MC, Agbaga MP. A novel ELOVL4 variant, L168S, causes early childhood-onset Spinocerebellar ataxia-34 and retinal dysfunction: a case report. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:131. [PMID: 37568198 PMCID: PMC10416515 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01628-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia 34 (SCA34) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease characterized by age-related cerebellar degeneration and ataxia caused by mutations in the Elongation of Very Long Chain Fatty Acid-4 (ELOVL4) gene. The ELOVL4 enzyme catalyzes the biosynthesis of both very long chain saturated fatty acids (VLC-SFA) and very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFA) that are important for neuronal, reproductive, and skin function. Several variants in ELOVL4 have been shown to cause different tissue-specific disorders including SCA34 with or without Erythrokeratodermia Variabilis (EKV), a skin condition characterized by dry, scaly skin, Autosomal Dominant Stargardt-Like Macular Dystrophy (STGD3), and seizures associated with neuro-ichthyotic disorders. What is puzzling is how different mutations in the same gene seem to cause different tissue-specific disorders. To date, no SCA34 patients have presented with both SCA34 and STGD3 pathology that is caused by ELOVL4 variants that cause truncation of ELOVL4. Here, we report a novel case of an early childhood onset and rapidly progressive cerebellar degeneration and retinal dysfunction in a Belgian-Italian girl who developed severe dysarthria and gait problems starting at about 3.5 years of age and progressed to immobility by 4.5 years of age. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed progressive vermian, cerebellar, cortical atrophy, progressive corpus callosum slimming, and hot cross bun sign visible on the MRI. Ophthalmological examinations also revealed progressive macular dysfunction as measured by electroretinography. Using exome sequencing, we identified a novel heterozygous ELOVL4 variant, c.503 T > C (p. L168S) in the patient. To understand the enzymatic function of this novel ELOVL4 variant and how it alters the levels of VLC-PUFA and VLC-SFA biosynthesis to contribute to cerebellar and retinal dysfunction, we expressed wild-type ELOVL4 or the L168S ELOVL4 variant in cell culture and supplemented the cultures with VLC-PUFA or VLC-SFA precursors. We showed that the L168S ELOVL4 variant is deficient in the biosynthesis of VLC-SFA and VLC-PUFA. Our work suggests that differential depletion of these fatty acids may be a contributing factor to the pathogenic mechanism of SCA34 with or without EKV. Further studies will help further define how the different ELOVL4 variants cause different tissue-specific disorders with variable ages of onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeboah Kofi Gyening
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, DMEI 423 Parke Pavilion, 608 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Dean McGee Eye Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA
- Unité Déficiences Intellectuelles/Troubles du, Développement, Service de Génétique Clinique et Médicale, AP-HP. Sorbonne Université -Hôpital de La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Keren Boris
- UF de Génomique du Développement, Centre de Génétique Moléculaire et Chromosomique, AP-HP.Sorbonne Université - Hôpital de La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
- Unité Déficiences Intellectuelles/Troubles du, Développement, Service de Génétique Clinique et Médicale, AP-HP. Sorbonne Université -Hôpital de La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Mignot Cyril
- Unité Déficiences Intellectuelles/Troubles du, Développement, Service de Génétique Clinique et Médicale, AP-HP. Sorbonne Université -Hôpital de La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
- Centre de Référence des Maladies Héréditaires du Métabolisme - Service de NeurologiePédiatrique, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc -UCLouvain, Avenue Hippocrate, 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Richard S Brush
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, DMEI 423 Parke Pavilion, 608 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Dean McGee Eye Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA
- Unité Déficiences Intellectuelles/Troubles du, Développement, Service de Génétique Clinique et Médicale, AP-HP. Sorbonne Université -Hôpital de La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Cécile Nassogne
- Centre de Référence des Maladies Héréditaires du Métabolisme - Service de NeurologiePédiatrique, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc -UCLouvain, Avenue Hippocrate, 10, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Martin-Paul Agbaga
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, DMEI 423 Parke Pavilion, 608 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology and Dean McGee Eye Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA.
- Unité Déficiences Intellectuelles/Troubles du, Développement, Service de Génétique Clinique et Médicale, AP-HP. Sorbonne Université -Hôpital de La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
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8
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Ning K, Bhuckory MB, Lo CH, Sendayen BE, Kowal TJ, Chen M, Bansal R, Chang KC, Vollrath D, Berbari NF, Mahajan VB, Hu Y, Sun Y. Cilia-associated wound repair mediated by IFT88 in retinal pigment epithelium. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8205. [PMID: 37211572 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35099-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia are conserved organelles that integrate extracellular cues into intracellular signals and are critical for diverse processes, including cellular development and repair responses. Deficits in ciliary function cause multisystemic human diseases known as ciliopathies. In the eye, atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a common feature of many ciliopathies. However, the roles of RPE cilia in vivo remain poorly understood. In this study, we first found that mouse RPE cells only transiently form primary cilia. We then examined the RPE in the mouse model of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome 4 (BBS4), a ciliopathy associated with retinal degeneration in humans, and found that ciliation in BBS4 mutant RPE cells is disrupted early during development. Next, using a laser-induced injury model in vivo, we found that primary cilia in RPE reassemble in response to laser injury during RPE wound healing and then rapidly disassemble after the repair is completed. Finally, we demonstrated that RPE-specific depletion of primary cilia in a conditional mouse model of cilia loss promoted wound healing and enhanced cell proliferation. In summary, our data suggest that RPE cilia contribute to both retinal development and repair and provide insights into potential therapeutic targets for more common RPE degenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Ning
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Mohajeet B Bhuckory
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Chien-Hui Lo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Brent E Sendayen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
- Palo Alto Veterans Administration, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Tia J Kowal
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Ruchi Bansal
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kun-Che Chang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Douglas Vollrath
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Nicolas F Berbari
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Vinit B Mahajan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Yang Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Yang Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1651 Page Mill Road, Rm 2220, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA.
- Palo Alto Veterans Administration, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
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9
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Carelli V, Newman NJ, Yu-Wai-Man P, Biousse V, Moster ML, Subramanian PS, Vignal-Clermont C, Wang AG, Donahue SP, Leroy BP, Sergott RC, Klopstock T, Sadun AA, Rebolleda Fernández G, Chwalisz BK, Banik R, Girmens JF, La Morgia C, DeBusk AA, Jurkute N, Priglinger C, Karanjia R, Josse C, Salzmann J, Montestruc F, Roux M, Taiel M, Sahel JA. Indirect Comparison of Lenadogene Nolparvovec Gene Therapy Versus Natural History in Patients with Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy Carrying the m.11778G>A MT-ND4 Mutation. Ophthalmol Ther 2023; 12:401-429. [PMID: 36449262 PMCID: PMC9834474 DOI: 10.1007/s40123-022-00611-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Lenadogene nolparvovec is a promising novel gene therapy for patients with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) carrying the m.11778G>A ND4 mutation (MT-ND4). A previous pooled analysis of phase 3 studies showed an improvement in visual acuity of patients injected with lenadogene nolparvovec compared to natural history. Here, we report updated results by incorporating data from the latest phase 3 trial REFLECT in the pool, increasing the number of treated patients from 76 to 174. METHODS The visual acuity of 174 MT-ND4-carrying patients with LHON injected in one or both eyes with lenadogene nolparvovec from four pooled phase 3 studies (REVERSE, RESCUE and their long-term extension trial RESTORE; and REFLECT trial) was compared to the spontaneous evolution of an external control group of 208 matched patients from 11 natural history studies. RESULTS Treated patients showed a clinically relevant and sustained improvement in their visual acuity when compared to natural history. Mean improvement versus natural history was - 0.30 logMAR (+ 15 ETDRS letters equivalent) at last observation (P < 0.01) with a maximal follow-up of 3.9 years after injection. Most treated eyes were on-chart as compared to less than half of natural history eyes at 48 months after vision loss (89.6% versus 48.1%; P < 0.01) and at last observation (76.1% versus 44.4%; P < 0.01). When we adjusted for covariates of interest (gender, age of onset, ethnicity, and duration of follow-up), the estimated mean gain was - 0.43 logMAR (+ 21.5 ETDRS letters equivalent) versus natural history at last observation (P < 0.0001). Treatment effect was consistent across all phase 3 clinical trials. Analyses from REFLECT suggest a larger treatment effect in patients receiving bilateral injection compared to unilateral injection. CONCLUSION The efficacy of lenadogene nolparvovec in improving visual acuity in MT-ND4 LHON was confirmed in a large cohort of patients, compared to the spontaneous natural history decline. Bilateral injection of gene therapy may offer added benefits over unilateral injection. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS NCT02652780 (REVERSE); NCT02652767 (RESCUE); NCT03406104 (RESTORE); NCT03293524 (REFLECT); NCT03295071 (REALITY).
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerio Carelli
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Programma di Neurogenetica, Via Altura, 3, 40139, Bologna, BO, Italy.
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Nancy J Newman
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Patrick Yu-Wai-Man
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair and MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Eye Unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Valerie Biousse
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mark L Moster
- Department of Neurology, Wills Eye Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wills Eye Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Prem S Subramanian
- Sue Anschutz-Rodgers University of Colorado Eye Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Catherine Vignal-Clermont
- Department of Neuro Ophthalmology and Emergencies, Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France
- Centre d'Investigation Clinique, Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze Vingts, Paris, France
| | - An-Guor Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sean P Donahue
- Department of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Bart P Leroy
- Department of Ophthalmology and Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Head & Skin, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Robert C Sergott
- Department of Neurology, Wills Eye Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wills Eye Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Thomas Klopstock
- Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Baur-Institute, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Alfredo A Sadun
- David Geffen, Doheny Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Bart K Chwalisz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rudrani Banik
- Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jean François Girmens
- Centre d'Investigation Clinique, Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze Vingts, Paris, France
| | - Chiara La Morgia
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Programma di Neurogenetica, Via Altura, 3, 40139, Bologna, BO, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Adam A DeBusk
- Department of Neurology, Wills Eye Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wills Eye Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Neringa Jurkute
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neuro-Ophthalmology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Claudia Priglinger
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Rustum Karanjia
- David Geffen, Doheny Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ottawa Eye, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Constant Josse
- eXYSTAT, Data Management and Statistic, Malakoff, France
| | | | | | | | | | - José-Alain Sahel
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
- Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire FOReSIGHT, INSERM-DGOS CIC 1423, Paris, France
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10
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Asnafi S, Chen BS, Biousse V, Newman NJ, Saindane AM. Intracranial computed tomography histogram analysis detects changes in the setting of elevated intracranial pressure and normal imaging. Neuroradiol J 2022; 35:718-723. [PMID: 35506947 PMCID: PMC9626849 DOI: 10.1177/19714009221096832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) have elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) of unclear etiology. This study evaluated the ability of quantitative intracranial Hounsfield unit (HU) histogram analysis to detect pathophysiological changes from elevated ICP in the setting of a normal head CT. METHODS Retrospective analysis of non-contrast-enhanced head CT images of IIH patients and matched controls. Following skull stripping, total intracranial CT voxels within the range of 0-70 HU were divided into seven 10 HU bins. A measurement of total intracranial HU was also calculated for each patient. Imaging studies for IIH patients were reviewed for features of IIH including transverse sinus stenosis (TSS). Histogram measures were compared between IIH and control groups and correlated with imaging and clinical data. RESULTS Fourteen IIH patients with CSF opening pressure ≥25 cm water, and 31 age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched controls were included. Compared to controls, IIH patients had a significantly greater proportion of voxels in the 40-50, 50-60, and 60-70 HU bins (p = 0.003, 0.001, and 0.003, respectively) but similar proportion in the 0-10 HU range. Severity of TSS significantly correlated with total intracranial HU measures. 50-60 HU and 60-70 HU bins demonstrated high AUCs of 0.81 and 0.80, respectively, in differentiating IIH from normal status. CONCLUSION Idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients have a greater proportion of high intracranial HU voxels representing blood volume, which may be explained by TSS causing venous congestion. The pattern provides further insights into the pathophysiology of IIH and may be useful for detecting elevated ICP in the setting of normal head CT imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solmaz Asnafi
- Department of Radiology and Imaging
Sciences, Emory University School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Benson S Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Valérie Biousse
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nancy J Newman
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Emory University School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit M Saindane
- Department of Radiology and Imaging
Sciences, Emory University School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Emory University School of
Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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11
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Lock LJ, Channa R, Brennan MB, Cao Y, Liu Y. Effect of health system on the association of rurality and level of disadvantage with receipt of diabetic eye screening. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care 2022; 10:10/6/e003174. [PMID: 36517109 PMCID: PMC9756146 DOI: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2022-003174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rural versus urban disparities have been observed in diabetic eye screening, but whether the level of disadvantage in rural versus urban areas is related to these disparities is unclear. Our goal was to determine the role of level of disadvantage in explaining the effect of health systems on rural and urban disparities in diabetic eye screening. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study using an all-payer, state-wide claims database covering over 75% of Wisconsin residents. We included adults with diabetes (18-75 years old) who had claims billed throughout the baseline (2012-2013) and measurement (2013-2014) years. We performed multivariable regressions to assess factors associated with receipt of diabetic eye screening. The primary exposure was the primary care clinic's combined level of rurality and disadvantage. We adjusted for the health system as well as patient-level variables related to demographics and comorbidities. Health system was defined as an associated group of physicians and/or clinics. RESULTS A total of 118 707 adults with diabetes from 698 primary care clinics in 143 health systems met the inclusion criteria. Patients from urban underserved clinics were less likely to receive screening than those from rural underserved clinics before adjusting for health system in the model. After adjusting for health system fixed effects, however, the directionality of the relationship between clinic rurality and screening reversed: patients from urban underserved clinics were more likely to receive screening than those from rural underserved clinics. Similar findings were observed for both Medicare and non-Medicare subgroups. CONCLUSIONS The effect of health system on receipt of diabetic eye screening in rural versus urban areas is most pronounced in underserved areas. Health systems, particularly those providing care to urban underserved populations, have an opportunity to increase screening rates by leveraging health system-level interventions to support patients in overcoming barriers from social determinants of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren J Lock
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Roomasa Channa
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Meghan B Brennan
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ying Cao
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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12
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Candadai AA, Liu F, Fouda AY, Alfarhan M, Palani CD, Xu Z, Caldwell RB, Narayanan SP. Deletion of arginase 2 attenuates neuroinflammation in an experimental model of optic neuritis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247901. [PMID: 33735314 PMCID: PMC7971528 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Vision impairment due to optic neuritis (ON) is one of the major clinical presentations in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and is characterized by inflammation and degeneration of the optic nerve and retina. Currently available treatments are only partially effective and have a limited impact on the neuroinflammatory pathology of the disease. A recent study from our laboratory highlighted the beneficial effect of arginase 2 (A2) deletion in suppressing retinal neurodegeneration and inflammation in an experimental model of MS. Utilizing the same model, the present study investigated the impact of A2 deficiency on MS-induced optic neuritis. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in wild-type (WT) and A2 knockout (A2-/-) mice. EAE-induced cellular infiltration, as well as activation of microglia and macrophages, were reduced in A2-/- optic nerves. Axonal degeneration and demyelination seen in EAE optic nerves were observed to be reduced with A2 deletion. Further, the lack of A2 significantly ameliorated astrogliosis induced by EAE. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate a critical involvement of arginase 2 in mediating neuroinflammation in optic neuritis and suggest the potential of A2 blockade as a targeted therapy for MS-induced optic neuritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amritha A. Candadai
- Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, United States of America
| | - Fang Liu
- Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Vascular Biology Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
| | - Abdelrahman Y. Fouda
- Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Vascular Biology Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
| | - Moaddey Alfarhan
- Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, United States of America
| | - Chithra D. Palani
- Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Vascular Biology Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
| | - Zhimin Xu
- Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Vascular Biology Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
| | - Ruth B. Caldwell
- Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Vascular Biology Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
| | - S. Priya Narayanan
- Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Vascular Biology Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States of America
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13
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Du Pont V, Jiang Y, Plemper RK. Bipartite interface of the measles virus phosphoprotein X domain with the large polymerase protein regulates viral polymerase dynamics. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007995. [PMID: 31381607 PMCID: PMC6695210 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Measles virus (MeV) is a highly contagious, re-emerging, major human pathogen. Replication requires a viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) consisting of the large (L) polymerase protein complexed with the homo-tetrameric phosphoprotein (P). In addition, P mediates interaction with the nucleoprotein (N)-encapsidated viral RNA genome. The nature of the P:L interface and RdRP negotiation of the ribonucleoprotein template are poorly understood. Based on biochemical interface mapping, swapping of the central P tetramerization domain (OD) for yeast GCN4, and functional assays, we demonstrate that the MeV P-to-L interface is bipartite, comprising a coiled-coil microdomain proximal to the OD and an unoccupied face of the triangular prism-shaped C-terminal P X-domain (P-XD), which is distinct from the known P-XD face that binds N-tail. Mixed null-mutant P tetramers regained L-binding competence in a ratio-dependent manner and fully reclaimed bioactivity in minireplicon assays and recombinant MeV, demonstrating that the individual L-binding interface elements are physically and mechanistically distinct. P-XD binding competence to L and N was likewise trans-complementable, which, combined with mathematical modeling, enabled the mechanistic characterization of P through two- and stoichiometrically-controlled three-way complementations. Only one each of the four XDs per P tetramer must be L or N binding-competent for bioactivity, but interaction of the same P-XD with L and N was mutually exclusive, and L binding superseded engaging N. Mixed P tetramers with a single, designated L binding-competent P-XD caused significant RdRP hyperactivity, outlining a model of iterative resolution and reformation of the P-XD:L interface regulating polymerase mobility. MeV belongs to the order of non-segmented negative polarity RNA viruses, which includes devastating human pathogens. While all feature encapsidated RNA genomes and P-L type polymerase complexes, insight into the intermolecular interactions within the polymerase hetero-oligomer and between the polymerase complex and the RNA-encapsidating N protein is rudimentary. Our mapping of the MeV P-to-L interaction revealed a bipartite interface with physically and mechanistically distinct contact zones, which provided a unique experimental platform to dissect the stoichiometry and dynamics of P interactions with L and N through functional trans-complementation assays in minireplicon settings and, ensuring physiological significance, recombinant virions. The identification and functional characterization of a novel L-binding face on the P-XD triangular prism, distinct from the side contacting N-tail, places P-XD at the center of a regulatory mechanism that controls the dynamics of polymerase advancement along the encapsidated genome through iterative separation and restoration of P-XD interaction with L. These observations and the high structural homology of polymerase components within the Paramyxoviridae recommend the P-XD:L protein-protein interface as premier target for directed drug discovery against emerging and re-emerging paramyxoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venice Du Pont
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yi Jiang
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Richard K. Plemper
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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Abstract
In Hybrid Foraging tasks, observers search for multiple instances of several types of target. Collecting all the dirty laundry and kitchenware out of a child's room would be a real-world example. How are such foraging episodes structured? A series of four experiments shows that selection of one item from the display makes it more likely that the next item will be of the same type. This pattern holds if the targets are defined by basic features like color and shape but not if they are defined by their identity (e.g., the letters p & d). Additionally, switching between target types during search is expensive in time, with longer response times between successive selections if the target type changes than if they are the same. Finally, the decision to leave a screen/patch for the next screen in these foraging tasks is imperfectly consistent with the predictions of optimal foraging theory. The results of these hybrid foraging studies cast new light on the ways in which prior selection history guides subsequent visual search in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M Wolfe
- Visual Attention Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology and Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Visual Attention Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 64 Sidney St. Suite. 170, Cambridge, MA, 02139-4170, USA.
| | - Matthew S Cain
- Development, and Engineering Center, US Army Natick Soldier Research, Natick, MA, USA
- Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Avigael M Aizenman
- Vision Science Department, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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15
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Liang D, Shao H, Born WK, O'Brien RL, Kaplan HJ, Sun D. High level expression of A2ARs is required for the enhancing function, but not for the inhibiting function, of γδ T cells in the autoimmune responses of EAU. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199601. [PMID: 29928041 PMCID: PMC6013223 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that activated γδ T cells greatly enhance autoimmune responses, particularly the Th17 response. To determine the mechanisms involved, we made a series of comparisons between activated and non-activated γδ T cells. Our results showed that activated γδ T cells expressed greatly increased levels of A2A adenosine receptor (A2AR) and decreased amounts of CD73, as well as increased amounts of T cell activation markers such as CD69, CD44 and CD25. We show that A2AR is a major functional molecule in the enhancing activity of γδ T cells. A2AR-/- γδ T cells (isolated from A2AR-/- mouse), lost their Th17-enhancing activity as did A2AR+/+ γδ T cells (isolated from wt-B6 mouse) after treatment with an A2AR antagonist. Since γδ T cells possess either an enhancing or an inhibiting effect, we also tested whether A2AR expression on γδ T cells is essential to their inhibiting effect. Our results showed that the inhibiting effect of A2AR-/- γδ T cells was as potent as that of A2AR+/+ γδ T cells. In a previous report we showed that the expression of different levels of CD73 molecule allowed γδ T cells to adjust their suppressive activity; in the current study, we show that expression of increased amounts of A2AR allows γδ T cells to more effectively exert their enhancing function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongchun Liang
- Doheny Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Hui Shao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kentucky Lions Eye Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Willi K. Born
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States of America
| | - Rebecca L. O'Brien
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States of America
| | - Henry J. Kaplan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kentucky Lions Eye Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Deming Sun
- Doheny Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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16
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Cheng L, Wong LJ, Yan N, Han RC, Yu H, Guo C, Batsuuri K, Zinzuwadia A, Guan R, Cho KS, Chen DF. Ezh2 does not mediate retinal ganglion cell homeostasis or their susceptibility to injury. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191853. [PMID: 29408885 PMCID: PMC5800601 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic predisposition is thought to critically contribute to adult-onset disorders, such as retinal neurodegeneration. The histone methyltransferase, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (Ezh2), is transiently expressed in the perinatal retina, particularly enriched in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). We previously showed that embryonic deletion of Ezh2 from retinal progenitors led to progressive photoreceptor degeneration throughout life, demonstrating a role for embryonic predisposition of Ezh2-mediated repressive mark in maintaining the survival and function of photoreceptors in the adult. Enrichment of Ezh2 in RGCs leads to the question if Ezh2 also mediates gene expression and function in postnatal RGCs, and if its deficiency changes RGC susceptibility to cell death under injury or disease in the adult. To test this, we generated mice carrying targeted deletion of Ezh2 from RGC progenitors driven by Math5-Cre (mKO). mKO mice showed no detectable defect in RGC development, survival, or cell homeostasis as determined by physiological analysis, live imaging, histology, and immunohistochemistry. Moreover, RGCs of Ezh2 deficient mice revealed similar susceptibility against glaucomatous and acute optic nerve trauma-induced neurodegeneration compared to littermate floxed or wild-type control mice. In agreement with the above findings, analysis of RNA sequencing of RGCs purified from Ezh2 deficient mice revealed few gene changes that were related to RGC development, survival and function. These results, together with our previous report, support a cell lineage-specific mechanism of Ezh2-mediated gene repression, especially those critically involved in cellular function and homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lucy J. Wong
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Naihong Yan
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Laboratories, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P. R. China
| | - Richard C. Han
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Honghua Yu
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Chenying Guo
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Khulan Batsuuri
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Aniket Zinzuwadia
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ryan Guan
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kin-Sang Cho
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Dong Feng Chen
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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