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Zhang X, Han P, Qiu J, Huang F, Luo Q, Cheng J, Shan K, Yang Y, Zhang C. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the complex cellular niche of pterygium. Ocul Surf 2024; 32:91-103. [PMID: 38290663 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2024.01.013] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Pterygium is a vision-threatening conjunctival fibrovascular degenerated disease with a high global prevalence up to 12 %, while no absolute pharmacotherapy has been applied in clinics. In virtue of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technique, our study investigated underlying pathogeneses and potential therapeutic targets of pterygium from the cellular transcriptional level. METHODS A total of 45605 cells from pterygium of patients and conjunctiva of normal controls (NC) were conducted with scRNA-seq, and then analyzed via integrated analysis, pathway enrichment, pseudotime trajectory, and cell-cell communications. Besides, immunofluorescence and western blot were performed in vivo and in vitro to verify our findings. RESULTS In brief, 9 major cellular types were defined, according to canonical markers. Subsequently, we further determined the subgroups of each major cell lineages. Several newly identified cell sub-clusters could promote pterygium, including immuno-fibroblasts, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT)-epithelial cells, and activated vascular endothelial cells (activated-vEndo). Besides, we also probed the enrichment of immune cells in pterygium. Particularly, macrophages, recruited by ACKR1+activated-vEndo, might play an important role in the development of pterygium by promoting angiogenesis, immune suppression, and inflammation. CONCLUSION An intricate cellular niche was revealed in pterygium via scRNA-seq analysis and the interactions between macrophages and ACKR1+ activated-vEndo might be the key part in the development of pterygia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueling Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Peizhen Han
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jini Qiu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Feifei Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Qiting Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Jingyi Cheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Kun Shan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
| | - Yujing Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
| | - Chaoran Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University), Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
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Meloni M, Carriero F, Ceriotti L, Barabino S. Development of a Novel In Vitro Immuno-Competent Model of Dry Eye Disease and Its Use to Evaluate the Efficacy of an Ocular Surface Modulator. Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2022; 30:1816-1824. [PMID: 34379560 DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2021.1961811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To develop an in vitro model of severe immunocompetent-dry eye disease (ic-DED) and to investigate the mechanism of action of a T-lysial ocular surface modulator. MATERIALS AND METHODS The reconstructed human corneal epithelium (HCE) was exposed to dryness stimuli. THP-1 cell infiltration into HCE was monitored at 4 h and 24 h from T-lysial application by immunohistochemistry (CD14, CD86, AQP3) and molecular biology (AQP3, TLR4 and TNF-α). RESULTS A reduction of CD14, CD86 and AQP3 was observed after T-lysial treatment at 24 h. TLR4 was overexpressed in ic-DED model and downregulated by T-Lysial after 24 h. TNF-α expression was not modified. CONCLUSION The ic-DED model can be used to monitor the migration and differentiation of THP-1 into HCE. T-lysial was found to exert anti-inflammatory activity. This experimental model is a promising tool to study the crosstalk between epithelial and immune cells, providing new insights on the mechanisms of DED onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Meloni
- In Vitro Innovation Center, VitroScreen, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Stefano Barabino
- Ocular Surface and & Dry Eye Center, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Corneal Dendritic Cell Dynamics Are Associated with Clinical Factors in Type 1 Diabetes. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11092611. [PMID: 35566743 PMCID: PMC9101330 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11092611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Time-lapsed in vivo corneal confocal microscopy (IVCCM) has shown that corneal dendritic cells (DCs) migrate at approximately 1 µm/min in healthy humans. We have undertaken IVCCM of the whorl region to compare the density of rounded DCs, and DCs with (wDCs) and without (woDCs) dendrites and dynamics; trajectory (length travelled/time), displacement (distance from origin to endpoint/time) speeds and persistence ratio (displacement/trajectory) of woDCs in subjects with type 1 diabetes (T1D) (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 10). Only the wDC density was higher (p = 0.02) in subjects with T1D compared to controls. There was no significant difference in cell dynamics between subjects with T1D and controls. woDC density correlated directly with HDL cholesterol (r = 0.59, p = 0.007) and inversely with triglycerides (r = −0.61, p = 0.005), whilst round-shaped cell density correlated inversely with HDL cholesterol (r = −0.54, p = 0.007). Displacement, trajectory, and persistency correlated significantly with eGFR (mL/min) (r = 0.74, p < 0.001; r = 0.48, p = 0.031; r = 0.58, p = 0.008, respectively). We show an increase in wDC density but no change in any other DC sub-type or alteration in cell dynamics in T1D. However, there were associations between DC density and lipid parameters and between DC dynamics and renal function. IVCCM provides evidence of a link between immune cell dynamics with lipid levels and renal function.
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Wolf J, Hajdu RI, Boneva S, Schlecht A, Lapp T, Wacker K, Agostini H, Reinhard T, Auw-Hädrich C, Schlunck G, Lange C. Characterization of the Cellular Microenvironment and Novel Specific Biomarkers in Pterygia Using RNA Sequencing. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:714458. [PMID: 35174178 PMCID: PMC8841401 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.714458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
With a worldwide prevalence of ~12%, pterygium is a common degenerative and environmentally triggered ocular surface disorder characterized by wing-shaped growth of conjunctival tissue onto the cornea that can lead to blindness if left untreated. This study characterizes the transcriptional profile and the cellular microenvironment of conjunctival pterygia and identifies novel pterygia-specific biomarkers. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded pterygia as well as healthy conjunctival specimens were analyzed using MACE RNA sequencing (n = 8 each) and immunohistochemistry (pterygia n = 7, control n = 3). According to the bioinformatic cell type enrichment analysis using xCell, the cellular microenvironment of pterygia was characterized by an enrichment of myofibroblasts, T-lymphocytes and various antigen-presenting cells, including dendritic cells and macrophages. Differentially expressed genes that were increased in pterygia compared to control tissue were mainly involved in autophagy (including DCN, TMBIM6), cellular response to stress (including TPT1, DDX5) as well as fibroblast proliferation and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (including CTNNB1, TGFBR1, and FN1). Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed a significantly increased FN1 stromal immunoreactivity in pterygia when compared to control tissue. In addition, a variety of factors involved in apoptosis were significantly downregulated in pterygia, including LCN2, CTSD, and NISCH. Furthermore, 450 pterygia-specific biomarkers were identified by including transcriptional data of different ocular surface pathologies serving as controls (training group), which were then validated using transcriptional data of cultured human pterygium cells. Among the most pterygia-specific factors were transcripts such as AHNAK, RTN4, TPT1, FSTL1, and SPARC. Immunohistochemical validation of SPARC revealed a significantly increased stromal immunoreactivity in pterygia when compared to controls, most notably in vessels and intravascular vessel wall-adherent mononuclear cells. Taken together, the present study provides new insights into the cellular microenvironment and the transcriptional profile of pterygia, identifies new and specific biomarkers and in addition to fibrosis-related genes, uncovers autophagy, stress response and apoptosis modulation as pterygium-associated processes. These findings expand our understanding of the pathophysiology of pterygia, provide new diagnostic tools, and may enable new targeted therapeutic options for this common and sight-threatening ocular surface disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Wolf
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Rozina Ida Hajdu
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Stefaniya Boneva
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Anja Schlecht
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wuerzburg University, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Thabo Lapp
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Katrin Wacker
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Hansjürgen Agostini
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Thomas Reinhard
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Claudia Auw-Hädrich
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Günther Schlunck
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Clemens Lange
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Ophtha-Lab, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital, Münster, Germany
- *Correspondence: Clemens Lange
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Carmichael J, Fadavi H, Ishibashi F, Shore AC, Tavakoli M. Advances in Screening, Early Diagnosis and Accurate Staging of Diabetic Neuropathy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:671257. [PMID: 34122344 PMCID: PMC8188984 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.671257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is among the most distressing and costly of all the chronic complications of diabetes and is a cause of significant disability and poor quality of life. This incurs a significant burden on health care costs and society, especially as these young people enter their peak working and earning capacity at the time when diabetes-related complications most often first occur. DPN is often asymptomatic during the early stages; however, once symptoms and overt deficits have developed, it cannot be reversed. Therefore, early diagnosis and timely intervention are essential to prevent the development and progression of diabetic neuropathy. The diagnosis of DPN, the determination of the global prevalence, and incidence rates of DPN remain challenging. The opinions vary about the effectiveness of the expansion of screenings to enable early diagnosis and treatment initiation before disease onset and progression. Although research has evolved over the years, DPN still represents an enormous burden for clinicians and health systems worldwide due to its difficult diagnosis, high costs related to treatment, and the multidisciplinary approach required for effective management. Therefore, there is an unmet need for reliable surrogate biomarkers to monitor the onset and progression of early neuropathic changes in DPN and facilitate drug discovery. In this review paper, the aim was to assess the currently available tests for DPN's sensitivity and performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie Carmichael
- Diabetes and Vascular Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research, Exeter Clinical Research Facility, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Hassan Fadavi
- Peripheral Neuropathy Group, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fukashi Ishibashi
- Internal Medicine, Ishibashi Medical and Diabetes Centre, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Angela C Shore
- Diabetes and Vascular Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research, Exeter Clinical Research Facility, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Mitra Tavakoli
- Diabetes and Vascular Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research, Exeter Clinical Research Facility, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
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