1
|
Sun R, Peng Q, Zhang F, Gao H, Li T, Wang L, Zhang L. Effect of vascular endothelial growth factor 165 on dopamine level in the retinas of guinea pigs with form-deprivation myopia. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16255. [PMID: 37849827 PMCID: PMC10578302 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Myopia is the most common refractive error because excessive increase in the axial length of a myopic eye leads to the thinning of the posterior scleral pole and can cause serious complications resulting in blindness. Thus, myopia has become a great concern worldwide. Dopamine (DA) plays a role in the development of myopia. Moreover, in Parkinson's disease, it has been proved that vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (VEGF165) can promote the survival and recovery of DA neurons, resulting in increased DA secretion in the striatum, thereby treating neuropathy. Therefore, we speculate that VEGF165 can also promote the release of DA in the retina to inhibit the occurrence and development of myopia. We aimed to investigate the effect of VEGF165 on DA levels in the retinas of guinea pigs with form-deprivation myopia (FDM) and the effects of DA on myopia prevention and control. Methods Healthy 3-week-old pigmented guinea pigs were randomly divided into blank, FDM, phosphate buffer saline (PBS), 1, 5, and 10 ng groups. The FDM model was established by covering the right eye continuously with a translucent latex balloon pullover for 14 days. The pigs in the PBS, 1, 5, and 10 ng groups were injected with PBS buffer and 1, 5, and 10 ng of VEGF165 recombinant human protein, respectively, in the vitreous of the right eye before masking. The refractive error and axial length were measured before and after modeling. All retinas were used for biomolecular analyses after 14 days. Results We found that the intravitreal injection of VEGF165 elevated DA levels in the retina and was effective in slowing the progression of myopia, and 1 ng of VEGF165 was the most effective. Moreover, the number of vascular endothelial cell nuclei in the 1 ng group was lower than that in the other VEGF165 groups. Conclusions Our data suggest that VEGF165 has a promoting effect on DA in the retinas of guinea pigs with FDM, potentially controlling the development of myopia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruiting Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Qingsheng Peng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Fengyi Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Honglian Gao
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Tong Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Keeley PW, Patel SS, Reese BE. Cell numbers, cell ratios, and developmental plasticity in the rod pathway of the mouse retina. J Anat 2023; 243:204-222. [PMID: 35292986 PMCID: PMC10335380 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The precise specification of cellular fate is thought to ensure the production of the correct number of neurons within a population. Programmed cell death may be an additional mechanism controlling cell number, believed to refine the proper ratio of pre- to post-synaptic neurons for a given species. Here, we consider the size of three different neuronal populations in the rod pathway of the mouse retina: rod photoreceptors, rod bipolar cells, and AII amacrine cells. Across a collection of 28 different strains of mice, large variation in the numbers of all three cell types is present. The variation in their numbers is not correlated, so that the ratio of rods to rod bipolar cells, as well as rod bipolar cells to AII amacrine cells, varies as well. Establishing connectivity between such variable pre- and post-synaptic populations relies upon plasticity that modulates process outgrowth and morphological differentiation, which we explore experimentally for both rod bipolar and AII amacrine cells in a mouse retina with elevated numbers of each cell type. While both rod bipolar dendritic and axonal arbors, along with AII lobular arbors, modulate their areal size in relation to local homotypic cell densities, the dendritic appendages of the AII amacrine cells do not. Rather, these processes exhibit a different form of plasticity, regulating the branching density of their overlapping arbors. Each form of plasticity should ensure uniformity in retinal coverage in the presence of the independent specification of afferent and target cell number.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick W. Keeley
- Neuroscience Research InstituteUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCaliforniaUSA
| | - Shivam S. Patel
- Neuroscience Research InstituteUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCaliforniaUSA
| | - Benjamin E. Reese
- Neuroscience Research InstituteUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Psychological & Brain SciencesUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCaliforniaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ramos A, Granzotto N, Kremer R, Boeder AM, de Araújo JFP, Pereira AG, Izídio GS. Hunting for Genes Underlying Emotionality in the Laboratory Rat: Maps, Tools and Traps. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:1840-1863. [PMID: 36056863 PMCID: PMC10514530 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220901154034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientists have systematically investigated the hereditary bases of behaviors since the 19th century, moved by either evolutionary questions or clinically-motivated purposes. The pioneer studies on the genetic selection of laboratory animals had already indicated, one hundred years ago, the immense complexity of analyzing behaviors that were influenced by a large number of small-effect genes and an incalculable amount of environmental factors. Merging Mendelian, quantitative and molecular approaches in the 1990s made it possible to map specific rodent behaviors to known chromosome regions. From that point on, Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) analyses coupled with behavioral and molecular techniques, which involved in vivo isolation of relevant blocks of genes, opened new avenues for gene mapping and characterization. This review examines the QTL strategy applied to the behavioral study of emotionality, with a focus on the laboratory rat. We discuss the challenges, advances and limitations of the search for Quantitative Trait Genes (QTG) playing a role in regulating emotionality. For the past 25 years, we have marched the long journey from emotionality-related behaviors to genes. In this context, our experiences are used to illustrate why and how one should move forward in the molecular understanding of complex psychiatric illnesses. The promise of exploring genetic links between immunological and emotional responses are also discussed. New strategies based on humans, rodents and other animals (such as zebrafish) are also acknowledged, as they are likely to allow substantial progress to be made in the near future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André Ramos
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Natalli Granzotto
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Rafael Kremer
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Ariela Maína Boeder
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Julia Fernandez Puñal de Araújo
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Aline Guimarães Pereira
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Geison Souza Izídio
- Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Developmental and Cellular Biology, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Qian KW, Li YY, Wu XH, Gong X, Liu AL, Chen WH, Yang Z, Cui LJ, Liu YF, Ma YY, Yu CX, Huang F, Wang Q, Zhou X, Qu J, Zhong YM, Yang XL, Weng SJ. Altered Retinal Dopamine Levels in a Melatonin-proficient Mouse Model of Form-deprivation Myopia. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:992-1006. [PMID: 35349094 PMCID: PMC9468212 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00842-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduced levels of retinal dopamine, a key regulator of eye development, are associated with experimental myopia in various species, but are not seen in the myopic eyes of C57BL/6 mice, which are deficient in melatonin, a neurohormone having extensive interactions with dopamine. Here, we examined the relationship between form-deprivation myopia (FDM) and retinal dopamine levels in melatonin-proficient CBA/CaJ mice. We found that these mice exhibited a myopic refractive shift in form-deprived eyes, which was accompanied by altered retinal dopamine levels. When melatonin receptors were pharmacologically blocked, FDM could still be induced, but its magnitude was reduced, and retinal dopamine levels were no longer altered in FDM animals, indicating that melatonin-related changes in retinal dopamine levels contribute to FDM. Thus, FDM is mediated by both dopamine level-independent and melatonin-related dopamine level-dependent mechanisms in CBA/CaJ mice. The previously reported unaltered retinal dopamine levels in myopic C57BL/6 mice may be attributed to melatonin deficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Wei Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yun-Yun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Xiao-Hua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Discipline of Neuroscience and Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xue Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ai-Lin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wen-Hao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhe Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ling-Jie Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yun-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Chen-Xi Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Furong Huang
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Qiongsi Wang
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Xiangtian Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Jia Qu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Yong-Mei Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiong-Li Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shi-Jun Weng
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Risner ML, Pasini S, McGrady NR, Calkins DJ. Bax Contributes to Retinal Ganglion Cell Dendritic Degeneration During Glaucoma. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:1366-1380. [PMID: 34984584 PMCID: PMC8882107 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02675-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The BCL-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2) family of proteins contributes to mitochondrial-based apoptosis in models of neurodegeneration, including glaucomatous optic neuropathy (glaucoma), which degrades the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axonal projection to the visual brain. Glaucoma is commonly associated with increased sensitivity to intraocular pressure (IOP) and involves a proximal program that leads to RGC dendritic pruning and a distal program that underlies axonopathy in the optic projection. While genetic deletion of the Bcl2-associated X protein (Bax-/-) prolongs RGC body survival in models of glaucoma and optic nerve trauma, axonopathy persists, thus raising the question of whether dendrites and the RGC light response are protected. Here, we used an inducible model of glaucoma in Bax-/- mice to determine if Bax contributes to RGC dendritic degeneration. We performed whole-cell recordings and dye filling in RGCs signaling light onset (αON-Sustained) and offset (αOFF-Sustained). We recovered RGC dendritic morphologies by confocal microscopy and analyzed dendritic arbor complexity and size. Additionally, we assessed RGC axon function by measuring anterograde axon transport of cholera toxin subunit B to the superior colliculus and behavioral spatial frequency threshold (i.e., spatial acuity). We found 1 month of IOP elevation did not cause significant RGC death in either WT or Bax-/- retinas. However, IOP elevation reduced dendritic arbor complexity of WT αON-Sustained and αOFF-Sustained RGCs. In the absence of Bax, αON- and αOFF-Sustained RGC dendritic arbors remained intact following IOP elevation. In addition to dendrites, neuroprotection by Bax-/- generalized to αON-and αOFF-Sustained RGC light- and current-evoked responses. Both anterograde axon transport and spatial acuity declined during IOP elevation in WT and Bax-/- mice. Collectively, our results indicate Bax contributes to RGC dendritic degeneration and distinguishes the proximal and distal neurodegenerative programs involved during the progression of glaucoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Risner
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7103 MCN/VUIIS, 1161 21st Ave. S., Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Silvia Pasini
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7103 MCN/VUIIS, 1161 21st Ave. S., Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Nolan R McGrady
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7103 MCN/VUIIS, 1161 21st Ave. S., Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - David J Calkins
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7103 MCN/VUIIS, 1161 21st Ave. S., Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Young BK, Ramakrishnan C, Ganjawala T, Wang P, Deisseroth K, Tian N. An uncommon neuronal class conveys visual signals from rods and cones to retinal ganglion cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2104884118. [PMID: 34702737 PMCID: PMC8612366 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2104884118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) are distinguished by the neurotransmitter types they release, their synaptic connections, morphology, and genetic profiles. To fully understand how the CNS works, it is critical to identify all neuronal classes and reveal their synaptic connections. The retina has been extensively used to study neuronal development and circuit formation. Here, we describe a previously unidentified interneuron in mammalian retina. This interneuron shares some morphological, physiological, and molecular features with retinal bipolar cells, such as receiving input from photoreceptors and relaying visual signals to retinal ganglion cells. It also shares some features with amacrine cells (ACs), particularly Aii-ACs, such as their neurite morphology in the inner plexiform layer, the expression of some AC-specific markers, and possibly the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine. Thus, we unveil an uncommon interneuron, which may play an atypical role in vision.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brent K Young
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84114
| | | | - Tushar Ganjawala
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48202
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Ning Tian
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132;
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84114
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84148
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Interrelationships between Cellular Density, Mosaic Patterning, and Dendritic Coverage of VGluT3 Amacrine Cells. J Neurosci 2021; 41:103-117. [PMID: 33208470 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1027-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amacrine cells of the retina are conspicuously variable in their morphologies, their population demographics, and their ensuing functions. Vesicular glutamate transporter 3 (VGluT3) amacrine cells are a recently characterized type of amacrine cell exhibiting local dendritic autonomy. The present analysis has examined three features of this VGluT3 population, including their density, local distribution, and dendritic spread, to discern the extent to which these are interrelated, using male and female mice. We first demonstrate that Bax-mediated cell death transforms the mosaic of VGluT3 cells from a random distribution into a regular mosaic. We subsequently examine the relationship between cell density and mosaic regularity across recombinant inbred strains of mice, finding that, although both traits vary across the strains, they exhibit minimal covariation. Other genetic determinants must therefore contribute independently to final cell number and to mosaic order. Using a conditional KO approach, we further demonstrate that Bax acts via the bipolar cell population, rather than cell-intrinsically, to control VGluT3 cell number. Finally, we consider the relationship between the dendritic arbors of single VGluT3 cells and the distribution of their homotypic neighbors. Dendritic field area was found to be independent of Voronoi domain area, while dendritic coverage of single cells was not conserved, simply increasing with the size of the dendritic field. Bax-KO retinas exhibited a threefold increase in dendritic coverage. Each cell, however, contributed less dendrites at each depth within the plexus, intermingling their processes with those of neighboring cells to approximate a constant volumetric density, yielding a uniformity in process coverage across the population.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Different types of retinal neuron spread their processes across the surface of the retina to achieve a degree of dendritic coverage that is characteristic of each type. Many of these types achieve a constant coverage by varying their dendritic field area inversely with the local density of like-type neighbors. Here we report a population of retinal amacrine cells that do not develop dendritic arbors in relation to the spatial positioning of such homotypic neighbors; rather, this cell type modulates the extent of its dendritic branching when faced with a variable number of overlapping dendritic fields to approximate a uniformity in dendritic density across the retina.
Collapse
|
9
|
Geisert EE, Williams RW. Using BXD mouse strains in vision research: A systems genetics approach. Mol Vis 2020; 26:173-187. [PMID: 32180682 PMCID: PMC7058434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
We illustrate the growing power of the BXD family of mice (recombinant inbred strains from a cross of C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice) and companion bioinformatic tools to study complex genome-phenome relations related to glaucoma. Over the past 16 years, our group has integrated powerful murine resources and web-accessible tools to identify networks modulating visual system traits-from photoreceptors to the visual cortex. Recent studies focused on retinal ganglion cells and glaucoma risk factors, including intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), and susceptibility of cellular stress. The BXD family was exploited to define key gene variants and then establish linkage to glaucoma in human cohorts. The power of this experimental approach to precision medicine is highlighted by recent studies that defined cadherin 11 (Cdh11) and a calcium channel (Cacna2d1) as genes modulating IOP, Pou6f2 as a genetic link between CCT and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death, and Aldh7a1 as a gene that modulates the susceptibility of RGCs to death after elevated IOP. The role of three of these gene variants in glaucoma is discussed, along with the pathways activated in the disease process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eldon E. Geisert
- Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, 1365B Clifton Road NE Atlanta GA, 30322
| | - Robert W. Williams
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 71 S Manassas St, Memphis TN 38163
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Martucci A, Cesareo M, Pinazo-Durán MD, Di Pierro M, Di Marino M, Nucci C, Coletta M, Mancino R. Is there a relationship between dopamine and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment? Neural Regen Res 2020; 15:311-314. [PMID: 31552904 PMCID: PMC6905326 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.265559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine and its receptors have been widely studied in the neurological conditions and in the retina. In this study, we evaluated the possible role of dopamine in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) by comparing the amount of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), a surrogate index of retinal dopamine levels, in the vitreous sample of patients affected by RRD with those affected by macular pucker and vitreous hemorrhage. Our results showed that significantly higher levels of DOPAC were found in the vitreous sample of patients affected by RRD compared with those affected by vitreous hemorrhage and macular pucker (P = 0.002). Specifically, no trace of the substance was found in vitreous hemorrhage and macular pucker samples. A slightly significant positive correlation was found among DOPAC and post-operative best corrected visual acuity (r = 0.470, P = 0.049). No correlation was found between DOPAC and the days elapsed between diagnosis and surgery (P = 0.317). For the first time our findings suggest that DOPAC is released in RRD, but not in other retinal diseases such as vitreous hemorrhage and macular pucker. Moreover, we showed a correlation between visual acuity outcome and the amount of DOPAC in the vitreous. This might have a potential, although still unknown, implication in the pathogenesis of the disease and/or in the associated photoreceptors loss. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Rome Tor Vergata University Hospital (R.S.92.10) on September 24, 2010.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Martucci
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Cesareo
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Dolores Pinazo-Durán
- Ophthalmic Research Unit "Santiago Grisolia"/FISABIO and Cellular-Molecular Ophthalmobiology Group/University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Michela Di Pierro
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Di Marino
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Nucci
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Coletta
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele Mancino
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Caravaggio F, Worhunsky P, Graff-Guerrero A, Matuskey D. Further in vivo characterization of [ 11 C]-(+)-PHNO uptake into a retina-like region of interest in humans. Synapse 2019; 74:e22135. [PMID: 31553807 DOI: 10.1002/syn.22135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The neurotransmitter dopamine is present in the retina and is involved in several modulatory functions. Unlike in rodents, dopamine D3 receptors are expressed in the retina of humans. Recently, uptake of the D3 receptor-preferring radiotracer [11 C]-(+)-PHNO has been observed in a retina-like region of interest (ROI) in humans. Here, we attempted to quantify [11 C]-(+)-PHNO uptake into this ROI using an independent sample, employing an extended scan acquisition time (120 min) and arterial kinetic modeling. Data from 14 healthy controls were analyzed (Mean Age: 38.41 ± 9.55, 3 female), 8 of which provided arterial line input function data (Mean Age: 41.07 ± 7.82, 3 female). Using Ichise's multilinear analysis (MA1) method, it was possible to quantify the volume of distribution (VT ) of [11 C]-(+)-PHNO in this retina-like region (Mean VT = 13.56 ± 3.52; Mean χ2 = 2.08 ± 2.20). Notably, the shape of the time activity curve resembled closely that of the globus pallidus. Moreover, the VT values in the retina correlated well with binding potential (BPND ) values calculated using the simplified reference tissue model (Mean BPND = 2.11 ± .94; Mean χ2 = 5.76 ± 2.56), employing the cerebellum as the reference region (r = .76, r2 = .58). In summary, we provide evidence that the in vivo uptake of [11 C]-(+)-PHNO into a retina-like ROI in humans can be quantified using both arterial blood sampling (VT ) and simplified reference tissue methods (BPND ).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Caravaggio
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Patrick Worhunsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Ariel Graff-Guerrero
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Matuskey
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Neurology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| |
Collapse
|