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Ceci C, Lacal PM, Barbaccia ML, Mercuri NB, Graziani G, Ledonne A. The VEGFs/VEGFRs system in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases: Pathophysiological roles and therapeutic implications. Pharmacol Res 2024; 201:107101. [PMID: 38336311 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their cognate receptors (VEGFRs), besides their well-known involvement in physiological angiogenesis/lymphangiogenesis and in diseases associated to pathological vessel formation, play multifaceted functions in the central nervous system (CNS). In addition to shaping brain development, by controlling cerebral vasculogenesis and regulating neurogenesis as well as astrocyte differentiation, the VEGFs/VEGFRs axis exerts essential functions in the adult brain both in physiological and pathological contexts. In this article, after describing the physiological VEGFs/VEGFRs functions in the CNS, we focus on the VEGFs/VEGFRs involvement in neurodegenerative diseases by reviewing the current literature on the rather complex VEGFs/VEGFRs contribution to the pathogenic mechanisms of Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD) diseases. Thereafter, based on the outcome of VEGFs/VEGFRs targeting in animal models of AD and PD, we discuss the factual relevance of pharmacological VEGFs/VEGFRs modulation as a novel and potential disease-modifying approach for these neurodegenerative pathologies. Specific VEGFRs targeting, aimed at selective VEGFR-1 inhibition, while preserving VEGFR-2 signal transduction, appears as a promising strategy to hit the molecular mechanisms underlying AD pathology. Moreover, therapeutic VEGFs-based approaches can be proposed for PD treatment, with the aim of fine-tuning their brain levels to amplify neurotrophic/neuroprotective effects while limiting an excessive impact on vascular permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Ceci
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maria Luisa Barbaccia
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Biagio Mercuri
- Neurology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Department of Experimental Neuroscience, Rome, Italy; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Grazia Graziani
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
| | - Ada Ledonne
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Department of Experimental Neuroscience, Rome, Italy; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
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2
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Sousa CS, Lima R, Cibrão JR, Gomes ED, Fernandes LS, Pinho TS, Silva D, Campos J, Salgado AJ, Silva NA. Pre-Clinical Assessment of Roflumilast Therapy in a Thoracic Model of Spinal Cord Injury. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051556. [PMID: 37242797 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The failure of axons to regenerate after a spinal cord injury (SCI) remains one of the greatest challenges in neuroscience. The initial mechanical trauma is followed by a secondary injury cascade, creating a hostile microenvironment, which not only is not permissive to regeneration but also leads to further damage. One of the most promising approaches for promoting axonal regeneration is to maintain the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), specifically by a phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor expressed in neural tissues. Therefore, in our study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of an FDA-approved PDE4 inhibitor, Roflumilast (Rof), in a thoracic contusion rat model. Results indicate that the treatment was effective in promoting functional recovery. Rof-treated animals showed improvements in both gross and fine motor function. Eight weeks post-injury, the animals significantly recovered by achieving occasional weight-supported plantar steps. Histological assessment revealed a significant decrease in cavity size, less reactive microglia, as well as higher axonal regeneration in treated animals. Molecular analysis revealed that IL-10 and IL-13 levels, as well as VEGF, were increased in the serum of Rof-treated animals. Overall, Roflumilast promotes functional recovery and supports neuroregeneration in a severe thoracic contusion injury model and may be important in SCI treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla S Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Garcia de Orta, 2805-267 Almada, Portugal
| | - Rui Lima
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Jorge R Cibrão
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Eduardo D Gomes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Luís S Fernandes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Tiffany S Pinho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Deolinda Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Jonas Campos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - António J Salgado
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno A Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's Associate Lab, PT Government Associated Lab, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
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Injectable hydrogel encapsulated with VEGF-mimetic peptide-loaded nanoliposomes promotes peripheral nerve repair in vivo. Acta Biomater 2023; 160:225-238. [PMID: 36774975 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Repair of peripheral nerve crush injury remains a major clinical challenge. Currently, oral or intravenous neurotrophic drugs are the main treatment for peripheral nerve crush injury; however, this repair process is slow, and the final effect may be uncertain. The current study aimed at developing an injectable hydrogel with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mimetic peptide (QK)-encapsulated nanoliposomes (QK-NLs@Gel) for sustainable drug release that creates an appropriate microenvironment for nerve regeneration. The QK-encapsulated nanoliposomes (QK-NLs) could facilitate the proliferation, migration, and tube formation capacities of human umbilical vein endothelial cells through the VEGF signaling pathway. The QK-NLs@Gel hydrogel encapsulated with QK-NLs showed enhanced physical properties and appropriate biocompatibility in vitro. Thereafter, the QK-NLs@Gel hydrogel was directly injected into the site of peripheral nerve crush injury in a rat model, where it enhanced revascularization and promoted the M2-polarization of the macrophages, thus providing an optimized microenvironment for nerve regeneration. At four weeks post-surgery, the QK-NLs@Gel injected rats exhibited enhanced axon regeneration, remyelination, and better functional recovery in comparison with other groups in vivo. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the composite hydrogel could promote a multicellular pro-regenerative microenvironment at the peripheral nerve injury site, thus revealing great potential for peripheral nerve restoration. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a leading public health issue, and how to delivery beneficial drugs to injured sites efficiently is still a big challenge. In the current study, an injectable hydrogel with VEGF-mimetic peptide (QK)-encapsulated nanoliposomes (QK-NLs@Gel) was first developed and used to repair a rat crush injury model. Our results showed that QK-NLs promoted the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC via VEGF signaling pathway in vitro. Furthermore, when injected to the crushed sites in vivo, the QK-NLs@Gel hydrogel could accelerate nerve repair through enhanced revascularization and M2-polarization of macrophages. These results collectively demonstrate that injection of QK-NLs@Gel hydrogel could create an appropriate microenvironment for peripheral nerve regeneration. This strategy is effective, economical, and convenient for clinical applications.
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Zochodne DW. Growth factors and molecular-driven plasticity in neurological systems. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 196:569-598. [PMID: 37620091 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-98817-9.00017-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
It has been almost 70 years since the discovery of nerve growth factor (NGF), a period of a dramatic evolution in our understanding of dynamic growth, regeneration, and rewiring of the nervous system. In 1953, the extraordinary finding that a protein found in mouse submandibular glands generated a halo of outgrowing axons has now redefined our concept of the nervous system connectome. Central and peripheral neurons and their axons or dendrites are no longer considered fixed or static "wiring." Exploiting this molecular-driven plasticity as a therapeutic approach has arrived in the clinic with a slate of new trials and ideas. Neural growth factors (GFs), soluble proteins that alter the behavior of neurons, have expanded in numbers and our understanding of the complexity of their signaling and interactions with other proteins has intensified. However, beyond these "extrinsic" determinants of neuron growth and function are the downstream pathways that impact neurons, ripe for translational development and potentially more important than individual growth factors that may trigger them. Persistent and ongoing nuances in clinical trial design in some of the most intractable and irreversible neurological conditions give hope for connecting new biological ideas with clinical benefits. This review is a targeted update on neural GFs, their signals, and new therapeutic ideas, selected from an expansive literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas W Zochodne
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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Yu X, Yang Z, Zhang Y, Xia J, Zhang J, Han Q, Yu H, Wu C, Xu Y, Xu W, Yang W. Lipid Nanoparticle Delivery of Chemically Modified NGF R100W mRNA Alleviates Peripheral Neuropathy. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2202127. [PMID: 36325948 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) carries genetic instructions to the cell machinery for the transient production of antigens or therapeutic proteins and shows enormous potential in vaccine development, cancer immunotherapy, protein replacement therapy, and genome engineering. Here, the synthesis of chemically modified nerve growth factor mutant (NGFR100W ) mRNA through in vitro transcription is described. After the replacement of the original signal peptide sequence with the Ig Kappa leader sequence, codon-optimized NGFR100W mRNA yielded high secretion of mature NGFR100W , which promotes axon growth in PC12 cells. Using lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-delivery of N1-methylpseudouridine-modified mRNA in mice, NGFR100W -mRNA-LNPs result in the successful expression of NGFR100W protein, which significantly reduces nociceptive activity compared to that of NGFWT . This indicates that NGFR100W derived from exogenous mRNA elicited "painless" neuroprotective activity. Additionally, the therapeutic value of NGFR100W mRNA is established in a paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy model by demonstrating the rapid recovery of intraepidermal nerve fibers. The results show that in vitro-transcribed mRNA has significant flexibility in sequence design and fast in vivo functional validation of target proteins. Furthermore, the results highlight the therapeutic potential of mRNA as a supplement to beneficial proteins for preventing or reversing some chronic medical conditions, such as peripheral neuropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Zheng Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Jia Xia
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China
| | - Jiahui Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Qi Han
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Hang Yu
- Shanghai RNACure Biopharma Co., Ltd., Shanghai, 200438, P. R. China
| | - Chengbiao Wu
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Yingjie Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.,Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Zhoushan Branch, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 316012, P. R. China
| | - Wen Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
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Poitras T, Zochodne DW. Unleashing Intrinsic Growth Pathways in Regenerating Peripheral Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13566. [PMID: 36362354 PMCID: PMC9654452 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Common mechanisms of peripheral axon regeneration are recruited following diverse forms of damage to peripheral nerve axons. Whether the injury is traumatic or disease related neuropathy, reconnection of axons to their targets is required to restore function. Supporting peripheral axon regrowth, while not yet available in clinics, might be accomplished from several directions focusing on one or more of the complex stages of regrowth. Direct axon support, with follow on participation of supporting Schwann cells is one approach, emphasized in this review. However alternative approaches might include direct support of Schwann cells that instruct axons to regrow, manipulation of the inflammatory milieu to prevent ongoing bystander axon damage, or use of inflammatory cytokines as growth factors. Axons may be supported by a growing list of growth factors, extending well beyond the classical neurotrophin family. The understanding of growth factor roles continues to expand but their impact experimentally and in humans has faced serious limitations. The downstream signaling pathways that impact neuron growth have been exploited less frequently in regeneration models and rarely in human work, despite their promise and potency. Here we review the major regenerative signaling cascades that are known to influence adult peripheral axon regeneration. Within these pathways there are major checkpoints or roadblocks that normally check unwanted growth, but are an impediment to robust growth after injury. Several molecular roadblocks, overlapping with tumour suppressor systems in oncology, operate at the level of the perikarya. They have impacts on overall neuron plasticity and growth. A second approach targets proteins that largely operate at growth cones. Addressing both sites might offer synergistic benefits to regrowing neurons. This review emphasizes intrinsic aspects of adult peripheral axon regeneration, emphasizing several molecular barriers to regrowth that have been studied in our laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Douglas W. Zochodne
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G3, Canada
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Li X, Zhang X, Hao M, Wang D, Jiang Z, Sun L, Gao Y, Jin Y, Lei P, Zhuo Y. The application of collagen in the repair of peripheral nerve defect. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:973301. [PMID: 36213073 PMCID: PMC9542778 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.973301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Collagen is a natural polymer expressed in the extracellular matrix of the peripheral nervous system. It has become increasingly crucial in peripheral nerve reconstruction as it was involved in regulating Schwann cell behaviors, maintaining peripheral nerve functions during peripheral nerve development, and being strongly upregulated after nerve injury to promote peripheral nerve regeneration. Moreover, its biological properties, such as low immunogenicity, excellent biocompatibility, and biodegradability make it a suitable biomaterial for peripheral nerve repair. Collagen provides a suitable microenvironment to support Schwann cells’ growth, proliferation, and migration, thereby improving the regeneration and functional recovery of peripheral nerves. This review aims to summarize the characteristics of collagen as a biomaterial, analyze its role in peripheral nerve regeneration, and provide a detailed overview of the recent advances concerning the optimization of collagen nerve conduits in terms of physical properties and structure, as well as the application of the combination with the bioactive component in peripheral nerve regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolan Li
- Department of Neurology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Neurology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ming Hao
- School of Acupuncture-Moxi Bustion and Tuina, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Dongxu Wang
- Laboratory Animal Center, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ziping Jiang
- Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Liqun Sun
- Department of Pediatrics, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yongjian Gao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal and Anal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ye Jin
- Department of Pharmacy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
| | - Peng Lei
- Department of Neurology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Peng Lei, ; Yue Zhuo,
| | - Yue Zhuo
- School of Acupuncture-Moxi Bustion and Tuina, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Peng Lei, ; Yue Zhuo,
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Zhang Y, Xu L, Li X, Chen Z, Chen J, Zhang T, Gu X, Yang J. Deciphering the dynamic niches and regeneration-associated transcriptional program of motoneurons following peripheral nerve injury. iScience 2022; 25:104917. [PMID: 36051182 PMCID: PMC9424597 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Robust axon regeneration of motoneurons (MNs) occurs in rodent models upon peripheral nerve injury (PNI). However, genome-wide dynamic molecules and permissive microenvironment following insult in MNs remain largely unknown. Here, we firstly tackled by high-coverage and massive sequencing of laser-dissected individual ChAT+ cells to uncover molecules and pro-regenerative programs of MNs from injury to the regenerating phase after PNI. "Injured" populations at 1d∼7d were well distinguished and three response phases were well defined by elucidating with several clues (Gap43, etc). We found remarkable changes of genes expressed by injured motoneurons to activate and enhance intrinsic axon regrowth or crosstalk with other cellular or non-cellular counterpart in the activated regenerative microenvironment, specifically microglia/macrophage. We also identified an injury and regeneration-associated module and critical regulators including core transcription factors (Atf3, Arid5a, Klf6, Klf7, Jun, Stat3, and Myc). This study provides a vital resource and critical molecules for studying neural repair of axotomized motoneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Lian Xu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Xiaodi Li
- School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Zhifeng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Xiaosong Gu
- School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210000, China.,Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Jian Yang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
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Xu W, Wu Y, Lu H, Zhu Y, Ye J, Yang W. Sustained delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor mediated by bioactive methacrylic anhydride hydrogel accelerates peripheral nerve regeneration after crush injury. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:2064-2071. [PMID: 35142698 PMCID: PMC8848599 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.335166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophic factors, currently administered orally or by intravenous drip or intramuscular injection, are the main method for the treatment of peripheral nerve crush injury. However, the low effective drug concentration arriving at the injury site results in unsatisfactory outcomes. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a treatment method that can increase the effective drug concentration in the injured area. In this study, we first fabricated a gelatin modified by methacrylic anhydride hydrogel and loaded it with vascular endothelial growth factor that allowed the controlled release of the neurotrophic factor. This modified gelatin exhibited good physical and chemical properties, biocompatibility and supported the adhesion and proliferation of RSC96 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. When injected into the epineurium of crushed nerves, the composite hydrogel in the rat sciatic nerve crush injury model promoted nerve regeneration, functional recovery and vascularization. The results showed that the modified gelatin gave sustained delivery of vascular endothelial growth factors and accelerated the repair of crushed peripheral nerves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanlin Xu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifan Wu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Lu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Zhu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinhai Ye
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wenjun Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
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Jalilian E, Massoumi H, Bigit B, Amin S, Katz EA, Guaiquil VH, Anwar KN, Hematti P, Rosenblatt MI, Djalilian AR. Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells in a 3D system produce higher concentration of extracellular vesicles (EVs) with increased complexity and enhanced neuronal growth properties. Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:425. [PMID: 35986305 PMCID: PMC9389821 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-03128-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been demonstrated to possess great potential in preclinical models. An efficient biomanufacturing platform is necessary for scale up production for clinical therapeutic applications. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential differences in neuro-regenerative properties of MSC-derived EVs generated in 2D versus 3D culture systems. METHOD Human bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs) were cultured in 2D monolayer and 3D bioreactor systems. EVs were isolated using ultracentrifugation followed by size and concentration measurements utilizing dynamic light scattering (NanoSight) and by fluorescence staining (ExoView). Mouse trigeminal ganglia (TG) neurons were isolated from BALB/c mice and cultured in the presence or absence of EVs derived from 2D or 3D culture systems. Neuronal growth and morphology were monitored over 5 days followed by immunostaining for β3 tubulin. Confocal images were analyzed by Neurolucida software to obtain the density and length of the neurites. RESULTS The NanoSight tracking analysis revealed a remarkable increase (24-fold change) in the concentration of EVs obtained from the 3D versus 2D culture condition. ExoView analysis showed a significantly higher concentration of CD63, CD81, and CD9 markers in the EVs derived from 3D versus 2D conditions. Furthermore, a notable shift toward a more heterogeneous phenotype was observed in the 3D-derived EVs compared to those from 2D culture systems. EVs derived from both culture conditions remarkably induced neurite growth and elongation after 5 days in culture compared to untreated control. Neurolucida analysis of the immunostaining images (β3 tubulin) showed a significant increase in neurite length in TG neurons treated with 3D- versus 2D-derived EVs (3301.5 μm vs. 1860.5 μm, P < 0.05). Finally, Sholl analysis demonstrated a significant increase in complexity of the neuronal growth in neurons treated with 3D- versus 2D-derived EVs (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION This study highlights considerable differences in EVs obtained from different culture microenvironments, which could have implications for their therapeutic effects and potency. The 3D culture system seems to provide a preferred environment that modulates the paracrine function of the cells and the release of a higher number of EVs with enhanced biophysical properties and functions in the context of neurite elongation and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmira Jalilian
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC 648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
- Richard and Loan Hill Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Hamed Massoumi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC 648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Richard and Loan Hill Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bianca Bigit
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC 648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Sohil Amin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC 648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Eitan A Katz
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC 648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Victor H Guaiquil
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC 648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Khandaker N Anwar
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC 648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Peiman Hematti
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Division, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Mark I Rosenblatt
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC 648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Ali R Djalilian
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC 648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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11
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Sarkar J, Luo Y, Zhou Q, Ivakhnitskaia E, Lara D, Katz E, Sun MG, Guaiquil V, Rosenblatt M. VEGF receptor heterodimers and homodimers are differentially expressed in neuronal and endothelial cell types. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269818. [PMID: 35862373 PMCID: PMC9302817 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE We have previously reported that VEGF-B is more potent than VEGF-A in mediating corneal nerve growth in vitro and in vivo, and this stimulation of nerve growth appears to be different from stimulation of angiogenesis by these same ligands, at least in part due to differences in VEGF receptor activation. VEGF signaling may be modulated by a number of factors including receptor number or the formation of receptor hetero- vs. homodimers. In endothelial cells, VEGF receptor heterodimer (VEGR1/R2) activation after ligand binding and subsequent phosphorylation alters the activation of downstream signaling cascades. However, our understanding of these processes in neuronal cell types remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the presence and distribution of VEGF Receptor-Ligand interactions in neuronal cells as compared to endothelial cells. METHODS PC12 (rat neuronal cell line), MAEC (mouse aortic endothelial cell line), MVEC (mouse venous endothelial cell line) and HUVEC (human umbilical venous endothelial cell line; control group) were used. Cells were acutely stimulated either with VEGF-A (50 ng/μL) or VEGF-B (50 ng/μL) or "vehicle" (PBS; control group). We also isolated mouse trigeminal ganglion cells from thy1-YFP neurofluorescent mice. After treatment, cells were used as follows: (i) One group was fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and processed for VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 immunostaining and visualized using confocal fluorescence microscopy and Total Internal Reflection (TIRF) microscopy; (ii) the second group was harvested in cell lysis buffer (containing anti-protease / anti-phosphatase cocktail), lysed and processed for immunoprecipitation (IP; Thermo Fisher IP kit) and immunoblotting (IB; LI-COR® Systems). Immunoprecipitated proteins were probed either with anti-VEGFR1 or anti-VEGFR2 IgG antibodies to evaluate VEGFR1-R2-heterodimerization; (iii) a third group of cells was also processed for Duolink Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA; Sigma) to assess the presence and distribution of VEGF-receptor homo- and heterodimers in neuronal and endothelial cells. RESULTS TIRF and fluorescence confocal microscopy revealed the presence of VEGFR1 co-localized with VEGFR2 in endothelial and PC12 neuronal cells. Cell lysates immunoprecipitated with anti-VEGFR1 further validated the existence of VEGFR1-R2 heterodimers in PC12 neuronal cells. Neuronal cells showed higher levels of VEGFR1-R2 heterodimers as compared to endothelial cells whereas endothelial cells showed higher VEGFR2-R2 homodimers compared to neuronal cells as demonstrated by Duolink PLA. Levels of VEGFR1-R1 homodimers were very low in neuronal and endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS Differences in VEGF Receptor homo- and heterodimer distribution may explain the differential role of VEGF ligands in neuronal versus endothelial cell types. This may in turn influence VEGF activity and regulation of neuronal cell homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy Sarkar
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Yuncin Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Qiang Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Evguenia Ivakhnitskaia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Daniel Lara
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Eitan Katz
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Michael G. Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Victor Guaiquil
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Mark Rosenblatt
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
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12
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Idrisova KF, Zeinalova AK, Masgutova GA, Bogov AA, Allegrucci C, Syromiatnikova VY, Salafutdinov II, Garanina EE, Andreeva DI, Kadyrov AA, Rizvanov AA, Masgutov RF. Application of neurotrophic and proangiogenic factors as therapy after peripheral nervous system injury. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:1240-1247. [PMID: 34782557 PMCID: PMC8643040 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.327329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The intrinsic ability of peripheral nerves to regenerate after injury is extremely limited, especially in case of severe injury. This often leads to poor motor function and permanent disability. Existing approaches for the treatment of injured nerves do not provide appropriate conditions to support survival and growth of nerve cells. This drawback can be compensated by the use of gene therapy and cell therapy-based drugs that locally provide an increase in the key regulators of nerve growth, including neurotrophic factors and extracellular matrix proteins. Each growth factor plays its own specific angiotrophic or neurotrophic role. Currently, growth factors are widely studied as accelerators of nerve regeneration. Particularly noteworthy is synergy between various growth factors, that is essential for both angiogenesis and neurogenesis. Fibroblast growth factor 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor are widely known for their proangiogenic effects. At the same time, fibroblast growth factor 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor stimulate neural cell growth and play an important role in neurodegenerative diseases of the peripheral nervous system. Taken together, their neurotrophic and angiogenic properties have positive effect on the regeneration process. In this review we provide an in-depth overview of the role of fibroblast growth factor 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor in the regeneration of peripheral nerves, thus demonstrating their neurotherapeutic efficacy in improving neuron survival in the peripheral nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Cinzia Allegrucci
- Biodiscovery Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ruslan Faridovich Masgutov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
- Republican Clinical Hospital, Kazan, Russia
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13
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Guaiquil VH, Xiao C, Lara D, Dimailig G, Zhou Q. Expression of axon guidance ligands and their receptors in the cornea and trigeminal ganglia and their recovery after corneal epithelium injury. Exp Eye Res 2022; 219:109054. [PMID: 35427568 PMCID: PMC9133167 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Axon guidance proteins are essential for axonal pathfinding during development. In adulthood, they have been described as pleiotropic proteins with multiple roles in different organs and tissues. While most studies on the roles of these proteins in the cornea have been performed on the Semaphorin family members, with few reports on Netrins or Ephrins, their function in corneal epithelium wound healing and functional nerve regeneration is largely unknown. Here, we studied the expression of ligands belonging to three distinct axon guidance families (Semaphorins, Ephrins, and Netrins) and their most commonly associated receptors in the cornea and trigeminal ganglia (TG) using immunofluorescence staining and RT-qPCR. We also evaluated how their expression recovers after corneal epithelium injury. We found that all ligands studied (Sema3A, Sema3F, EphrinB1, EphrinB2, Netrin-1, and Netrin-4) are abundantly expressed in both the TG and corneal epithelium. Similarly, their receptors (Neuropilin-1, Neuropilin-2, PlexinA1, PlexinA3, EphB2, EphB4, Neogenin, UNC5H1 and DCC) are also expressed in both tissues. Upon corneal epithelium injury, quick recovery of both ligands and receptors was observed at the protein and gene expression levels. While the timing and expression levels vary among these proteins, in general, most of them remained upregulated for several weeks after injury. We propose that the initial protein expression recovery may be related to corneal epithelium recovery since Sema3A, EphrinB2 and Netrin-4 accelerated corneal epithelial cells wound healing. The sustained high expression levels may be functionally related to nerve regeneration and/or patterning. Whilst further studies are required to test this hypothesis, this work contributes to unraveling their function in normal and injured cornea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor H Guaiquil
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Cissy Xiao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel Lara
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Greigory Dimailig
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Qiang Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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14
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Alam J, Yazdanpanah G, Ratnapriya R, Borcherding N, de Paiva CS, Li D, Guimaraes de Souza R, Yu Z, Pflugfelder SC. IL-17 Producing Lymphocytes Cause Dry Eye and Corneal Disease With Aging in RXRα Mutant Mouse. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:849990. [PMID: 35402439 PMCID: PMC8983848 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.849990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate IL-17 related mechanisms for developing dry eye disease in the Pinkie mouse strain with a loss of function RXRα mutation. Methods Measures of dry eye disease were assessed in the cornea and conjunctiva. Expression profiling was performed by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to compare gene expression in conjunctival immune cells. Conjunctival immune cells were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. The activity of RXRα ligand 9-cis retinoic acid (RA) was evaluated in cultured monocytes and γδ T cells. Results Compared to wild type (WT) C57BL/6, Pinkie has increased signs of dry eye disease, including decreased tear volume, corneal barrier disruption, corneal/conjunctival cornification and goblet cell loss, and corneal vascularization, opacification, and ulceration with aging. ScRNA-seq of conjunctival immune cells identified γδ T cells as the predominant IL-17 expressing population in both strains and there is a 4-fold increased percentage of γδ T cells in Pinkie. Compared to WT, IL-17a, and IL-17f significantly increased in Pinkie with conventional T cells and γδ T cells as the major producers. Flow cytometry revealed an increased number of IL-17+ γδ T cells in Pinkie. Tear concentration of the IL-17 inducer IL-23 is significantly higher in Pinkie. 9-cis RA treatment suppresses stimulated IL-17 production by γδ T and stimulatory activity of monocyte supernatant on γδ T cell IL-17 production. Compared to WT bone marrow chimeras, Pinkie chimeras have increased IL-17+ γδ T cells in the conjunctiva after desiccating stress and anti-IL-17 treatment suppresses dry eye induced corneal MMP-9 production/activity and conjunctival goblet cell loss. Conclusion These findings indicate that RXRα suppresses generation of dry eye disease-inducing IL-17 producing lymphocytes s in the conjunctiva and identifies RXRα as a potential therapeutic target in dry eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jehan Alam
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Surface Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ghasem Yazdanpanah
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Surface Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rinki Ratnapriya
- Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Nicholas Borcherding
- Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Cintia S. de Paiva
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Surface Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - DeQuan Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Surface Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rodrigo Guimaraes de Souza
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Surface Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Zhiyuan Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Surface Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Stephen C. Pflugfelder
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Surface Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Stephen C. Pflugfelder
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15
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Zhou T, Lee A, Lo ACY, Kwok JSWJ. Diabetic Corneal Neuropathy: Pathogenic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:816062. [PMID: 35281903 PMCID: PMC8905431 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.816062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major global public health problem that can cause complications such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic nephropathy. Besides the reporting of reduction in corneal nerve density and decrease in corneal sensitivity in diabetic patients, there may be a subsequent result in delayed corneal wound healing and increased corneal infections. Despite being a potential cause of blindness, these corneal nerve changes have not gained enough attention. It has been proposed that corneal nerve changes may be an indicator for diabetic neuropathy, which can provide a window for early diagnosis and treatment. In this review, the authors aimed to give an overview of the relationship between corneal nerves and diabetic neuropathy as well as the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of corneal nerve fiber changes caused by DM for improved prediction and prevention of diabetic neuropathy. In addition, the authors summarized current and novel therapeutic methods for delayed corneal wound healing, nerve protection and regeneration in the diabetic cornea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Allie Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Amy Cheuk Yin Lo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jeremy Sze Wai John Kwok
- Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
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16
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Hibbitts AJ, Kočí Z, Kneafsey S, Matsiko A, Žilić L, Dervan A, Hinton P, Chen G, Cavanagh B, Dowling J, McCoy C, Buckley CT, Archibald SJ, O'Brien FJ. Multi-Factorial Nerve Guidance Conduit Engineering Improves Outcomes in Inflammation, Angiogenesis and Large Defect Nerve Repair. Matrix Biol 2022; 106:34-57. [PMID: 35032612 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2022.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) are sub-optimal for long-distance injuries with inflammation and poor vascularization related to poor axonal repair. This study used a multi-factorial approach to create an optimized biomaterial NGC to address each of these issues. Through stepwise optimization, a collagen-chondroitin-6-sulphate (Coll-CS) biomaterial was functionalized with extracellular matrix (ECM) components; fibronectin, laminin 1 and laminin 2 (FibL1L2) in specific ratios. A snap-cooled freeze-drying process was then developed with optimal pore architecture and alignment to guide axonal bridging. Culture of adult rat dorsal root ganglia on NGCs demonstrated significant improvements in inflammation, neurogenesis and angiogenesis in the specific Fib:L1:L2 ratio of 1:4:1. In clinically relevant, large 15 mm rat sciatic nerve defects, FibL1L2-NGCs demonstrated significant improvements in axonal density and angiogenesis compared to unmodified NGCs with functional equivalence to autografts. Therefore, a multiparameter ECM-driven strategy can significantly improve axonal repair across large defects, without exogenous cells or growth factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan J Hibbitts
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Dept. of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Zuzana Kočí
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Dept. of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Simone Kneafsey
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Dept. of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Amos Matsiko
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Dept. of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Leyla Žilić
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Dept. of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Adrian Dervan
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Dept. of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paige Hinton
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Dept. of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Centre for the Study of Neurological Disorders, Microsurgical Research and Training Facility (MRTF), RCSI, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Jennifer Dowling
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephen's Green, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Claire McCoy
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephen's Green, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Conor T Buckley
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Dept. of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Fergal J O'Brien
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Dept. of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
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17
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Liu S, Zhou L, Li C, Min T, Lu C, Han S, Zhang M, Wen Y, Zhang P, Jiang B. Chitin conduits modified with DNA-peptide coating promote the peripheral nerve regeneration. Biofabrication 2021; 14. [PMID: 34808601 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac3bdc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is one of the common clinical injuries which needs to be addressed. Previous studies demonstrated the effectiveness of using biodegradable chitin (CT) conduits small gap tubulization technology as a substitute for traditional epineurial neurorrhaphy. Aiming to improve the effectiveness of CT conduits in repairing PNI, we modified their surface with a DNA-peptide coating. The coating consisted of single strand DNA (ssDNA) and its complementary DNA'-peptide mimics. First, we immobilize ssDNA (DNA1 + 2) on CT conduits by carbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) method to construct CT/DNA conduits. EDC/NHS was used to activate carboxyl groups of modified ssDNA for direct reaction with primary amines on the CT via amide bond formation. Then, DNA1'-BDNF + DNA2'-VEGF mimic peptide (RGI + KLT) were bonded to CT/DNA conduits by complementary base pairing principle at room temperature to form CT/RGI + KLT conduits. When the surrounding environment rose to a certain point (37 °C), the CT/RGI + KLT conduits achieved sustainable release of DNA'-peptide.In vitro, the CT conduits modified with the DNA-peptide coating promoted the proliferation and secretion of Schwann cells by maintaining their repair state. It also promoted the proliferation of human umbilical vein vessel endothelial cells and axon outgrowth of dorsal root ganglion explants.In vivo, CT/RGI + KLT conduits promoted regeneration of injured nerves and functional recovery of target muscles, which was facilitated by the synergistic contribution of angiogenesis and neurogenesis. Our research brings DNA and DNA-peptide hybrids into the realm of tissue engineering to repair PNI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songyang Liu
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Center for Trauma Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Liping Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ci Li
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiantian Min
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Changfeng Lu
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai Han
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongqiang Wen
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Peixun Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Baoguo Jiang
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Trauma and Neural Regeneration, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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18
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Xu W, Zhang Z, Lu H, Wu Y, Liu J, Liu S, Yang W. Biocompatible Polyurethane Conduit Grafted with Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Loaded Hydrogel Repairs the Peripheral Nerve Defect in Rats. Macromol Biosci 2021; 22:e2100397. [PMID: 34863047 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202100397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Artificial nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) can be potentially used to address the problems of peripheral nerve defects. The biomaterial polyurethane (PU) has already been used to construct NGCs. However, the use of a combination of PU-based NGCs and other bioactive cues, such as extracellular matrix proteins and growth factors, has not been reported yet. A PU conduit grafted with a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-loaded hydrogel (abbreviated as PU/Gel/VEGF conduit) is fabricated. The leachate generated during the use of the PU/Gel/VEGF conduit could facilitate the proliferation, migration, and expression of the neural marker S100β in RSC96 cells (in vitro). The walking track and target muscle are analyzed, and it is observed that PU/Gel/VEGF conduits promote the functional recovery of the injured side. Various histological staining analyses are carried out, and the results reveal that the PU/Gel/VEGF conduit effectively improves the extent of nerve regeneration achieved. The number of blood vessels developed during the regeneration of the axons in the PU/Gel/VEGF group (attributable to the pro-angiogenic effect of the functional NGC) is higher than the number of blood vessels developed in the PU/Gel conduit. Overall, the results indicate that PU/Gel/VEGF conduits could promote the process of peripheral nerve regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanlin Xu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Hao Lu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yifan Wu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Jia Liu
- School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Shengwen Liu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Wenjun Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China
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Zhou Q, Guaiquil VH, Wong M, Escobar A, Ivakhnitskaia E, Yazdanpanah G, Jing H, Sun M, Sarkar J, Luo Y, Rosenblatt MI. Hydrogels derived from acellular porcine corneal stroma enhance corneal wound healing. Acta Biomater 2021; 134:177-189. [PMID: 34400306 PMCID: PMC8542601 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Acellular cornea derived hydrogels provide significant advantages in preserving native corneal stromal keratocyte cells and endothelial cells. However, for clinical application, hydrogel physical properties need to be improved, and their role in corneal epithelial wound healing requires further investigation. In this study, an acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) hydrogel (APCS-gel) was successfully prepared from 20 mg/ml APCS, demonstrated optimal light transmittance and gelation kinetic properties and retained critical corneal ECM of collagens and growth factors. Compared with fibrin gel, the APCS-gel had a higher porosity ratio and faster nutrition diffusion with an accompanying improvement in the proliferation of primary rabbit corneal epithelial cells (RCECs) and stromal cells (RCSCs). These corneal cell types also displayed improved viability and cellular infiltration. Furthermore, the APCS-gel provides significant advantages in the preservation of RCECs stemness and enhancement of corneal wound healing in vitro and in vivo. After 7 days of culture, 3-4 layers of RCECs were formed on the APCS-gel in vitro, while only 1-2 layers were found on the fibrin gel. More corneal stem/progenitor cell phenotypes (K12-, p63+, ABCG2+) and proliferation phenotypes (Ki67+) were detected on the APCS-gel than fibrin gel. Using a corneal epithelial wound healing model, we also found faster reepithelization in corneas that received APCS-gel compared to fibrin gel. Additionally, our APCS-gel demonstrated better physical and biological properties when compared to Tisseel, a clinically used type of fibrin gel. In conclusion, our APCS-gel provided better corneal epithelial and stromal cell biocompatibility to fibrin gels and due to its transparency and faster gelation time could potentially be superior for clinical purposes. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Extracellular matrix (ECM) can be used to provide tissue specific physical microstructure and biochemical cues for tissue regeneration. Here, we produced an ECM hydrogel derived from acellular porcine cornea stroma (APCS-gel) that retained critical biological characteristics of the native tissue and provided significant transparency and fast gelation time. Our data demonstrated that the APCS-gel was superior to clinically used fibrin gel, as the APCS-gel showed high porosity and permeability, better corneal stromal keratocytes infiltration, increased cellular proliferation and retention of corneal epithelial cells stemness. The APCS-gel improved corneal wound healing in vitro and in vivo. This APCS-gel may have clinical utility for corneal diseases, and the more general approach used to make this hydrogel might be used in other tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Victor H Guaiquil
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Matthea Wong
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Alejandro Escobar
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Evguenia Ivakhnitskaia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Ghasem Yazdanpanah
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Hongwu Jing
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Michael Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Joy Sarkar
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yuncin Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Mark I Rosenblatt
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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Corneal Nerve Fiber and Sensitivity Loss After Repeated Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Injections: An In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Study. Cornea 2021; 41:317-321. [PMID: 34469335 DOI: 10.1097/ico.0000000000002836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate corneal sensation, subbasal nerve plexus (SBNP), and ocular surface symptoms in patients who underwent multiple intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME). METHODS Forty patients with previous anti-VEGF intravitreal injections (20 AMD and 20 DME) and 30 healthy controls were included in this study. In vivo corneal confocal microscopy (IVCM) of the SBNP, corneal sensitivity measurement with a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer, noninvasive tear break-up times, and ocular surface disease score index (OSDI) calculation were performed for each participant. Corneal nerve fiber density, corneal nerve branch density, total length of all nerve fibers, corneal total branch density, corneal nerve fiber area, corneal nerve fiber width, and corneal nerve fiber fractal dimension parameters were obtained by automatic digital analysis. RESULTS Corneal nerve fiber density, corneal nerve branch density, total length of all nerve fibers, and corneal nerve fiber fractal dimension in IVCM imaging and corneal sensitivity were significantly decreased in both AMD and DME groups compared with the control group. Corneal nerve fiber width and OSDI scores were significantly increased in AMD and DME groups compared with the control group. None of the IVCM parameters were significantly different between AMD and DME groups. Corneal sensitivity was decreased in patients with DME compared with patients with AMD. Tear break-up time was not different among the groups. CONCLUSIONS Corneal SBNP parameters were affected, corneal sensitivity was decreased, and OSDI scores were increased in patients with multiple intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. IVCM parameters were not significantly different between AMD and DME groups.
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21
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Ivakhnitskaia E, Chin MR, Siegel D, Guaiquil VH. Vinaxanthone inhibits Semaphorin3A induced axonal growth cone collapse in embryonic neurons but fails to block its growth promoting effects on adult neurons. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13019. [PMID: 34155284 PMCID: PMC8217491 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92375-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Semaphorin3A is considered a classical repellent molecule for developing neurons and a potent inhibitor of regeneration after nervous system trauma. Vinaxanthone and other Sema3A inhibitors are currently being tested as possible therapeutics to promote nervous system regeneration from injury. Our previous study on Sema3A demonstrated a switch in Sema3A's function toward induction of nerve regeneration in adult murine corneas and in culture of adult peripheral neurons. The aim of the current study is to determine the direct effects of Vinaxanthone on the Sema3A induced adult neuronal growth. We first demonstrate that Vinaxanthone maintains its anti-Sema3A activity in embryonic dorsal root ganglia neurons by inhibiting Sema3A-induced growth cone collapse. However, at concentrations approximating its IC50 Vinaxanthone treatment does not significantly inhibit neurite formation of adult peripheral neurons induced by Sema3A treatment. Furthermore, Vinaxanthone has off target effects when used at concentrations above its IC50, and inhibits neurite growth of adult neurons treated with either Sema3A or NGF. Our results suggest that Vinaxanthone's pro-regenerative effects seen in multiple in vivo models of neuronal injury in adult animals need further investigation due to the pleiotropic effect of Sema3A on various non-neuronal cell types and the possible effect of Vinaxanthone on other neuroregenerative signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evguenia Ivakhnitskaia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Matthew R Chin
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Dionicio Siegel
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victor H Guaiquil
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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22
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Covell DG. Bioinformatic analysis linking genomic defects to chemosensitivity and mechanism of action. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0243336. [PMID: 33909629 PMCID: PMC8081165 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A joint analysis of the NCI60 small molecule screening data, their genetically defective genes, and mechanisms of action (MOA) of FDA approved cancer drugs screened in the NCI60 is proposed for identifying links between chemosensitivity, genomic defects and MOA. Self-Organizing-Maps (SOMs) are used to organize the chemosensitivity data. Student’s t-tests are used to identify SOM clusters with enhanced chemosensitivity for tumor cell lines with versus without genetically defective genes. Fisher’s exact and chi-square tests are used to reveal instances where defective gene to chemosensitivity associations have enriched MOAs. The results of this analysis find a relatively small set of defective genes, inclusive of ABL1, AXL, BRAF, CDC25A, CDKN2A, IGF1R, KRAS, MECOM, MMP1, MYC, NOTCH1, NRAS, PIK3CG, PTK2, RPTOR, SPTBN1, STAT2, TNKS and ZHX2, as possible candidates for roles in chemosensitivity for compound MOAs that target primarily, but not exclusively, kinases, nucleic acid synthesis, protein synthesis, apoptosis and tubulin. These results find exploitable instances of enhanced chemosensitivity of compound MOA’s for selected defective genes. Collectively these findings will advance the interpretation of pre-clinical screening data as well as contribute towards the goals of cancer drug discovery, development decision making, and explanation of drug mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Covell
- Information Technologies Branch, Developmental Therapeutics Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States of America
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23
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Luo Y, Kang KB, Sartaj R, Sun MG, Zhou Q, Guaiquil VH, Rosenblatt MI. Silk films with nanotopography and extracellular proteins enhance corneal epithelial wound healing. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8168. [PMID: 33854156 PMCID: PMC8046786 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87658-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Corneal wound healing depends on extracellular matrix (ECM) and topographical cues that modulate migration and proliferation of regenerating cells. In our study, silk films with either flat or nanotopography patterned parallel ridge widths of 2000, 1000, 800 nm surfaces were combined with ECMs which include collagen type I (collagen I), fibronectin, laminin, and Poly-D-Lysine to accelerate corneal wound healing. Silk films with 800 nm ridge width provided better cell spreading and wound recovery than other size topographies. Coating 800 nm patterned silk films with collagen I proves to optimally further increased mouse and rabbit corneal epithelial cells growth and wound recovery. This enhanced cellular response correlated with redistribution and increase in size and total amount of focal adhesion. Transcriptomics and signaling pathway analysis suggested that silk topography regulates cell behaviors via actin nucleation ARP-WASP complex pathway, which regulate filopodia formation. This mechanism was further explored and inhibition of Cdc42, a key protein in this pathway, delayed wound healing and decreased the length, density, and alignment of filopodia. Inhibition of Cdc42 in vivo resulted in delayed re-epithelization of injured corneas. We conclude that silk film nanotopography in combination with collagen I constitutes a better substrate for corneal wound repair than either nanotopography or ECM alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuncin Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Kai B Kang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Rachel Sartaj
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Michael G Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Qiang Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Victor H Guaiquil
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Mark I Rosenblatt
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 W. Taylor Street, MC648, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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Llorián-Salvador M, Barabas P, Byrne EM, Lechner J, Augustine J, Curtis TM, Chen M, Xu H. VEGF-B Is an Autocrine Gliotrophic Factor for Müller Cells under Pathologic Conditions. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 61:35. [PMID: 32945843 PMCID: PMC7509798 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.11.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Müller glia are important in retinal health and disease and are a major source of retinal VEGF-A. Of the different VEGF family members, the role of VEGF-A in retinal health and disease has been studied extensively. The potential contribution of other VEGF family members to retinal pathophysiology, however, remains poorly defined. This study aimed to understand the role of VEGF-B in Müller cell pathophysiology. Methods The expression of different VEGFs and their receptors in human MIO-M1 and mouse QMMuC-1 Müller cell lines and primary murine Müller cells was examined by RT-PCR, ELISA, and Western blot. The effect of recombinant VEGF-B or VEGF-B neutralization on Müller cell viability and survival under normal, hypoxic, and oxidative (4-hydroxynonenal [4-HNE]) conditions was evaluated by Alamar Blue, Yo-Pro uptake, and immunocytochemistry. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein, aquaporin-4, inward rectifying K+ channel subtype 4.1, glutamine synthetase, and transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 under different treatment conditions was examined by RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and Western blot. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 channel activity was assessed using a Fura-2–based calcium assay. Results VEGF-B was expressed in Müller cells at the highest levels compared with other members of the VEGF family. VEGF-B neutralization did not affect Müller cell viability or functionality under normal conditions, but enhanced hypoxia– or 4-HNE–induced Müller cell death and decreased inward rectifying K+ channel subtype 4.1 and aquaporin-4 expression. Recombinant VEGF-B restored Müller cell glutamine synthetase expression under hypoxic conditions and protected Müller cells from 4-HNE–induced damage by normalizing transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 channel expression and activity. Conclusions Autocrine production of VEGF-B protects Müller cells under pathologic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Llorián-Salvador
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL. Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Barabas
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL. Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Eimear M Byrne
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL. Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Judith Lechner
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL. Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Josy Augustine
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL. Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy M Curtis
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL. Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Mei Chen
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL. Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Heping Xu
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 7BL. Belfast, United Kingdom
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Tuck H, Park M, Carnell M, Machet J, Richardson A, Jukic M, Di Girolamo N. Neuronal-epithelial cell alignment: A determinant of health and disease status of the cornea. Ocul Surf 2021; 21:257-270. [PMID: 33766739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE How sensory neurons and epithelial cells interact with one another, and whether this association can be considered an indicator of health or disease is yet to be elucidated. METHODS Herein, we used the cornea, Confetti mice, a novel image segmentation algorithm for intraepithelial corneal nerves which was compared to and validated against several other analytical platforms, and three mouse models to delineate this paradigm. For aging, eyes were collected from 2 to 52 week-old normal C57BL/6 mice (n ≥ 4/time-point). For wound-healing and limbal stem cell deficiency, 7 week-old mice received a limbal-sparing or limbal-to-limbal epithelial debridement to their right cornea, respectively. Eyes were collected 2-16 weeks post-injury (n=4/group/time-point), corneas procured, immunolabelled with βIII-tubulin, flat-mounted, imaged by scanning confocal microscopy and analyzed for nerve and epithelial-specific parameters. RESULTS Our data indicate that nerve features are dynamic during aging and their curvilinear arrangement align with corneal epithelial migratory tracks. Moderate corneal injury prompted axonal regeneration and recovery of nerve fiber features. Limbal stem cell deficient corneas displayed abnormal nerve morphology, and fibers no longer aligned with corneal epithelial migratory tracks. Mechanistically, we discovered that nerve pattern restoration relies on the number and distribution of stromal-epithelial nerve penetration sites. CONCLUSIONS Microstructural changes to innervation may explain corneal complications related to aging and/or disease and facilitate development of new assays for diagnosis and/or classification of ocular and systemic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh Tuck
- School of Medical Sciences, Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Mijeong Park
- School of Medical Sciences, Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Michael Carnell
- Biomedical Imaging Facility, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Joshua Machet
- School of Medical Sciences, Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Alexander Richardson
- School of Medical Sciences, Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Marijan Jukic
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Centre for Health Policy, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3053, Australia
| | - Nick Di Girolamo
- School of Medical Sciences, Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia.
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26
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Han H, Yang C, Zhang Y, Han C, Zhang G. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Mediates the Sprouted Axonogenesis of Breast Cancer in Rat. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2020; 191:515-526. [PMID: 33345997 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Nerve infiltration into the tumor is a common feature of the tumor microenvironment. The mechanisms of axonogenesis in breast cancer remain unclear. We hypothesized that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as well as nerve growth factor (NGF), is involved in the axonogenesis of breast cancer. A N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced rat model of breast cancer was used to explore the presence of axonogenesis in breast tumor and the involvement of VEGF, as well as NGF, in the axonogenesis of breast tumor. Nerve infiltration into the tumor was found in MNU-induced rat model of breast cancer including the sensory and sympathetic nerve fibers. Nerve density was increased following the growth of tumor. The sensory neurons innervating the thoracic and abdominal mammary tumors peaked at T5 to T6 and L1 to L2 dorsal root ganglions, respectively. Either VEGF receptor inhibitor or antibody against VEGF receptor 2, as well as NGF receptor inhibitor, apparently decreased both the nerve density and vascular density of breast tumor. The reduced nerve density was correlated with the decreased vascular density induced by these treatments. In cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons, phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3K)/Akt, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), and p38 inhibitors significantly attenuated VEGF-induced neurite elongation. These findings provide direct evidence that VEGF, as well as NGF, may control the axonogenesis of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxiu Han
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, Shangha, China; Department of Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chunxue Yang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Changhao Han
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Second Clinical Medical College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guohua Zhang
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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27
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Trujillo-Vargas CM, Kutlehria S, Hernandez H, de Souza RG, Lee A, Yu Z, Pflugfelder SC, Singh M, de Paiva CS. Rapamycin Eyedrops Increased CD4 +Foxp3 + Cells and Prevented Goblet Cell Loss in the Aged Ocular Surface. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21238890. [PMID: 33255287 PMCID: PMC7727717 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dry eye disease (DED), one of the most prevalent conditions among the elderly, is a chronic inflammatory disorder that disrupts tear film stability and causes ocular surface damage. Aged C57BL/6J mice spontaneously develop DED. Rapamycin is a potent immunosuppressant that prolongs the lifespan of several species. Here, we compared the effects of daily instillation of eyedrops containing rapamycin or empty micelles for three months on the aged mice. Tear cytokine/chemokine profile showed a pronounced increase in vascular endothelial cell growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and a trend towards decreased concentration of Interferon gamma (IFN)-γ in rapamycin-treated groups. A significant decrease in inflammatory markers in the lacrimal gland was also evident (IFN-γ, IL-12, CIITA and Ctss); this was accompanied by slightly diminished Unc-51 Like Autophagy Activating Kinase 1 (ULK1) transcripts. In the lacrimal gland and draining lymph nodes, we also observed a significant increase in the CD45+CD4+Foxp3+ cells in the rapamycin-treated mice. More importantly, rapamycin eyedrops increased conjunctival goblet cell density and area compared to the empty micelles. Taken together, evidence from these studies indicates that topical rapamycin has therapeutic efficacy for age-associated ocular surface inflammation and goblet cell loss and opens the venue for new investigations on its role in the aging process of the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia M. Trujillo-Vargas
- Grupo de Inmunodeficiencias Primarias, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, UdeA, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (H.H.); (R.G.d.S.); (Z.Y.); (S.C.P.)
| | - Shallu Kutlehria
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; (S.K.); (M.S.)
| | - Humberto Hernandez
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (H.H.); (R.G.d.S.); (Z.Y.); (S.C.P.)
| | - Rodrigo G. de Souza
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (H.H.); (R.G.d.S.); (Z.Y.); (S.C.P.)
| | - Andrea Lee
- Graduate Program in Immunology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Zhiyuan Yu
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (H.H.); (R.G.d.S.); (Z.Y.); (S.C.P.)
| | - Stephen C. Pflugfelder
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (H.H.); (R.G.d.S.); (Z.Y.); (S.C.P.)
| | - Mandip Singh
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; (S.K.); (M.S.)
| | - Cintia S. de Paiva
- Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (H.H.); (R.G.d.S.); (Z.Y.); (S.C.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-713-798-2124
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28
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Grandi FC, De Tomasi L, Mustapha M. Single-Cell RNA Analysis of Type I Spiral Ganglion Neurons Reveals a Lmx1a Population in the Cochlea. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:83. [PMID: 32523514 PMCID: PMC7261882 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the mature cochlea, each inner hair cell (IHC) is innervated by multiple spiral ganglion neurons of type I (SGNI). SGNIs are morphologically and electro-physiologically diverse. Also, they differ in their susceptibility to noise insult. However, the molecular underpinnings of their identity and physiological differences remain poorly understood. In this study, we developed a novel triple transgenic mouse, which enabled the isolation of pure populations of SGNIs and the analysis of a 96-gene panel via single-cell qPCR. We found three distinct populations of Type I SGNs, which were marked by their exclusive expression of Lmx1a, Slc4a4, or Mfap4/Fzd2, respectively, at postnatal days P3, P8, and P12. Our data suggest that afferent SGN subtypes are established genetically before the onset of hearing and that the expression of key physiological markers, such as ion channels, is heterogeneous and may be underlying the heterogeneous firing proprieties of SGNIs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lara De Tomasi
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Mirna Mustapha
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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Moessinger C, Nilsson I, Muhl L, Zeitelhofer M, Heller Sahlgren B, Skogsberg J, Eriksson U. VEGF-B signaling impairs endothelial glucose transcytosis by decreasing membrane cholesterol content. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e49343. [PMID: 32449307 PMCID: PMC7332976 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201949343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of endothelial nutrient transport is poorly understood. Vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF‐B) signaling in endothelial cells promotes uptake and transcytosis of fatty acids from the bloodstream to the underlying tissue, advancing pathological lipid accumulation and lipotoxicity in diabetic complications. Here, we demonstrate that VEGF‐B limits endothelial glucose transport independent of fatty acid uptake. Specifically, VEGF‐B signaling impairs recycling of low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) to the plasma membrane, leading to reduced cholesterol uptake and membrane cholesterol loading. Reduced cholesterol levels in the membrane leads to a decrease in glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1)‐dependent endothelial glucose uptake. Inhibiting VEGF‐B in vivo reconstitutes membrane cholesterol levels and restores glucose uptake, which is of particular relevance for conditions involving insulin resistance and diabetic complications. In summary, our study reveals a mechanism whereby VEGF‐B regulates endothelial nutrient uptake and highlights the impact of membrane cholesterol for regulation of endothelial glucose transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Moessinger
- Vascular Biology Division, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Nilsson
- Vascular Biology Division, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Muhl
- Vascular Biology Division, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Manuel Zeitelhofer
- Vascular Biology Division, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Benjamin Heller Sahlgren
- Vascular Biology Division, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Josefin Skogsberg
- Vascular Biology Division, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulf Eriksson
- Vascular Biology Division, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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30
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Santosa SM, Guo K, Yamakawa M, Ivakhnitskaia E, Chawla N, Nguyen T, Han KY, Ema M, Rosenblatt MI, Chang JH, Azar DT. Simultaneous fluorescence imaging of distinct nerve and blood vessel patterns in dual Thy1-YFP and Flt1-DsRed transgenic mice. Angiogenesis 2020; 23:459-477. [PMID: 32372335 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-020-09724-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Blood vessels and nerve tissues are critical to the development and functionality of many vital organs. However, little is currently known about their interdependency during development and after injury. In this study, dual fluorescence transgenic reporter mice were utilized to observe blood vessels and nervous tissues in organs postnatally. Thy1-YFP and Flt1-DsRed (TYFD) mice were interbred to achieve dual fluorescence in the offspring, with Thy1-YFP yellow fluorescence expressed primarily in nerves, and Flt1-DsRed fluorescence expressed selectively in blood vessels. Using this dual fluorescent mouse strain, we were able to visualize the networks of nervous and vascular tissue simultaneously in various organ systems both in the physiological state and after injury. Using ex vivo high-resolution imaging in this dual fluorescent strain, we characterized the organizational patterns of both nervous and vascular systems in a diverse set of organs and tissues. In the cornea, we also observed the dynamic patterns of nerve and blood vessel networks following epithelial debridement injury. These findings highlight the versatility of this dual fluorescent strain for characterizing the relationship between nerve and blood vessel growth and organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel M Santosa
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kai Guo
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Michael Yamakawa
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Evguenia Ivakhnitskaia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Neeraj Chawla
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Tara Nguyen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kyu-Yeon Han
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Masatsugu Ema
- Department of Stem Cells and Human Disease Models, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta, Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Mark I Rosenblatt
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jin-Hong Chang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Dimitri T Azar
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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31
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Dmytriyeva O, de Diego Ajenjo A, Lundø K, Hertz H, Rasmussen KK, Christiansen AT, Klingelhofer J, Nielsen AL, Hoeber J, Kozlova E, Woldbye DPD, Pankratova S. Neurotrophic Effects of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B and Novel Mimetic Peptides on Neurons from the Central Nervous System. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:1270-1282. [PMID: 32283014 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGFB) is a pleiotropic trophic factor, which in contrast to the closely related VEGFA is known to have a limited effect on angiogenesis. VEGFB improves survival in various tissues including the nervous system, where the effect was observed mainly for peripheral neurons. The neurotrophic effect of VEGFB on central nervous system neurons has been less investigated. Here we demonstrated that VEGFB promotes neurite outgrowth from primary cerebellar granule, hippocampal, and retinal neurons in vitro. VEGFB protected hippocampal and retinal neurons from both oxidative stress and glutamate-induced neuronal death. The VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1) is required for VEGFB-induced neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects. Using a structure-based approach, we designed short peptides, termed Vefin1-7, mimicking the binding interface of VEGFB to VEGFR1. Vefins were analyzed for their secondary structure and binding to VEGF receptors and compared with previously described peptides derived from VEGFA, another ligand of VEGFR1. We show that Vefins have neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects on primary hippocampal, cerebellar granule, and retinal neurons in vitro with potencies comparable to VEGFB. Similar to VEGFB, Vefins were not mitogenic for MCF-7 cancer cells. Furthermore, one of the peptides, Vefin7, even dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in vitro. Unraveling the neurotrophic and neuroprotective potentials of VEGFB, the only nonangiogenic factor of the VEGF family, is promising for the development of neuroprotective peptide-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Dmytriyeva
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Science and Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Amaia de Diego Ajenjo
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Kathrine Lundø
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Henrik Hertz
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Kim K. Rasmussen
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Anders T. Christiansen
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Jorg Klingelhofer
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Alexander L. Nielsen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Jan Hoeber
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75124, Sweden
| | - Elena Kozlova
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75124, Sweden
| | - David P. D. Woldbye
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Stanislava Pankratova
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
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32
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Saffari TM, Badreldin A, Mathot F, Bagheri L, Bishop AT, van Wijnen AJ, Shin AY. Surgical angiogenesis modifies the cellular environment of nerve allografts in a rat sciatic nerve defect model. Gene 2020; 751:144711. [PMID: 32353583 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tiam M Saffari
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Amr Badreldin
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Femke Mathot
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Leila Bagheri
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Allen T Bishop
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Andre J van Wijnen
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| | - Alexander Y Shin
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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33
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Lähteenvuo J, Hätinen OP, Kuivanen A, Huusko J, Paananen J, Lähteenvuo M, Nurro J, Hedman M, Hartikainen J, Laham-Karam N, Mäkinen P, Räsänen M, Alitalo K, Rosenzweig A, Ylä-Herttuala S. Susceptibility to Cardiac Arrhythmias and Sympathetic Nerve Growth in VEGF-B Overexpressing Myocardium. Mol Ther 2020; 28:1731-1740. [PMID: 32243833 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
VEGF-B gene therapy is a promising proangiogenic treatment for ischemic heart disease, but, unexpectedly, we found that high doses of VEGF-B promote ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). VEGF-B knockout, alpha myosin heavy-chain promoter (αMHC)-VEGF-B transgenic mice, and pigs transduced intramyocardially with adenoviral (Ad)VEGF- B186 were studied. Immunostaining showed a 2-fold increase in the number of nerves per field (76 vs. 39 in controls, p < 0.001) and an abnormal nerve distribution in the hypertrophic hearts of 11- to 20-month-old αMHC-VEGF-B mice. AdVEGF-B186 gene transfer (GT) led to local sprouting of nerve endings in pig myocardium (141 vs. 78 nerves per field in controls, p < 0.05). During dobutamine stress, 60% of the αMHC-VEGF-B hypertrophic mice had arrhythmias as compared to 7% in controls, and 20% of the AdVEGF-B186-transduced pigs and 100% of the combination of AdVEGF-B186- and AdsVEGFR-1-transduced pigs displayed VAs and even ventricular fibrillation. AdVEGF-B186 GT significantly increased the risk of sudden cardiac death in pigs when compared to any other GT with different VEGFs (hazard ratio, 500.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 46.4-5,396.7; p < 0.0001). In gene expression analysis, VEGF-B induced the upregulation of Nr4a2, ATF6, and MANF in cardiomyocytes, molecules previously linked to nerve growth and differentiation. Thus, high AdVEGF-B186 overexpression induced nerve growth in the adult heart via a VEGFR-1 signaling-independent mechanism, leading to an increased risk of VA and sudden cardiac death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Lähteenvuo
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Olli-Pekka Hätinen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Antti Kuivanen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jenni Huusko
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jussi Paananen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Markku Lähteenvuo
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jussi Nurro
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Marja Hedman
- Heart Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Puijonlaaksontie 2, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Juha Hartikainen
- Heart Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Puijonlaaksontie 2, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Nihay Laham-Karam
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Petri Mäkinen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Markus Räsänen
- Wihuri Research Institute and Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kari Alitalo
- Wihuri Research Institute and Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Seppo Ylä-Herttuala
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, 70211 Kuopio, Finland; Heart Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Puijonlaaksontie 2, 70210 Kuopio, Finland.
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34
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Castro-Torres RD, Ureña-Guerrero ME, Morales-Chacón LM, Lorigados-Pedre L, Estupiñan-Díaz B, Rocha L, Orozco-Suárez S, Rivera-Cervantes MC, Alonso-Vanegas M, Beas-Zárate C. New Aspects of VEGF, GABA, and Glutamate Signaling in the Neocortex of Human Temporal Lobe Pharmacoresistant Epilepsy Revealed by RT-qPCR Arrays. J Mol Neurosci 2020; 70:916-929. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-020-01519-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Ma W, Wei X, Gu H, Liu D, Luo W, An D, Bai Y, Yuan Z. Therapeutic potential of adenovirus-encoding brain-derived neurotrophic factor for spina bifida aperta by intra-amniotic delivery in a rat model. Gene Ther 2020; 27:567-578. [PMID: 32094517 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-020-0131-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Spina bifida aperta is a type of neural tube defect (NTD). Although prenatal fetal surgery has been an available and effective treatment for it, the neurological functional recovery is still need to be enhanced. Our previous results revealed that deficiencies of sensory, motor, and parasympathetic neurons were primary anomalies that occurred with the spinal malformation. Therefore, we emphasized that nerve regeneration is critical for NTD therapy. We delivered an adenoviral construct containing genes inserted for green fluorescent protein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Ad-GFP-BDNF) into the amniotic fluid to investigate its prenatal therapeutic potential for rat fetuses with spina bifida aperta. Using immunofluorescence, TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling staining, and real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, we assessed cell apoptosis in the defective spinal cord and Brn3a positive neuron survival in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG); a protein array was used to investigate the microenvironmental changes of the amniotic fluid. We found that most of the overexpressed BDNF was present on the lesions of the spina bifida fetuses, the number of apoptosis cells in Ad-GFP-BDNF-transfected spinal cords were reduced, mRNA levels of Bcl2/Bax were upregulated and Casp3 were downregulated compared with the controls, the proportion of Brn3a positive neurons in DRG were increased by activating the BDNF/TrkB/Akt signaling pathway, and most of the significant changes in cytokines in the amniotic fluid were related to the biological processes of regulation of apoptotic process and generation of neurons. These results suggest that intra-amniotic Ad-GFP-BDNF gene delivery might have potential as a supplementary approach to treat congenital malformations of neural tubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Ma
- Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, No. 36, Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Xiaowei Wei
- Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, No. 36, Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Hui Gu
- Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, No. 36, Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Dan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, No. 36, Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Wenting Luo
- Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, No. 36, Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Dong An
- Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, No. 36, Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, PR China.,Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Yuzuo Bai
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Zhengwei Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, No. 36, Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, PR China.
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36
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Pinho AG, Cibrão JR, Silva NA, Monteiro S, Salgado AJ. Cell Secretome: Basic Insights and Therapeutic Opportunities for CNS Disorders. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:E31. [PMID: 32093352 PMCID: PMC7169381 DOI: 10.3390/ph13020031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transplantation of stem cells, in particular mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), stands as a promising therapy for trauma, stroke or neurodegenerative conditions such as spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries (SCI or TBI), ischemic stroke (IS), or Parkinson's disease (PD). Over the last few years, cell transplantation-based approaches have started to focus on the use of cell byproducts, with a strong emphasis on cell secretome. Having this in mind, the present review discusses the current state of the art of secretome-based therapy applications in different central nervous system (CNS) pathologies. For this purpose, the following topics are discussed: (1) What are the main cell secretome sources, composition, and associated collection techniques; (2) Possible differences of the therapeutic potential of the protein and vesicular fraction of the secretome; and (3) Impact of the cell secretome on CNS-related problems such as SCI, TBI, IS, and PD. With this, we aim to clarify some of the main questions that currently exist in the field of secretome-based therapies and consequently gain new knowledge that may help in the clinical application of secretome in CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia G. Pinho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.G.P.); (J.R.C.); (N.A.S.); (S.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Jorge R. Cibrão
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.G.P.); (J.R.C.); (N.A.S.); (S.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno A. Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.G.P.); (J.R.C.); (N.A.S.); (S.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Susana Monteiro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.G.P.); (J.R.C.); (N.A.S.); (S.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - António J. Salgado
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (A.G.P.); (J.R.C.); (N.A.S.); (S.M.)
- ICVS/3B’s PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
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Raza C, Riaz HA, Anjum R, Shakeel NUA. Repair strategies for injured peripheral nerve: Review. Life Sci 2020; 243:117308. [PMID: 31954163 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Compromised functional regains in about half of the patients following surgical nerve repair pose a serious socioeconomic burden to the society. Although surgical strategies such as end-to-end neurorrhaphy, nerve grafting and nerve transfer are widely applied in distal injuries leading to optimal recovery; however in proximal nerve defects functional outcomes remain unsatisfactory. Biomedical engineering approaches unite the efforts of the surgeons, engineers and biologists to develop regeneration facilitating structures such as extracellular matrix based supportive polymers and tubular nerve guidance channels. Such polymeric structures provide neurotrophic support from injured nerve stumps, retard the fibrous tissue infiltration and guide regenerating axons to appropriate targets. The development and application of nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) to treat nerve gap injuries offer clinically relevant and feasible solutions. Enhanced understanding of the nerve regeneration processes and advances in NGCs design, polymers and fabrication strategies have led to developing modern NGCs with superior regeneration-conducive capacities. Current review focuses on the advances in surgical and engineering approaches to treat peripheral nerve injuries. We suggest the incorporation of endothelial cell growth promoting cues and factors into the NGC interior for its possible enhancement effects on the axonal regeneration process that may result in substantial functional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chand Raza
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
| | - Hasib Aamir Riaz
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Rabia Anjum
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Noor Ul Ain Shakeel
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
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Protective effect inhibiting the expression of miR-181a on the diabetic corneal nerve in a mouse model. Exp Eye Res 2020; 192:107925. [PMID: 31926967 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.107925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the protective effect of inhibiting miR-181a on diabetic corneal nerve in mice, we chose male C57BL/6 mice with streptozotocin (STZ) -induced diabetes as animal models. The expression of miR-181a in trigeminal ganglion tissue (TG) of diabetic mice was detected by real-time PCR. In vitro, we cultured mouse trigeminal ganglion neurons and measured the neuronal axon growth when treated under miR-181a antagomir and negative conditions (NTC). Immunofluorescence showed a significant increase in neuronal axon length in trigeminal ganglion cells treated with miR-181a antagomir. In animal models, we performed epithelial scraping and subconjunctival injection of the miR-181a antagomir and miRNA antagomir NTC to observe the corneal nerve repair by corneal nerve staining. miR-181a antagomir subconjunctival injection significantly increased the corneal epithelium healing of diabetic mice compared with that of the NTC group. Meanwhile, corneal nerve staining showed that the repair of corneal nerve endings was significantly promoted. As the targets of the 181a, ATG5 and BCL-2 were previously identified. The results of Western blot showed that the expression of autophagy associated protein ATG5 and LC3B-II and the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 were decreased in the high-glucose cell culture environment and the diabetic TG tissue. The expression of ATG5, LC3B-II and Bcl-2 were significantly increased after miR-181a antagomir treatment compared with negative control group. This study showed that inhibition of miR-181a expression in diabetic mice could increase ATG5-mediated autophagic activation, BCL-2-mediated inhibition of apoptosis, and promote the growth of trigeminal sensory neurons and the regeneration of corneal nerve fibers. It has a protective effect on diabetic corneal neuropathy.
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39
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Carvalho CR, Oliveira JM, Reis RL. Modern Trends for Peripheral Nerve Repair and Regeneration: Beyond the Hollow Nerve Guidance Conduit. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:337. [PMID: 31824934 PMCID: PMC6882937 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripheral nerve repair and regeneration remains among the greatest challenges in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Even though peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) are capable of some degree of regeneration, frail recovery is seen even when the best microsurgical technique is applied. PNIs are known to be very incapacitating for the patient, due to the deprivation of motor and sensory abilities. Since there is no optimal solution for tackling this problem up to this day, the evolution in the field is constant, with innovative designs of advanced nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) being reported every day. As a basic concept, a NGC should act as a physical barrier from the external environment, concomitantly acting as physical guidance for the regenerative axons across the gap lesion. NGCs should also be able to retain the naturally released nerve growth factors secreted by the damaged nerve stumps, as well as reducing the invasion of scar tissue-forming fibroblasts to the injury site. Based on the neurobiological knowledge related to the events that succeed after a nerve injury, neuronal subsistence is subjected to the existence of an ideal environment of growth factors, hormones, cytokines, and extracellular matrix (ECM) factors. Therefore, it is known that multifunctional NGCs fabricated through combinatorial approaches are needed to improve the functional and clinical outcomes after PNIs. The present work overviews the current reports dealing with the several features that can be used to improve peripheral nerve regeneration (PNR), ranging from the simple use of hollow NGCs to tissue engineered intraluminal fillers, or to even more advanced strategies, comprising the molecular and gene therapies as well as cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana R. Carvalho
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs – Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, Avepark, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Joaquim M. Oliveira
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs – Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, Avepark, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rui L. Reis
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs – Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, Avepark, Guimarães, Portugal
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Lu J, Yan X, Sun X, Shen X, Yin H, Wang C, Liu Y, Lu C, Fu H, Yang S, Wang Y, Sun X, Zhao L, Lu S, Mikos AG, Peng J, Wang X. Synergistic effects of dual-presenting VEGF- and BDNF-mimetic peptide epitopes from self-assembling peptide hydrogels on peripheral nerve regeneration. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:19943-19958. [PMID: 31602446 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr04521j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The crosstalk between vascularization and nerve regeneration in the peripheral nervous system has recently been suggested to play an important role in the treatment of peripheral nerve injury. Regenerative strategies via synergistic delivery of multiple biochemical cues have received growing attention, especially the combination of pro-angiogenic factors and neurotrophic factors. Here we developed a self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel dual-functionalized with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)- and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-mimetic peptide epitopes for peripheral nerve reconstruction. It could simultaneously present VEGF- and BDNF-mimetic peptide epitopes and provides a three-dimensional (3D) neurovascular microenvironment for endothelial cell and neural cell growth. In vitro cellular experiments showed that the functionalized peptide hydrogel scaffold effectively promoted the pro-myelination of Schwann cell, as well as the adhesion and proliferation of endothelial cell compared with scaffolds presenting VEGF- or BDNF-mimetic peptide epitope alone. When implanted in a rat model to bridge a critical-size sciatic nerve gap in vivo, the functionalized peptide hydrogel significantly improved the number of newly formed blood vessels, the density of regenerating axons, the morphometric analysis of the regenerated muscles and the electrophysiological findings, indicating the synergistic effect of the two bioactive motifs on peripheral nerve regeneration. Collectively, constructing an artificial neurovascular microenvironment in the lesion area by using the functionalized self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel may have a great potential for promoting nerve tissue engineering and regeneration in other tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaju Lu
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Xiaoqing Yan
- School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xun Sun
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. and Department of Orthopedics, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin 300211, China
| | - Xuezhen Shen
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. and Department of Orthopedics, Luhe Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 101149, China
| | - Heyong Yin
- Experimental Surgery and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich 80336, Germany
| | - Chenhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Yifan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Changfeng Lu
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. and Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Haitao Fu
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
| | - Shuhui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Yu Wang
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
| | - Xiaodan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Lingyun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Shibi Lu
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
| | - Antonios G Mikos
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jiang Peng
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226007, China
| | - Xiumei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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Chew C, Sengelaub DR. Neuroprotective Effects of Exercise on the Morphology of Somatic Motoneurons Following the Death of Neighboring Motoneurons. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2019; 33:656-667. [PMID: 31286830 DOI: 10.1177/1545968319860485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background. Motoneuron loss is a severe medical problem that can result in loss of motor control and eventually death. We have previously demonstrated that partial motoneuron loss can result in dendritic atrophy and functional deficits in nearby surviving motoneurons, and that treatment with androgens can be neuroprotective against this dendritic atrophy. Exercise has also been shown to be protective following a variety of neural injury models and, in some cases, is dependent on androgen action. Objective. In this study, we explored whether exercise shows the same neuroprotective effect on induced dendritic atrophy as that seen with androgen treatment. Methods. Motoneurons innervating the vastus medialis muscles of adult male rats were selectively killed by intramuscular injection of cholera toxin-conjugated saporin. Following saporin injections, some animals were allowed free access to a running wheel attached to their home cages. Four weeks later, motoneurons innervating the ipsilateral vastus lateralis muscle were labeled with cholera toxin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase, and dendritic arbors were reconstructed in 3 dimensions. Results. Dendritic arbor lengths of animals allowed to exercise were significantly longer than those not allowed to exercise. Conclusions. These findings indicate that exercise following neural injury exerts a protective effect on motoneuron dendrites comparable to that seen with exogenous androgen treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory Chew
- 1 Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
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Hu J, Hu X, Kan T. MiR-34c Participates in Diabetic Corneal Neuropathy Via Regulation of Autophagy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2019; 60:16-25. [PMID: 30601927 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.18-24968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate the contribution and mechanism of miRNAs and autophagy in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Methods In this study, we used streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type I diabetes C57 mice as animal models, and we detected the expression of miR-34c and autophagic intensity in trigeminal ganglion (TG) tissue. The bioinformatics software was used to predict and analyze the potential targets of miR-34c. Primary trigeminal ganglion neurons were cultured in vitro to investigate the effect of miR-34c on axon growth and survival of TG cells. A corneal epithelial damage-healing model was established on the diabetic mice, then miR-34c antagomir was injected subconjunctivally. The condition of corneal epithelial healing was observed through sodium fluorescein staining, and the peripheral nerve degeneration of the cornea was evaluated by β-tublin corneal nerve staining. Results The expression of miR-34c was significantly increased in TG tissue of type I diabetic mice by real-time PCR. Western blot showed that autophagy-related proteins Atg4B and LC3-II were significantly down-regulated in diabetes TG compared with normal control. Trigeminal neuron immunofluorescence showed that the length of the trigeminal ganglion cell synapses was significantly increased after miR-34c antagomir treatment compared with normal cultures. Subconjunctival injection of miR-34c antagomir can significantly promote corneal epithelium healing of diabetic mice and appreciably promote the regeneration of corneal nerve. At the same time, it can significantly increase the expression of autophagy in TG tissue of type I diabetic mice. Conclusions In this study , miR-34c was found to affect the growth of trigeminal sensory neurons and the repair of diabetic corneal nerve endings by acting directly on Atg4B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhang Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fu Zhou, China
| | - XinYing Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fu Zhou, China
| | - Tong Kan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fu Zhou, China
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Raimondo TM, Li H, Kwee BJ, Kinsley S, Budina E, Anderson EM, Doherty EJ, Talbot SG, Mooney DJ. Combined delivery of VEGF and IGF-1 promotes functional innervation in mice and improves muscle transplantation in rabbits. Biomaterials 2019; 216:119246. [PMID: 31203034 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Microvascular muscle transfer is the gold standard for reanimation following chronic facial nerve paralysis, however, despite the regenerative capacity of peripheral motor axons, poor reinnervation often results in sub-optimal function. We hypothesized that injection of alginate hydrogels releasing growth factors directly into donor tissue would promote reinnervation, muscle regeneration, and function. A murine model of sciatic nerve ligation and neurorrhaphy was first used to assess the ability of gel delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) to promote functional reinnervation. VEGF + IGF-1 gel delivery to aged mice resulted in prolonged ability to control toe movement, increased toe spreading, and improved static sciatic index score, indicative of improved sciatic nerve and neuromuscular junction function. Further, a 26% increase in muscle fiber area, and 2.8 and 3.0-fold increases in muscle contraction force and velocity, respectively, were found compared to blank alginate in the murine model. This strategy was subsequently tested in a rabbit model of craniofacial gracilis muscle transplantation. Electromyography demonstrated a 71% increase in compound muscle action potential 9 weeks after transplantation following treatment with VEGF + IGF-1 alginate, compared to blank alginate in the rabbit model. Improving functional innervation in transplanted muscle via a hydrogel source of growth factors may enhance the therapeutic outcomes of facial palsy treatments and, more broadly, muscle transplantations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa M Raimondo
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Cambridge,MA 02138, USA
| | - Hehuan Li
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Brian J Kwee
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Cambridge,MA 02138, USA
| | - Sarah Kinsley
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erica Budina
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Erin M Anderson
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Cambridge,MA 02138, USA
| | - Edward J Doherty
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Cambridge,MA 02138, USA
| | - Simon G Talbot
- Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - David J Mooney
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Cambridge,MA 02138, USA.
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Hindman HB, DeMagistris M, Callan C, McDaniel T, Bubel T, Huxlin KR. Impact of topical anti-fibrotics on corneal nerve regeneration in vivo. Exp Eye Res 2019; 181:49-60. [PMID: 30660507 PMCID: PMC6443430 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2019.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Recent work in vitro has shown that fibroblasts and myofibroblasts have opposing effects on neurite outgrowth by peripheral sensory neurons. Here, we tested a prediction from this work that dampening the fibrotic response in the early phases of corneal wound healing in vivo could enhance reinnervation after a large, deep corneal injury such as that induced by photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Since topical steroids and Mitomycin C (MMC) are often used clinically for mitigating corneal inflammation and scarring after PRK, they were ideal to test this prediction. Twenty adult cats underwent bilateral, myopic PRK over a 6 mm optical zone followed by either: (1) intraoperative MMC (n = 12 eyes), (2) intraoperative prednisolone acetate (PA) followed by twice daily topical application for 14 days (n = 12 eyes), or (3) no post-operative treatment (n = 16 eyes). Anti-fibrotic effects of MMC and PA were verified optically and histologically. First, optical coherence tomography (OCT) performed pre-operatively and 2, 4 and 12 weeks post-PRK was used to assess changes in corneal backscatter reflectivity. Post-mortem immunohistochemistry was then performed at 2, 4 and 12 weeks post-PRK, using antibodies against α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Finally, immunohistochemistry with antibodies against βIII-tubulin (Tuj-1) was performed in the same corneas to quantify changes in nerve distribution relative to unoperated, control cat corneas. Two weeks after PRK, untreated corneas exhibited the greatest amount of staining for α-SMA, followed by PA-treated and MMC-treated eyes. This was matched by higher OCT-based stromal reflectivity values in untreated, than PA- and MMC-treated eyes. PA treatment appeared to slow epithelial healing and although normal epithelial thickness was restored by 12 weeks-post-PRK, intra-epithelial nerve length only reached ∼1/6 normal values in PA-treated eyes. Even peripheral cornea (outside the ablation zone) exhibited depressed intra-epithelial nerve densities after PA treatment. Stromal nerves were abundant under the α-SMA zone, but appeared to largely avoid it, creating an area of sub-epithelial stroma devoid of nerve trunks. In turn, this may have led to the lack of sub-basal and intra-epithelial nerves in the ablation zone of PA-treated eyes 4 weeks after PRK, and their continuing paucity 12 weeks after PRK. Intra-operative MMC, which sharply decreased α-SMA staining, was followed by rapid restoration of nerve densities in all corneal layers post-PRK compared to untreated corneas. Curiously, stromal nerves appeared unaffected by the development of large, stromal, acellular zones in MMC-treated corneas. Overall, it appears that post-PRK treatments that were most effective at reducing α-SMA-positive cells in the early post-operative period benefited nerve regeneration the most, resulting in more rapid restoration of nerve densities in all corneal layers of the ablation zone and of the corneal periphery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly B Hindman
- The Flaum Eye Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA; Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA
| | | | - Christine Callan
- The Flaum Eye Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Thurma McDaniel
- The Flaum Eye Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Tracy Bubel
- Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA
| | - Krystel R Huxlin
- The Flaum Eye Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA; Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA.
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Guilherme A, Henriques F, Bedard AH, Czech MP. Molecular pathways linking adipose innervation to insulin action in obesity and diabetes mellitus. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2019; 15:207-225. [PMID: 30733616 PMCID: PMC7073451 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-019-0165-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Adipose tissue comprises adipocytes and many other cell types that engage in dynamic crosstalk in a highly innervated and vascularized tissue matrix. Although adipose tissue has been studied for decades, it has been appreciated only in the past 5 years that extensive arborization of nerve fibres has a dominant role in regulating the function of adipose tissue. This Review summarizes the latest literature, which suggests that adipocytes signal to local sensory nerve fibres in response to perturbations in lipolysis and lipogenesis. Such adipocyte signalling to the central nervous system causes sympathetic output to distant adipose depots and potentially other metabolic tissues to regulate systemic glucose homeostasis. Paracrine factors identified in the past few years that mediate such adipocyte-neuron crosstalk are also reviewed. Similarly, immune cells and endothelial cells within adipose tissue communicate with local nerve fibres to modulate neurotransmitter tone, blood flow, adipocyte differentiation and energy expenditure, including adipose browning to produce heat. This understudied field of neurometabolism related to adipose tissue biology has great potential to reveal new mechanistic insights and potential therapeutic strategies for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adilson Guilherme
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Felipe Henriques
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Alexander H Bedard
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Michael P Czech
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
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Chen R, Lee C, Lin X, Zhao C, Li X. Novel function of VEGF-B as an antioxidant and therapeutic implications. Pharmacol Res 2019; 143:33-39. [PMID: 30851357 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress, due to insufficiency of antioxidants or over-production of oxidants, can lead to severe cell and tissue damage. Oxidative stress occurs constantly and has been shown to be involved in innumerable diseases, such as degenerative, cardiovascular, neurological, and metabolic disorders, cancer, and aging, thus highlighting the vital need of antioxidant defense mechanisms. Vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) was discovered a long time ago, and is abundantly expressed in most types of cells and tissues. VEGF-B remained functionally mysterious for many years and later on has been shown to be minimally angiogenic. Recently, VEGF-B is reported to be a potent antioxidant by boosting the expression of key antioxidant enzymes. Thus, one major role of VEGF-B lies in safeguarding tissues and cells from oxidative stress-induced damage. VEGF-B may therefore have promising therapeutic utilities in treating oxidative stress-related diseases. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge on the newly discovered antioxidant function of VEGF-B and the related molecular mechanisms, particularly, in relationship to some oxidative stress-related diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongyuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Chunsik Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xianchai Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- Eye Institute, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, China; Key Laboratory of Myopia of State Health Ministry (Fudan University) and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, 200023, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xuri Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China.
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48
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Yildiran H, Macit MS, Özata Uyar G. New approach to peripheral nerve injury: nutritional therapy. Nutr Neurosci 2018; 23:744-755. [PMID: 30526417 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2018.1554322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of review: There is no review in the literature on the effect of nutrition-related factors on peripheral nerve injuries. Therefore, it is aimed to evaluate the effect of nutritional factors on nerve injuries in this compilation. Recent findings: Although there are several fundamental mechanisms by which nutrients and nutritional factors influence individuals, their exact impacts on neurogenesis have not been clearly identified. Recently, some studies showed that some nutrients have an important role in nerve injuries due to their neuroprotective properties. In addition to surgical treatment, in peripheral nerve injuries, these nutrients also may play a role in preserving nerve function and health, as well as in the recovery of an injured nerve tissue. Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, group B vitamins, antioxidants, several minerals, phenolic compounds, and alpha lipoic acid are thought to have impacts on the nervous system. In addition to all of these, gut microbiota has effects on the nervous system, and some nutrient-related factors can also affect neurogenesis via gut microbiota. Summary: Peripheral nerve injury is a condition in which the nerves in the peripheral nervous system become damaged. After the trauma, the peripheral nerve is hardly repaired due to the following reasons; the disability of the regeneration of motor neurons, the lack of a survival environment for Schwann cells, and the poor ability of the nerves to regenerate. Nutrition-related factors, the effects of which were described in recent years, should be more taken into account more.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilal Yildiran
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Melahat Sedanur Macit
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Gizem Özata Uyar
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
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NISHIDA Y, YAMADA Y, KANEMARU H, OHAZAMA A, MAEDA T, SEO K. Vascularization via activation of VEGF-VEGFR signaling is essential for peripheral nerve regeneration . Biomed Res 2018; 39:287-294. [DOI: 10.2220/biomedres.39.287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yohei NISHIDA
- Division of Dental Anesthesiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
| | - Yurie YAMADA
- Center for Advanced Oral Sciences, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
| | - Hiroko KANEMARU
- Division of Dental Anesthesiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
| | - Atsushi OHAZAMA
- Division of Oral Anatomy, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
| | - Takeyasu MAEDA
- Center for Advanced Oral Sciences, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Airlangga
| | - Kenji SEO
- Division of Dental Anesthesiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
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50
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Laakkonen JP, Lähteenvuo J, Jauhiainen S, Heikura T, Ylä-Herttuala S. Beyond endothelial cells: Vascular endothelial growth factors in heart, vascular anomalies and placenta. Vascul Pharmacol 2018; 112:91-101. [PMID: 30342234 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2018.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factors regulate vascular and lymphatic growth. Dysregulation of VEGF signaling is connected to many pathological states, including hemangiomas, arteriovenous malformations and placental abnormalities. In heart, VEGF gene transfer induces myocardial angiogenesis. Besides vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells, VEGFs affect multiple other cell types. Understanding VEGF biology and its paracrine signaling properties will offer new targets for novel treatments of several diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna P Laakkonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Johanna Lähteenvuo
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Suvi Jauhiainen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Tommi Heikura
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Seppo Ylä-Herttuala
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Science Service Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland; Gene Therapy Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
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