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Bou Ghanem GO, Wareham LK, Calkins DJ. Addressing neurodegeneration in glaucoma: Mechanisms, challenges, and treatments. Prog Retin Eye Res 2024; 100:101261. [PMID: 38527623 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2024.101261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness globally. The disease causes vision loss due to neurodegeneration of the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) projection to the brain through the optic nerve. Glaucoma is associated with sensitivity to intraocular pressure (IOP). Thus, mainstay treatments seek to manage IOP, though many patients continue to lose vision. To address neurodegeneration directly, numerous preclinical studies seek to develop protective or reparative therapies that act independently of IOP. These include growth factors, compounds targeting metabolism, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents, and neuromodulators. Despite success in experimental models, many of these approaches fail to translate into clinical benefits. Several factors contribute to this challenge. Firstly, the anatomic structure of the optic nerve head differs between rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans. Additionally, animal models do not replicate the complex glaucoma pathophysiology in humans. Therefore, to enhance the success of translating these findings, we propose two approaches. First, thorough evaluation of experimental targets in multiple animal models, including nonhuman primates, should precede clinical trials. Second, we advocate for combination therapy, which involves using multiple agents simultaneously, especially in the early and potentially reversible stages of the disease. These strategies aim to increase the chances of successful neuroprotective treatment for glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghazi O Bou Ghanem
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Lauren K Wareham
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - David J Calkins
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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2
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Castro B, Steel JC, Layton CJ. AAV-mediated gene therapies for glaucoma and uveitis: are we there yet? Expert Rev Mol Med 2024; 26:e9. [PMID: 38618935 PMCID: PMC11062146 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2024.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Glaucoma and uveitis are non-vascular ocular diseases which are among the leading causes of blindness and visual loss. These conditions have distinct characteristics and mechanisms but share a multifactorial and complex nature, making their management challenging and burdensome for patients and clinicians. Furthermore, the lack of symptoms in the early stages of glaucoma and the diverse aetiology of uveitis hinder timely and accurate diagnoses, which are a cause of poor visual outcomes under both conditions. Although current treatment is effective in most cases, it is often associated with low patient adherence and adverse events, which directly impact the overall therapeutic success. Therefore, long-lasting alternatives with improved safety and efficacy are needed. Gene therapy, particularly utilising adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, has emerged as a promising approach to address unmet needs in these diseases. Engineered capsids with enhanced tropism and lower immunogenicity have been proposed, along with constructs designed for targeted and controlled expression. Additionally, several pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of these conditions have been targeted with single or multigene expression cassettes, gene editing and silencing approaches. This review discusses strategies employed in AAV-based gene therapies for glaucoma and non-infectious uveitis and provides an overview of current progress and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Castro
- LVF Ophthalmology Research Centre, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Greenslopes Clinical School, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jason C. Steel
- LVF Ophthalmology Research Centre, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Greenslopes Clinical School, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia
| | - Christopher J. Layton
- LVF Ophthalmology Research Centre, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Greenslopes Clinical School, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia
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3
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Pitha I, Du L, Nguyen TD, Quigley H. IOP and glaucoma damage: The essential role of optic nerve head and retinal mechanosensors. Prog Retin Eye Res 2024; 99:101232. [PMID: 38110030 PMCID: PMC10960268 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2023.101232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
There are many unanswered questions on the relation of intraocular pressure to glaucoma development and progression. IOP itself cannot be distilled to a single, unifying value, because IOP level varies over time, differs depending on ocular location, and can be affected by method of measurement. Ultimately, IOP level creates mechanical strain that affects axonal function at the optic nerve head which causes local extracellular matrix remodeling and retinal ganglion cell death - hallmarks of glaucoma and the cause of glaucomatous vision loss. Extracellular tissue strain at the ONH and lamina cribrosa is regionally variable and differs in magnitude and location between healthy and glaucomatous eyes. The ultimate targets of IOP-induced tissue strain in glaucoma are retinal ganglion cell axons at the optic nerve head and the cells that support axonal function (astrocytes, the neurovascular unit, microglia, and fibroblasts). These cells sense tissue strain through a series of signals that originate at the cell membrane and alter cytoskeletal organization, migration, differentiation, gene transcription, and proliferation. The proteins that translate mechanical stimuli into molecular signals act as band-pass filters - sensing some stimuli while ignoring others - and cellular responses to stimuli can differ based on cell type and differentiation state. Therefore, to fully understand the IOP signals that are relevant to glaucoma, it is necessary to understand the ultimate cellular targets of IOP-induced mechanical stimuli and their ability to sense, ignore, and translate these signals into cellular actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Pitha
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Center for Nanomedicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Glaucoma Center of Excellence, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Liya Du
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thao D Nguyen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Harry Quigley
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Glaucoma Center of Excellence, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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4
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Chaqour B, Duong TT, Yue J, Liu T, Camacho D, Dine KE, Esteve-Rudd J, Ellis S, Bennett J, Shindler KS, Ross AG. AAV2 vector optimization for retinal ganglion cell-targeted delivery of therapeutic genes. Gene Ther 2024; 31:175-186. [PMID: 38200264 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-023-00436-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV)-2 has significant potential as a delivery vehicle of therapeutic genes to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), which are key interventional targets in optic neuropathies. Here we show that when injected intravitreally, AAV2 engineered with a reporter gene driven by cytomegalovirus (CMV) enhancer and chicken β-actin (CBA) promoters, displays ubiquitous and high RGC expression, similar to its synthetic derivative AAV8BP2. A novel AAV2 vector combining the promoter of the human RGC-selective γ-synuclein (hSNCG) gene and woodchuck hepatitis post-transcriptional regulatory element (WPRE) inserted upstream and downstream of a reporter gene, respectively, induces widespread transduction and strong transgene expression in RGCs. High transduction efficiency and selectivity to RGCs is further achieved by incorporating in the vector backbone a leading CMV enhancer and an SV40 intron at the 5' and 3' ends, respectively, of the reporter gene. As a delivery vehicle of hSIRT1, a 2.2-kb therapeutic gene with anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress properties, this recombinant vector displayed improved transduction efficiency, a strong, widespread and selective RGC expression of hSIRT1, and increased RGC survival following optic nerve crush. Thus, AAV2 vector carrying hSNCG promoter with additional regulatory sequences may offer strong potential for enhanced effects of candidate gene therapies targeting RGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brahim Chaqour
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Thu T Duong
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Jipeng Yue
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Tehui Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Spark Therapeutics, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - David Camacho
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Kimberly E Dine
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | | | - Scott Ellis
- Gyroscope Therapeutics Limited, a Novartis Company, London, N7 9AS, UK
| | - Jean Bennett
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Kenneth S Shindler
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Ahmara G Ross
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- F. M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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5
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Ciociola EC, Fernandez E, Kaufmann M, Klifto MR. Future directions of glaucoma treatment: emerging gene, neuroprotection, nanomedicine, stem cell, and vascular therapies. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2024; 35:89-96. [PMID: 37910173 DOI: 10.1097/icu.0000000000001016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this article is to summarize current research on novel gene, stem cell, neuroprotective, nanomedicine, and vascular therapies for glaucoma. RECENT FINDINGS Gene therapy using viral vectors and siRNA have been shown to reduce intraocular pressure by altering outflow and production of aqueous humor, to reduce postsurgical fibrosis with few adverse effects, and to increase retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival in animal studies. Stem cells may treat glaucoma by replacing or stimulating proliferation of trabecular meshwork cells, thus restoring outflow facility. Stem cells can also serve a neuroprotective effect by differentiating into RGCs or preventing RGC loss via secretion of growth factors. Other developing neuroprotective glaucoma treatments which can prevent RGC death include nicotinamide, the NT-501 implant which secretes ciliary neurotrophic factor, and a Fas-L inhibitor which are now being tested in clinical trials. Recent studies on vascular therapy for glaucoma have focused on the ability of Rho Kinase inhibitors and dronabinol to increase ocular blood flow. SUMMARY Many novel stem cell, gene, neuroprotective, nanomedicine, and vascular therapies have shown promise in preclinical studies, but further clinical trials are needed to demonstrate safety and efficacy in human glaucomatous eyes. Although likely many years off, future glaucoma therapy may take a multifaceted approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Meredith R Klifto
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Lo J, Mehta K, Dhillon A, Huang YK, Luo Z, Nam MH, Al Diri I, Chang KC. Therapeutic strategies for glaucoma and optic neuropathies. Mol Aspects Med 2023; 94:101219. [PMID: 37839232 PMCID: PMC10841486 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2023.101219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative eye disease that causes permanent vision impairment. The main pathological characteristics of glaucoma are retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss and optic nerve degeneration. Glaucoma can be caused by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), although some cases are congenital or occur in patients with normal IOP. Current glaucoma treatments rely on medicine and surgery to lower IOP, which only delays disease progression. First-line glaucoma medicines are supported by pharmacotherapy advancements such as Rho kinase inhibitors and innovative drug delivery systems. Glaucoma surgery has shifted to safer minimally invasive (or microinvasive) glaucoma surgery, but further trials are needed to validate long-term efficacy. Further, growing evidence shows that adeno-associated virus gene transduction and stem cell-based RGC replacement therapy hold potential to treat optic nerve fiber degeneration and glaucoma. However, better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of RGC development is needed to provide insight into RGC differentiation from stem cells and help choose target genes for viral therapy. In this review, we overview current progress in RGC development research, optic nerve fiber regeneration, and human stem cell-derived RGC differentiation and transplantation. We also provide an outlook on perspectives and challenges in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Lo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan
| | - Kamakshi Mehta
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
| | - Armaan Dhillon
- Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center and Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Yu-Kai Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Ziming Luo
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Mi-Hyun Nam
- Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center and Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Issam Al Diri
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA.
| | - Kun-Che Chang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Center of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan.
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Passaro ML, Matarazzo F, Abbadessa G, Pezone A, Porcellini A, Tranfa F, Rinaldi M, Costagliola C. Glaucoma as a Tauopathy-Is It the Missing Piece in the Glaucoma Puzzle? J Clin Med 2023; 12:6900. [PMID: 37959365 PMCID: PMC10650423 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12216900] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder affecting the visual system which can result in vision loss and blindness. The pathogenetic mechanisms underlying glaucomatous optic neuropathy are ultimately enigmatic, prompting ongoing investigations into its potential shared pathogenesis with other neurodegenerative neurological disorders. Tauopathies represent a subclass of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the abnormal deposition of tau protein within the brain and consequent microtubule destabilization. The extended spectrum of tauopathies includes conditions such as frontotemporal dementias, progressive supranuclear palsy, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and Alzheimer's disease. Notably, recent decades have witnessed emerging documentation of tau inclusion among glaucoma patients, providing substantiation that this ocular disease may similarly manifest features of tauopathies. These studies found that: (i) aggregated tau inclusions are present in the somatodendritic compartment of RGCs in glaucoma patients; (ii) the etiology of the disease may affect tau splicing, phosphorylation, oligomerization, and subcellular localization; and (iii) short interfering RNA against tau, administered intraocularly, significantly decreased retinal tau accumulation and enhanced RGC somas and axon survival, demonstrating a crucial role for tau modifications in ocular hypertension-induced neuronal injury. Here, we examine the most recent evidence surrounding the interplay between tau protein dysregulation and glaucomatous neurodegeneration. We explore the novel perspective of glaucoma as a tau-associated disorder and open avenues for cross-disciplinary collaboration and new treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Laura Passaro
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.L.P.); (F.T.); (C.C.)
| | | | - Gianmarco Abbadessa
- Division of Neurology, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy;
| | - Antonio Pezone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Antonio Porcellini
- Department of Biology, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Fausto Tranfa
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.L.P.); (F.T.); (C.C.)
| | - Michele Rinaldi
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.L.P.); (F.T.); (C.C.)
| | - Ciro Costagliola
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.L.P.); (F.T.); (C.C.)
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Starr C, Chen B. Adeno-associated virus mediated gene therapy for neuroprotection of retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma. Vision Res 2023; 206:108196. [PMID: 36812679 PMCID: PMC10085843 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2023.108196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a group of diseases typically characterized by the degeneration of the optic nerve and is one of the world's leading causes of blindness. Although there is no cure for glaucoma, reducing intraocular pressure is an approved treatment to delay optic nerve degeneration and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in most patients. Recent clinical trials have evaluated the safety and efficacy of gene therapy vectors for the treatment of inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs), and the results are promising, generating enthusiasm for the treatment of other retinal diseases. While there have been no reports on successful clinical trials for gene therapy-based neuroprotective treatment of glaucoma, and only a few studies assessing the efficacy of gene therapy vectors for the treatment of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), the potential for neuroprotective treatment of glaucoma and other diseases affecting RGCs is still widely recognized. Here, we review recent progress and cover current limitations pertaining to targeting RGCs with adeno-associated virus-based gene therapy for the treatment of glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Starr
- Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Bo Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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9
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Duwat C, Léal P, Vautheny A, Aurégan G, Joséphine C, Gaillard MC, Hérard AS, Jan C, Gipchtein P, Mitja J, Fouquet S, Niepon ML, Hantraye P, Brouillet E, Bonvento G, Cambon K, Bemelmans AP. Development of an AAV-based model of tauopathy targeting retinal ganglion cells and the mouse visual pathway to study the role of microglia in Tau pathology. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 181:106116. [PMID: 37054900 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106116] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathy is a typical feature of Alzheimer's disease of major importance because it strongly correlates with the severity of cognitive deficits experienced by patients. During the pathology, it follows a characteristic spatiotemporal course which takes its origin in the transentorhinal cortex, and then gradually invades the entire forebrain. To study the mechanisms of tauopathy, and test new therapeutic strategies, it is necessary to set-up relevant and versatile in vivo models allowing to recapitulate tauopathy. With this in mind, we have developed a model of tauopathy by overexpression of the human wild-type Tau protein in retinal ganglion cells in mice (RGCs). This overexpression led to the presence of hyperphosphorylated forms of the protein in the transduced cells as well as to their progressive degeneration. The application of this model to mice deficient in TREM2 (Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells-2, an important genetic risk factor for AD) as well as to 15-month-old mice showed that microglia actively participate in the degeneration of RGCs. Surprisingly, although we were able to detect the transgenic Tau protein up to the terminal arborization of RGCs at the level of the superior colliculi, spreading of the transgenic Tau protein to post-synaptic neurons was detected only in aged animals. This suggests that there may be neuron-intrinsic- or microenvironment mediators facilitating this spreading that appear with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Duwat
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Pauline Léal
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Audrey Vautheny
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Gwennaëlle Aurégan
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Charlène Joséphine
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Marie-Claude Gaillard
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Hérard
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Caroline Jan
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Pauline Gipchtein
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Julien Mitja
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Stéphane Fouquet
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | | | - Philippe Hantraye
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Gilles Bonvento
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Karine Cambon
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Alexis-Pierre Bemelmans
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: mécanismes, thérapies, imagerie, 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
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10
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Kiyota N, Namekata K, Nishijima E, Guo X, Kimura A, Harada C, Nakazawa T, Harada T. Effects of constitutively active K-Ras on axon regeneration after optic nerve injury. Neurosci Lett 2023; 799:137124. [PMID: 36780941 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137124] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Visual disturbance after optic nerve injury is a serious problem. Attempts have been made to enhance the intrinsic ability of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) to regenerate their axons, and the importance of PI3K/Akt and RAF/MEK/ERK signal activation has been suggested. Since these signals are shared with oncogenic signaling cascades, in this study, we focused on a constitutively active form of K-Ras, K-RasV12, to determine if overexpression of this molecule could stimulate axon regeneration. We confirmed that K-RasV12 phosphorylated Akt and ERK in vitro. Intravitreal delivery of AAV2-K-RasV12 increased the number of surviving RGCs and promoted 1.0 mm of axon regeneration one week after optic nerve injury without inducing abnormal proliferative effects in the RGCs. In addition, AAV2-K-RasV12 induced robust RGC axon regeneration, reaching as far as approximately 2.5 mm from the injury site, in eight weeks. Our findings suggest that AAV2-K-RasV12 could provide a good model for speedy and efficient analysis of the mechanism underlying axon regeneration in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Kiyota
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Ophthalmology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Namekata
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Euido Nishijima
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Xiaoli Guo
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsuko Kimura
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chikako Harada
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toru Nakazawa
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Takayuki Harada
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
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11
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Viral Vectors in Gene Therapy: Where Do We Stand in 2023? Viruses 2023; 15:v15030698. [PMID: 36992407 PMCID: PMC10059137 DOI: 10.3390/v15030698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral vectors have been used for a broad spectrum of gene therapy for both acute and chronic diseases. In the context of cancer gene therapy, viral vectors expressing anti-tumor, toxic, suicide and immunostimulatory genes, such as cytokines and chemokines, have been applied. Oncolytic viruses, which specifically replicate in and kill tumor cells, have provided tumor eradication, and even cure of cancers in animal models. In a broader meaning, vaccine development against infectious diseases and various cancers has been considered as a type of gene therapy. Especially in the case of COVID-19 vaccines, adenovirus-based vaccines such as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and Ad26.COV2.S have demonstrated excellent safety and vaccine efficacy in clinical trials, leading to Emergency Use Authorization in many countries. Viral vectors have shown great promise in the treatment of chronic diseases such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, β-thalassemia, and sickle cell disease (SCD). Proof-of-concept has been established in preclinical studies in various animal models. Clinical gene therapy trials have confirmed good safety, tolerability, and therapeutic efficacy. Viral-based drugs have been approved for cancer, hematological, metabolic, neurological, and ophthalmological diseases as well as for vaccines. For example, the adenovirus-based drug Gendicine® for non-small-cell lung cancer, the reovirus-based drug Reolysin® for ovarian cancer, the oncolytic HSV T-VEC for melanoma, lentivirus-based treatment of ADA-SCID disease, and the rhabdovirus-based vaccine Ervebo against Ebola virus disease have been approved for human use.
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12
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Nieuwenhuis B, Laperrousaz E, Tribble JR, Verhaagen J, Fawcett JW, Martin KR, Williams PA, Osborne A. Improving adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated transgene expression in retinal ganglion cells: comparison of five promoters. Gene Ther 2023:10.1038/s41434-022-00380-z. [PMID: 36635457 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-022-00380-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) are an effective system for gene transfer. AAV serotype 2 (AAV2) is commonly used to deliver transgenes to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) via intravitreal injection. The AAV serotype however is not the only factor contributing to the effectiveness of gene therapies. Promoters influence the strength and cell-selectivity of transgene expression. This study compares five promoters designed to maximise AAV2 cargo space for gene delivery: chicken β-actin (CBA), cytomegalovirus (CMV), short CMV early enhancer/chicken β-actin/short β-globulin intron (sCAG), mouse phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK), and human synapsin (SYN). The promoters driving enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) were examined in adult C57BL/6J mice eyes and tissues of the visual system. eGFP expression was strongest in the retina, optic nerves and brain when driven by the sCAG and SYN promoters. CBA, CMV, and PGK had moderate expression by comparison. The SYN promoter had almost exclusive transgene expression in RGCs. The PGK promoter had predominant expression in both RGCs and AII amacrine cells. The ubiquitous CBA, CMV, and sCAG promoters expressed eGFP in a variety of cell types across multiple retinal layers including Müller glia and astrocytes. We also found that these promoters could transduce human retina ex vivo, although expression was predominantly in glial cells due to low RGC viability. Taken together, this promoter comparison study contributes to optimising AAV-mediated transduction in the retina, and could be valuable for research in ocular disorders, particularly those with large or complex genetic cargos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Nieuwenhuis
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK.
| | - Elise Laperrousaz
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - James R Tribble
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Eye and Vision, St. Erik Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - James W Fawcett
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Centre of Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Keith R Martin
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Pete A Williams
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Eye and Vision, St. Erik Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrew Osborne
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Ikarovec Ltd, The Norwich Research Park Innovation Centre, Norwich, UK.
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13
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Lundstrom K. Gene Therapy Cargoes Based on Viral Vector Delivery. Curr Gene Ther 2023; 23:111-134. [PMID: 36154608 DOI: 10.2174/1566523222666220921112753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Viral vectors have been proven useful in a broad spectrum of gene therapy applications due to their possibility to accommodate foreign genetic material for both local and systemic delivery. The wide range of viral vectors has enabled gene therapy applications for both acute and chronic diseases. Cancer gene therapy has been addressed by the delivery of viral vectors expressing anti-tumor, toxic, and suicide genes for the destruction of tumors. Delivery of immunostimulatory genes such as cytokines and chemokines has also been applied for cancer therapy. Moreover, oncolytic viruses specifically replicating in and killing tumor cells have been used as such for tumor eradication or in combination with tumor killing or immunostimulatory genes. In a broad meaning, vaccines against infectious diseases and various cancers can be considered gene therapy, which has been highly successful, not the least for the development of effective COVID-19 vaccines. Viral vector-based gene therapy has also demonstrated encouraging and promising results for chronic diseases such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), muscular dystrophy, and hemophilia. Preclinical gene therapy studies in animal models have demonstrated proof-of-concept for a wide range of disease indications. Clinical evaluation of drugs and vaccines in humans has showed high safety levels, good tolerance, and therapeutic efficacy. Several gene therapy drugs such as the adenovirus-based drug Gendicine® for non-small-cell lung cancer, the reovirus-based drug Reolysin® for ovarian cancer, lentivirus-based treatment of SCID-X1 disease, and the rhabdovirus-based vaccine Ervebo against Ebola virus disease, and adenovirus-based vaccines against COVID-19 have been developed.
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14
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Systemic Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Affects BDNF and Autophagy into the Retina of Diabetic Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231710184. [PMID: 36077579 PMCID: PMC9455989 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231710184] [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: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a neurovascular disease, characterized by a deficiency of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a regulator of autophagy. Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), previously reported as a protective agent in DR, has been associated with BDNF promotion. Here, we investigated whether systemic BHB affects the retinal levels of BDNF and local autophagy in diabetic mice with retinopathy; Methods: C57BL/6J mice were administered with intraperitoneal (i.p.) streptozotocin (STZ) (75 mg/kg) injection to develop diabetes. After 2 weeks, they received i.p. injections of BHB (25−50−100 mg/kg) twice a week for 10 weeks. Retinal samples were collected in order to perform immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and ELISA analysis; Results: BHB 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg significantly improved retinal BDNF levels (p < 0.01) in diabetic mice. This improvement was negatively associated with autophagosome−lysosome formations (marked by LC3B and ATG14) and to higher levels of connexin 43 (p < 0.01), a marker of cell integrity. Moreover, BHB administration significantly reduced M1 microglial activation and autophagy (p < 0.01); Conclusions: The systemic administration of BHB in mice with DR improves the retinal levels of BDNF, with the consequent reduction of the abnormal microglial autophagy. This leads to retinal cell safety through connexin 43 restoration.
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15
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Johnson AC, Uhlig F, Einwag Z, Cataldo N, Erdos B. The neuroendocrine stress response impairs hippocampal vascular function and memory in male and female rats. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 168:105717. [PMID: 35385769 PMCID: PMC9018625 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic psychological stress affects brain regions involved in memory such as the hippocampus and accelerates age-related cognitive decline, including in Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. However, little is known about how chronic stress impacts hippocampal vascular function that is critically involved in maintaining neurocognitive health that could contribute to stress-related memory dysfunction. Here, we used a novel experimental rat model that mimics the neuroendocrine and cardiovascular aspects of chronic stress to determine how the neuroendocrine components of the stress response affect hippocampal function. We studied both male and female rats to determine potential sex differences in the susceptibility of the hippocampus and its vasculature to neuroendocrine stress-induced dysfunction. We show that activation of neuroendocrine stress pathways impaired the vasoreactivity of hippocampal arterioles to mediators involved in coupling neuronal activity with local blood flow that was associated with impaired memory function. Interestingly, we found more hippocampal arteriolar dysfunction and scarcer hippocampal microvasculature in male compared to female rats that was associated with greater memory impairment, suggesting the male sex may be at increased risk of neuroendocrine-derived hippocampal dysfunction during chronic stress. Overall, this study revealed the therapeutic potential of targeting hippocampal arterioles to prevent or slow memory decline in the setting of prolonged and/or unavoidable stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbie C Johnson
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
| | - Friederike Uhlig
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Zachary Einwag
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Noelle Cataldo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Benedek Erdos
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
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16
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Lambuk L, Mohd Lazaldin MA, Ahmad S, Iezhitsa I, Agarwal R, Uskoković V, Mohamud R. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor-Mediated Neuroprotection in Glaucoma: A Review of Current State of the Art. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:875662. [PMID: 35668928 PMCID: PMC9163364 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.875662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are neurons of the visual system that are responsible for transmitting signals from the retina to the brain via the optic nerve. Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy characterized by apoptotic loss of RGCs and degeneration of optic nerve fibers. Risk factors such as elevated intraocular pressure and vascular dysregulation trigger the injury that culminates in RGC apoptosis. In the event of injury, the survival of RGCs is facilitated by neurotrophic factors (NTFs), the most widely studied of which is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Its production is regulated locally in the retina, but transport of BDNF retrogradely from the brain to retina is also crucial. Not only that the interruption of this retrograde transport has been detected in the early stages of glaucoma, but significantly low levels of BDNF have also been detected in the sera and ocular fluids of glaucoma patients, supporting the notion that neurotrophic deprivation is a likely mechanism of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Moreover, exogenous NTF including BDNF administration was shown reduce neuronal loss in animal models of various neurodegenerative diseases, indicating the possibility that exogenous BDNF may be a treatment option in glaucoma. Current literature provides an extensive insight not only into the sources, transport, and target sites of BDNF but also the intracellular signaling pathways, other pathways that influence BDNF signaling and a wide range of its functions. In this review, the authors discuss the neuroprotective role of BDNF in promoting the survival of RGCs and its possible application as a therapeutic tool to meet the challenges in glaucoma management. We also highlight the possibility of using BDNF as a biomarker in neurodegenerative disease such as glaucoma. Further we discuss the challenges and future strategies to explore the utility of BDNF in the management of glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidawani Lambuk
- Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | | | - Suhana Ahmad
- Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Igor Iezhitsa
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Pharmacology and Bioinformatics, Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russia
| | - Renu Agarwal
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Vuk Uskoković
- TardigradeNano LLC, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Rohimah Mohamud
- Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
- *Correspondence: Rohimah Mohamud,
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17
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Gene therapy restores mitochondrial function and protects retinal ganglion cells in optic neuropathy induced by a mito-targeted mutant ND1 gene. Gene Ther 2022; 29:368-378. [PMID: 35383288 PMCID: PMC9233058 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-022-00333-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Therapies for genetic disorders caused by mutated mitochondrial DNA are an unmet need, in large part due barriers in delivering DNA to the organelle and the absence of relevant animal models. We injected into mouse eyes a mitochondrially targeted Adeno-Associated-Virus (MTS-AAV) to deliver the mutant human NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit I (hND1/m.3460G>A) responsible for Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, the most common primary mitochondrial genetic disease. We show that the expression of the mutant hND1 delivered to retinal ganglion cells (RGC) layer colocalizes with the mitochondrial marker PORIN and the assembly of the expressed hND1 protein into host respiration complex I. The hND1 injected eyes exhibit hallmarks of the human disease with progressive loss of RGC function and number, as well as optic nerve degeneration. We also show that gene therapy in the hND1 eyes by means of an injection of a second MTS-AAV vector carrying wild type human ND1 restores mitochondrial respiratory complex I activity, the rate of ATP synthesis and protects RGCs and their axons from dysfunction and degeneration. These results prove that MTS-AAV is a highly efficient gene delivery approach with the ability to create mito-animal models and has the therapeutic potential to treat mitochondrial genetic diseases.
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18
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Dias MS, Luo X, Ribas VT, Petrs-Silva H, Koch JC. The Role of Axonal Transport in Glaucoma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073935. [PMID: 35409291 PMCID: PMC8999615 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and leads to progressive vision loss. The first pathological signs can be seen at the optic nerve head (ONH), the structure where RGC axons leave the retina to compose the optic nerve. Besides damage of the axonal cytoskeleton, axonal transport deficits at the ONH have been described as an important feature of glaucoma. Axonal transport is essential for proper neuronal function, including transport of organelles, synaptic components, vesicles, and neurotrophic factors. Impairment of axonal transport has been related to several neurodegenerative conditions. Studies on axonal transport in glaucoma include analysis in different animal models and in humans, and indicate that its failure happens mainly in the ONH and early in disease progression, preceding axonal and somal degeneration. Thus, a better understanding of the role of axonal transport in glaucoma is not only pivotal to decipher disease mechanisms but could also enable early therapies that might prevent irreversible neuronal damage at an early time point. In this review we present the current evidence of axonal transport impairment in glaucomatous neurodegeneration and summarize the methods employed to evaluate transport in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Santana Dias
- Intermediate Laboratory of Gene Therapy and Viral Vectors, Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (M.S.D.); (H.P.-S.)
| | - Xiaoyue Luo
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Vinicius Toledo Ribas
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil;
| | - Hilda Petrs-Silva
- Intermediate Laboratory of Gene Therapy and Viral Vectors, Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (M.S.D.); (H.P.-S.)
| | - Jan Christoph Koch
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Correspondence:
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19
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Casson RJ. Medical therapy for glaucoma: A review. Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2022; 50:198-212. [PMID: 35037367 DOI: 10.1111/ceo.13989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A number of pharmacological targets are exploited to modify the parameters in the Goldmann equation and reduce the intraocular pressure (IOP). This strategy constitutes the foundation for the medical management of glaucoma, the evolution of which, until only recently, has been in relative stagnation. A burst of innovation has produced new ocular hypotensive drugs and long-acting delivery methods, including intracameral delivery, which are expanding the clinician's medical armamentarium. A number of IOP-independent neuroprotection strategies have shown strong potential in animal models of glaucoma, but translational attempts have been surprisingly limited. However, while pharmacological options are expanding, the traditional role of topical medical therapy is being challenged by selective laser trabeculoplasty, micro-invasive glaucoma surgery, and sustained delivery methods. A scientifically rigorous assessment of new treatments will be critical to empower clinicians with evidence-based information to optimise vision preservation and quality of life outcomes for their patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Casson
- Ophthalmic Research Laboratories, Adelaide Health & Medical Science Building, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
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20
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Gupta V, Chitranshi N, Gupta V, You Y, Rajput R, Paulo JA, Mirzaei M, van den Buuse M, Graham SL. TrkB receptor agonist 7,8 dihydroxyflavone is protective against the inner retinal deficits induced by experimental glaucoma. Neuroscience 2022; 490:36-48. [PMID: 35217121 PMCID: PMC9142859 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.020] [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: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Glaucoma is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration and excavation of the optic nerve head (ONH). It is associated with an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) and progressive decline in the visual field. Reduction in the retrograde axonal transport of neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) from the brain to the neuronal cell bodies in retina, has been suggested as one of the key mechanisms underlying selective degeneration of ganglion cells and optic nerve in glaucoma. Multiple studies have indicated that BDNF and its high affinity receptor Tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) play crucial roles in survival of RGCs and that upregulating BDNF/TrkB signalling using gene therapy can protect the ganglion cells against degeneration. This study corroborates previous findings and demonstrates that glaucoma is associated with downregulation of TrkB downstream signalling and enhanced levels of amyloid β (Aβ 1-42) accumulation in the retina. 7,8 dihydroxyflavone (7,8 DHF) is a TrkB agonist and regular administration of this compound imparted significant protection against loss of GCL density and preserved inner retinal function in experimental glaucoma models. 7,8 DHF treatment stimulated activation of TrkB intracellular signalling as well as ameliorated the increase in the levels of soluble Aβ (1-42) in the retinas of rats and mice exposed to high IOP. The protective effects of 7,8 DHF were also evident in BDNF+/- mice indicating that TrkB agonist mediated activation of TrkB signalling was not altered upon BDNF allelic impairment. These data support BDNF/TrkB axis as a promising therapeutic target in glaucoma and highlight that the detrimental effects of high IOP exposure can be compensated by the exogenous administration of a TrkB agonist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Gupta
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie university, NSW, Australia.
| | - Nitin Chitranshi
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie university, NSW, Australia
| | - Veer Gupta
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, VIC, Australia
| | - Yuyi You
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie university, NSW, Australia; Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rashi Rajput
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie university, NSW, Australia
| | - Joao A Paulo
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
| | - Mehdi Mirzaei
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie university, NSW, Australia
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stuart L Graham
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie university, NSW, Australia; Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
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21
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Cell-Based Neuroprotection of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Animal Models of Optic Neuropathies. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10111181. [PMID: 34827174 PMCID: PMC8615038 DOI: 10.3390/biology10111181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) comprise a heterogenous group of projection neurons that transmit visual information from the retina to the brain. Progressive degeneration of these cells, as it occurs in inflammatory, ischemic, traumatic or glaucomatous optic neuropathies, results in visual deterioration and is among the leading causes of irreversible blindness. Treatment options for these diseases are limited. Neuroprotective approaches aim to slow down and eventually halt the loss of ganglion cells in these disorders. In this review, we have summarized preclinical studies that have evaluated the efficacy of cell-based neuroprotective treatment strategies to rescue retinal ganglion cells from cell death. Intraocular transplantations of diverse genetically nonmodified cell types or cells engineered to overexpress neurotrophic factors have been demonstrated to result in significant attenuation of ganglion cell loss in animal models of different optic neuropathies. Cell-based combinatorial neuroprotective approaches represent a potential strategy to further increase the survival rates of retinal ganglion cells. However, data about the long-term impact of the different cell-based treatment strategies on retinal ganglion cell survival and detailed analyses of potential adverse effects of a sustained intraocular delivery of neurotrophic factors on retina structure and function are limited, making it difficult to assess their therapeutic potential.
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22
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Thorsdottir D, Einwag Z, Erdos B. BDNF shifts excitatory-inhibitory balance in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus to elevate blood pressure. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:1209-1220. [PMID: 34406887 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00247.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Presympathetic neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) play a key role in cardiovascular regulation. We have previously shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), acting in the PVN, increases sympathetic activity and blood pressure and serves as a key regulator of stress-induced hypertensive responses. BDNF is known to alter glutamatergic and GABA-ergic signaling broadly in the central nervous system, but whether BDNF has similar actions in the PVN remains to be investigated. Here, we tested the hypothesis that increased BDNF expression in the PVN elevates blood pressure by enhancing N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NMDAR)- and inhibiting GABAA receptor (GABAAR)-mediated signaling. Sprague-Dawley rats received bilateral PVN injections of AAV2 viral vectors expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) or BDNF. Three weeks later, cardiovascular responses to PVN injections of NMDAR and GABAAR agonists and antagonists were recorded under α-chloralose-urethane anesthesia. In addition, expressions of excitatory and inhibitory signaling components in the PVN were assessed using immunofluorescence. Our results showed that NMDAR inhibition led to a greater decrease in blood pressure in the BDNF vs. GFP group, while GABAAR inhibition led to greater increases in blood pressure in the GFP group compared to BDNF. Conversely, GABAAR activation decreased blood pressure significantly more in GFP vs. BDNF rats. In addition, immunoreactivity of NMDAR1 was upregulated, while GABAAR-α1 and K+/Cl- cotransporter 2 were downregulated by BDNF overexpression in the PVN. In summary, our findings indicate that hypertensive actions of BDNF within the PVN are mediated, at least in part, by augmented NMDAR and reduced GABAAR signaling.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We have shown that BDNF, acting in the PVN, elevates blood pressure in part by augmenting NMDA receptor-mediated excitatory input and by diminishing GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory input to PVN neurons. In addition, we demonstrate that elevated BDNF expression in the PVN upregulates NMDA receptor immunoreactivity and downregulates GABAA receptor as well as KCC2 transporter immunoreactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zachary Einwag
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Benedek Erdos
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
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23
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Cha YW, Kim ST. Serum and aqueous humor levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma. Int Ophthalmol 2021; 41:3869-3875. [PMID: 34533687 DOI: 10.1007/s10792-021-01959-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study was designed to compare the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the serum and aqueous humor (AH) of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS This prospective, observational study consists of 30 patients with POAG, 30 patients with NTG, and 30 healthy controls. The serum and AH BDNF levels were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS BDNF levels in serum and AH were markedly lower in the glaucoma groups (POAG and NTG) than in the control group (p < 0.05). When comparing the NTG and POAG groups, the average serum BDNF level was significantly lower in the NTG group than in the POAG group (p < 0.05). The difference in the mean BDNF levels in AH between the POAG and NTG groups was not statistically significant. (p = 0.538). CONCLUSION We confirmed that serum BDNF levels were lower in patients with NTG than in those with POAG. BDNF could be a causative systemic biomarker in NTG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wan Cha
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Chosun University, 365 Philmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 61453, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Taeck Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Chosun University, 365 Philmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 61453, Republic of Korea.
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Schlecht A, Vallon M, Wagner N, Ergün S, Braunger BM. TGFβ-Neurotrophin Interactions in Heart, Retina, and Brain. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11091360. [PMID: 34572573 PMCID: PMC8464756 DOI: 10.3390/biom11091360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ischemic insults to the heart and brain, i.e., myocardial and cerebral infarction, respectively, are amongst the leading causes of death worldwide. While there are therapeutic options to allow reperfusion of ischemic myocardial and brain tissue by reopening obstructed vessels, mitigating primary tissue damage, post-infarction inflammation and tissue remodeling can lead to secondary tissue damage. Similarly, ischemia in retinal tissue is the driving force in the progression of neovascular eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which eventually lead to functional blindness, if left untreated. Intriguingly, the easily observable retinal blood vessels can be used as a window to the heart and brain to allow judgement of microvascular damages in diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. The complex neuronal and endocrine interactions between heart, retina and brain have also been appreciated in myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and retinal diseases. To describe the intimate relationship between the individual tissues, we use the terms heart-brain and brain-retina axis in this review and focus on the role of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and neurotrophins in regulation of these axes under physiologic and pathologic conditions. Moreover, we particularly discuss their roles in inflammation and repair following ischemic/neovascular insults. As there is evidence that TGFβ signaling has the potential to regulate expression of neurotrophins, it is tempting to speculate, and is discussed here, that cross-talk between TGFβ and neurotrophin signaling protects cells from harmful and/or damaging events in the heart, retina, and brain.
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Donahue RJ, Fehrman RL, Gustafson JR, Nickells RW. BCLX L gene therapy moderates neuropathology in the DBA/2J mouse model of inherited glaucoma. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:781. [PMID: 34376637 PMCID: PMC8355227 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04068-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Axonal degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) causes blindness in glaucoma. Currently, there are no therapies that target axons to prevent them from degenerating. Activation of the BAX protein has been shown to be the determining step in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway that causes RGCs to die in glaucoma. A putative role for BAX in axonal degeneration is less well elucidated. BCLXL (BCL2L1) is the primary antagonist of BAX in RGCs. We developed a mCherry-BCLXL fusion protein, which prevented BAX recruitment and activation to the mitochondria in tissue culture cells exposed to staurosporine. This fusion protein was then packaged into adeno-associated virus serotype 2, which was used to transduce RGCs after intravitreal injection and force its overexpression. Transduced RGCs express mCherry-BCLXL throughout their somas and axons along the entire optic tract. In a model of acute optic nerve crush, the transgene prevented the recruitment of a GFP-BAX fusion protein to mitochondria and provided long-term somal protection up to 12 weeks post injury. To test the efficacy in glaucoma, DBA/2J mice were transduced at 5 months of age, just prior to the time they begin to exhibit ocular hypertension. Gene therapy with mCherry-BCLXL did not affect the longitudinal history of intraocular pressure elevation compared to naive mice but did robustly attenuate both RGC soma pathology and axonal degeneration in the optic nerve at both 10.5 and 12 months of age. BCLXL gene therapy is a promising candidate for glaucoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Donahue
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Rachel L Fehrman
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jenna R Gustafson
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Robert W Nickells
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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Yoon BW, Lim SH, Shin JH, Lee JW, Lee Y, Seo JH. Analysis of oral microbiome in glaucoma patients using machine learning prediction models. J Oral Microbiol 2021; 13:1962125. [PMID: 34394853 PMCID: PMC8354165 DOI: 10.1080/20002297.2021.1962125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: The microbiome is considered an environmental factor that contributes to the progression of several neurodegenerative diseases. However, the association between microbiome and glaucoma remains unclear. This study investigated the features of the oral microbiome in patients with glaucoma and analyzed the microbiome biomarker candidates using a machine learning approach to predict the severity of glaucoma. Methods: The taxonomic composition of the oral microbiome was obtained using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, operational taxonomic unit analysis, and diversity analysis. The differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis was performed to determine the taxonomic differences between the microbiomes of patients with glaucoma and the control participants. Multinomial logistic regression and association rule mining analysis using machine learning were performed to identify the microbiome biomarker related to glaucoma severity. Results: DEG analysis of the oral microbiome of patients with glaucoma revealed significant depletion of Lactococcus (P = 3.71e-31), whereas Faecalibacterium was enriched (P = 9.19e-14). The candidate rules generated from the oral microbiome, including Lactococcus, showed 96% accuracy for association with glaucoma. Conclusions: Our findings indicate microbiome biomarkers for glaucoma severity with high accuracy. The relatively low oral Lactococcus in the glaucoma population suggests that microbial dysbiosis could play an important role in the pathophysiology of glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung Woo Yoon
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Su-Ho Lim
- Department of Ophthalmology, Daegu Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Hoon Shin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Woong Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Lee
- Veterans Medical Research Institute, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Je Hyun Seo
- Veterans Medical Research Institute, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Risk Factors for Retinal Ganglion Cell Distress in Glaucoma and Neuroprotective Potential Intervention. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22157994. [PMID: 34360760 PMCID: PMC8346985 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22157994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are a population of neurons of the central nervous system (CNS) extending with their soma to the inner retina and with their axons to the optic nerve. Glaucoma represents a group of neurodegenerative diseases where the slow progressive death of RGCs results in a permanent loss of vision. To date, although Intra Ocular Pressure (IOP) is considered the main therapeutic target, the precise mechanisms by which RGCs die in glaucoma have not yet been clarified. In fact, Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), which is the most common glaucoma form, also occurs without elevated IOP. This present review provides a summary of some pathological conditions, i.e., axonal transport blockade, glutamate excitotoxicity and changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines along the RGC projection, all involved in the glaucoma cascade. Moreover, neuro-protective therapeutic approaches, which aim to improve RGC degeneration, have also been taken into consideration.
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Li J, Xiao L, Yan N, Li Y, Wang Y, Qin X, Zhao D, Liu M, Li N, Lin Y. The Neuroprotective Effect of MicroRNA‐22‐3p Modified Tetrahedral Framework Nucleic Acids on Damaged Retinal Neurons Via TrkB/BDNF Signaling Pathway. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202104141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiajie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
| | - Lirong Xiao
- Department of Ophthalmology West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
| | - Naihong Yan
- Department of Ophthalmology West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
| | - Yanjing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
| | - Yun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
| | - Xin Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
| | - Dan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
| | - Mengting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
| | - Ni Li
- Department of Ophthalmology West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
| | - Yunfeng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
- College of Biomedical Engineering Sichuan University Chengdu 610041 China
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Rhee J, Shih KC. Use of Gene Therapy in Retinal Ganglion Cell Neuroprotection: Current Concepts and Future Directions. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11040581. [PMID: 33920974 PMCID: PMC8071340 DOI: 10.3390/biom11040581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We systematically reviewed published translational research on gene-based therapy for retinal ganglion cell (RGC) neuroprotection. A search was conducted on Entrez PubMed on 23 December 2020 using the keywords "gene therapy", "retinal ganglion cell" and "neuroprotection". The initial search yielded 82 relevant articles. After restricting publications to those with full text available and in the English language, and then curating for only original articles on gene-based therapy, the final yield was 18 relevant articles. From the 18 papers, 17 of the papers utilized an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector for gene therapy encoding specific genes of interest. Specifically, six of the studies utilized an AAV vector encoding brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), two of the studies utilized an AAV vector encoding erythropoietin (EPO), the remaining 10 papers utilized AAV vectors encoding different genes and one microRNA study. Although the literature shows promising results in both in vivo and in vitro models, there is still a significant way to go before gene-based therapy for RGC neuroprotection can proceed to clinical trials. Namely, the models of injury in many of the studies were more acute in nature, unlike the more progressive and neurodegenerative pathophysiology of diseases, such as glaucoma. The regulation of gene expression is also highly unexplored despite the use of AAV vectors in the majority of the studies reviewed. It is also expected that with the successful launch of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based vaccinations in 2020, we will see a shift towards this technology for gene-based therapy in glaucoma neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jess Rhee
- Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A3K7, Canada;
| | - Kendrick Co Shih
- Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Correspondence:
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Abbasi M, Gupta VK, Chitranshi N, Gupta V, Ranjbaran R, Rajput R, Pushpitha K, KB D, You Y, Salekdeh GH, Parton RG, Mirzaei M, Graham SL. Inner retinal injury in experimental glaucoma is prevented upon AAV mediated Shp2 silencing in a caveolin dependent manner. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:6154-6172. [PMID: 33995651 PMCID: PMC8120201 DOI: 10.7150/thno.55472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
SH2 domain containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 (Shp2; PTPN11) regulates several intracellular pathways downstream of multiple growth factor receptors. Our studies implicate that Shp2 interacts with Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) protein in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and negatively regulates BDNF/TrkB signaling. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of shp2 silencing in the RGCs in glaucomatous conditions. Methods: Shp2 was silenced in the Cav-1 deficient mice and the age matched wildtype littermates using adeno-associated viral (AAV) constructs. Shp2 expression modulation was performed in an acute and a chronic mouse model of experimental glaucoma. AAV2 expressing Shp2 eGFP-shRNA under a strong synthetic CAG promoter was administered intravitreally in the animals' eyes. The contralateral eye received AAV-eGFP-scramble-shRNA as control. Animals with Shp2 downregulation were subjected to either microbead injections or acute ocular hypertension experimental paradigm. Changes in inner retinal function were evaluated by measuring positive scotopic threshold response (pSTR) while structural and biochemical alterations were evaluated through H&E staining, western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis of the retinal tissues. Results: A greater loss of pSTR amplitudes was observed in the WT mice compared to Cav-1-/- retinas in both the models. Silencing of Shp2 phosphatase imparted protection against inner retinal function loss in chronic glaucoma model in WT mice. The functional rescue also translated to structural preservation of ganglion cell layer in the chronic glaucoma condition in WT mice which was not evident in Cav-1-/- mice retinas. Conclusions: This study indicates that protective effects of Shp2 ablation under chronic experimental glaucoma conditions are dependent on Cav-1 in the retina, suggesting in vivo interactions between the two proteins.
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31
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Fuller-Carter PI, Basiri H, Harvey AR, Carvalho LS. Focused Update on AAV-Based Gene Therapy Clinical Trials for Inherited Retinal Degeneration. BioDrugs 2021; 34:763-781. [PMID: 33136237 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-020-00453-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) comprise a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders that can ultimately result in photoreceptor dysfunction/death and vision loss. With over 270 genes known to be involved in IRDs, translation of treatment strategies into clinical applications has been historically difficult. However, in recent years there have been significant advances in basic research findings as well as translational studies, culminating in an increasing number of clinical trials with the ultimate goal of reducing vision loss and associated morbidities. The recent approval of Luxturna® (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl) for Leber congenital amaurosis type 2 (LCA2) prompts a review of the current clinical trials for IRDs, with a particular focus on the importance of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies. The present article reviews the current state of AAV use in gene therapy clinical trials for IRDs, with a brief background on AAV and the reasons behind its dominance in ocular gene therapy. It will also discuss pre-clinical progress in AAV-based therapies aimed at treating other ocular conditions that can have hereditable links, and what alternative technologies are progressing in the same therapeutic space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula I Fuller-Carter
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Hamed Basiri
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Alan R Harvey
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Livia S Carvalho
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
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Khatib TZ, Osborne A, Yang S, Ali Z, Jia W, Manyakin I, Hall K, Watt R, Widdowson PS, Martin KR. Receptor-ligand supplementation via a self-cleaving 2A peptide-based gene therapy promotes CNS axonal transport with functional recovery. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabd2590. [PMID: 33789891 PMCID: PMC8011959 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd2590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Gene replacement approaches are leading to a revolution in the treatment of previously debilitating monogenic neurological conditions. However, the application of gene therapy to complex polygenic conditions has been limited. Down-regulation or dysfunction of receptor expression in the disease state or in the presence of excess ligand has been shown to compromise therapeutic efficacy. Here, we offer evidence that combined overexpression of both brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase B, is more effective in stimulating axonal transport than either receptor administration or ligand administration alone. We also show efficacy in experimental glaucoma and humanized tauopathy models. Simultaneous administration of a ligand and its receptor by a single gene therapy vector overcomes several problems relating to ligand deficiency and receptor down-regulation that may be relevant to multiple neurodegenerative diseases. This approach shows promise as a strategy to target intrinsic mechanisms to improve neuronal function and facilitate repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasneem Z Khatib
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Eye Department, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
- Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrew Osborne
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Quethera Ltd., Cambridge, UK
- Ikarovec Ltd., Norwich Innovation Centre, Norwich, UK
| | - Sujeong Yang
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Zara Ali
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Wanyi Jia
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ilya Manyakin
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katie Hall
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robert Watt
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Peter S Widdowson
- Quethera Ltd., Cambridge, UK
- Ikarovec Ltd., Norwich Innovation Centre, Norwich, UK
| | - Keith R Martin
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Eye Department, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
- Quethera Ltd., Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
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Komáromy AM, Koehl KL, Park SA. Looking into the future: Gene and cell therapies for glaucoma. Vet Ophthalmol 2021; 24 Suppl 1:16-33. [PMID: 33411993 PMCID: PMC7979454 DOI: 10.1111/vop.12858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a complex group of optic neuropathies that affects both humans and animals. Intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation is a major risk factor that results in the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. Currently, lowering IOP by medical and surgical methods is the only approved treatment for primary glaucoma, but there is no cure, and vision loss often progresses despite therapy. Recent technologic advances provide us with a better understanding of disease mechanisms and risk factors; this will permit earlier diagnosis of glaucoma and initiation of therapy sooner and more effectively. Gene and cell therapies are well suited to target these mechanisms specifically with the potential to achieve a lasting therapeutic effect. Much progress has been made in laboratory settings to develop these novel therapies for the eye. Gene and cell therapies have already been translated into clinical application for some inherited retinal dystrophies and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Except for the intravitreal application of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) by encapsulated cell technology for RGC neuroprotection, there has been no other clinical translation of gene and cell therapies for glaucoma so far. Possible application of gene and cell therapies consists of long-term IOP control via increased aqueous humor drainage, including inhibition of fibrosis following filtration surgery, RGC neuroprotection and neuroregeneration, modification of ocular biomechanics for improved IOP tolerance, and inhibition of inflammation and neovascularization to prevent the development of some forms of secondary glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- András M. Komáromy
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kristin L. Koehl
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Shin Ae Park
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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Shen J, Wang Y, Yao K. Protection of retinal ganglion cells in glaucoma: Current status and future. Exp Eye Res 2021; 205:108506. [PMID: 33609512 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neuropathic disease that causes optic nerve damage, loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), and visual field defects. Most glaucoma patients have no early signs or symptoms. Conventional pharmacological glaucoma medications and surgeries that focus on lowering intraocular pressure are not sufficient; RGCs continue to die, and the patient's vision continues to decline. Recent evidence has demonstrated that neuroprotective approaches could be a promising strategy for protecting against glaucoma. In the case of glaucoma, neuroprotection aims to prevent or slow down disease progression by mitigating RGCs death and optic nerve degeneration. Notably, new pharmacologic medications such as antiglaucomatous agents, antibiotics, dietary supplementation, novel neuroprotective molecules, neurotrophic factors, translational methods such as gene therapy and cell therapy, and electrical stimulation-based physiotherapy are emerging to attenuate the death of RGCs, or to make RGCs resilient to attacks. Understanding the roles of these interventions in RGC protection may offer benefits over traditional pharmacological medications and surgeries. In this review, we summarize the recent neuroprotective strategy for glaucoma, both in clinical trials and in laboratory research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhui Shen
- Eye Center, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China; Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Yuanqi Wang
- Eye Center, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China; Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Ke Yao
- Eye Center, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China; Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China.
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Rahić O, Tucak A, Omerović N, Sirbubalo M, Hindija L, Hadžiabdić J, Vranić E. Novel Drug Delivery Systems Fighting Glaucoma: Formulation Obstacles and Solutions. Pharmaceutics 2020; 13:E28. [PMID: 33375224 PMCID: PMC7824381 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is considered to be one of the biggest health problems in the world. It is the main cause of preventable blindness due to its asymptomatic nature in the early stages on the one hand and patients' non-adherence on the other. There are several approaches in glaucoma treatment, whereby this has to be individually designed for each patient. The first-line treatment is medication therapy. However, taking into account numerous disadvantages of conventional ophthalmic dosage forms, intensive work has been carried out on the development of novel drug delivery systems for glaucoma. This review aims to provide an overview of formulation solutions and strategies in the development of in situ gel systems, nanosystems, ocular inserts, contact lenses, collagen corneal shields, ocular implants, microneedles, and iontophoretic devices. The results of studies confirming the effectiveness of the aforementioned drug delivery systems were also briefly presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ognjenka Rahić
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (A.T.); (M.S.); (L.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Amina Tucak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (A.T.); (M.S.); (L.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Naida Omerović
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina;
| | - Merima Sirbubalo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (A.T.); (M.S.); (L.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Lamija Hindija
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (A.T.); (M.S.); (L.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Jasmina Hadžiabdić
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (A.T.); (M.S.); (L.H.); (J.H.)
| | - Edina Vranić
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 8, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; (A.T.); (M.S.); (L.H.); (J.H.)
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Neurotrophic Factors in Glaucoma and Innovative Delivery Systems. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10249015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease and a worldwide leading cause of irreversible vision loss. In the last decades, high efforts have been made to develop novel treatments effective in inducing protection and/or recovery of neural function in glaucoma, including neurotrophic factors (NTFs). These approaches have shown encouraging data in preclinical setting; however, the challenge of sustained, targeted delivery to the retina and optic nerve still prevents the clinical translation. In this paper, the authors review and discuss the most recent advances for the use of NTFs treatment in glaucoma, including intraocular delivery. Novel strategies in drug and gene delivery technology for NTFs are proving effective in promoting long-term retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) survival and related functional improvements. Results of experimental and clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of biodegradable slow-release NTF-loaded microparticle devices, encapsulated NTF-secreting cells implants, mimetic ligands for NTF receptors, and viral and non-viral NTF gene vehicles are discussed. NTFs are able to prevent and even reverse apoptotic ganglion cell death. Nevertheless, neuroprotection in glaucoma remains an open issue due to the unmet need of sustained delivery to the posterior segment of the eye. The recent advances in intraocular delivery systems pave the way for possible future use of NTFs in clinical practice for the treatment of glaucoma.
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Wareham LK, Risner ML, Calkins DJ. Protect, Repair, and Regenerate: Towards Restoring Vision in Glaucoma. CURRENT OPHTHALMOLOGY REPORTS 2020; 8:301-310. [PMID: 33269115 PMCID: PMC7686214 DOI: 10.1007/s40135-020-00259-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We summarize recent advances in strategies that aim to restore optic nerve function and vision in glaucoma through protective, reparative, and regenerative avenues. RECENT FINDINGS Neuroprotection relies on identification of early retinal ganglion cell dysfunction, which could prove challenging in the clinic. Cell replacement therapies show promise in restoring lost vision, but some hurdles remain in restoring visual circuitry in the retina and central connections in the brain. SUMMARY Identification and manipulation of intrinsic and extrinsic cellular mechanisms that promote axon regeneration in both resident and transplanted RGCs will drive future advances in vision restoration. Understanding the roles of multiple cell types in the retina that act in concert to promote RGC survival will aid efforts to promote neuronal health and restoration. Effective RGC transplantation, fine tuning axon guidance and growth, and synaptogenesis of transplanted and resident RGCs are still areas that require more research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren K. Wareham
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7100 MCN, 1161 21st Ave S., Nashville, TN 37232 USA
| | - Michael L. Risner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7100 MCN, 1161 21st Ave S., Nashville, TN 37232 USA
| | - David J. Calkins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7100 MCN, 1161 21st Ave S., Nashville, TN 37232 USA
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Kelada M, Hill D, Yap TE, Manzar H, Cordeiro MF. Innovations and revolutions in reducing retinal ganglion cell loss in glaucoma. EXPERT REVIEW OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/17469899.2021.1835470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary Kelada
- The Imperial College Ophthalmic Research Group (ICORG), Imperial College London NW1 5QH, UK
| | - Daniel Hill
- Glaucoma and Retinal Neurodegeneration Group, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Timothy E. Yap
- The Imperial College Ophthalmic Research Group (ICORG), Imperial College London NW1 5QH, UK
- The Western Eye Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (ICHNT), London, UK
| | - Haider Manzar
- The Imperial College Ophthalmic Research Group (ICORG), Imperial College London NW1 5QH, UK
| | - M. Francesca Cordeiro
- The Imperial College Ophthalmic Research Group (ICORG), Imperial College London NW1 5QH, UK
- Glaucoma and Retinal Neurodegeneration Group, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
- The Western Eye Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (ICHNT), London, UK
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Yu H, Sant DW, Wang G, Guy J. Mitochondrial Transfer of the Mutant Human ND6T14484C Gene Causes Visual Loss and Optic Neuropathy. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2020; 9:1. [PMID: 33101779 PMCID: PMC7545076 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.11.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate the long-term effects of mitochondrial gene transfer of mutant human NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit VI (hND6T14484C) in the mouse eye. Methods Adult mice were injected intravitreally with mitochondrial-targeted adeno-associated virus carrying either hND6T14484C or mitochondrial encoded mCherry. The delivery and expression of the interest gene were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR), and immunostaining. The pathologic effects of the mutant gene in live mice were assessed with RNA-seq, serial spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and pattern electroretinogram (PERG). Results Delivered hND6 was found 30-fold greater than endogenous mouse ND6 in microdissected retinal ganglion cells of hND6-injected mice. Compared to controls injected with mCherry, PERG amplitude of hND6 mice dropped significantly at 3 (P = 0.0023), 6 (P = 0.0058), and 15 (P = 0.031) months after injection. SD-OCT revealed swelling of the optic nerve head followed by the progressive retinal and optic nerve atrophy in hND6 mice. Furthermore, RNA-seq data showed a change in 381 transcripts’ expression in these mice compared to mCherry mice. Postmortem analysis showed hND6 mice had marked atrophy of the entire optic nerve, from the globe to the optic chiasm, and a significant loss of retinal ganglion cells compared to age-matched control mice (P = 1.7E-9). Conclusions Delivered hND6T14484C induces visual loss and optic neuropathy in mice, the hallmarks of human Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Translational Relevance Results from this study will help establish a novel strategy not only to generate an LHON animal model but also to provide a potential to treat this or any other mitochondrial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Yu
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - David W Sant
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Gaofeng Wang
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. MacDonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - John Guy
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
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40
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Harper MM, Boese EA, Kardon RH, Ledolter J, Kuehn MH. High Correlation between Glaucoma Treatment with Topical Prostaglandin Analogs and BDNF Immunoreactivity in Human Retina. Curr Eye Res 2020; 46:739-745. [PMID: 32985274 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2020.1822417] [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] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its high-affinity receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase receptor-B (TrkB), in normal and glaucomatous human retinas. METHODS Human retinas were collected from 8 donors who had been clinically diagnosed and treated for glaucoma, and from 9 control donors. Immunohistochemical analysis for BDNF and TrkB was performed. The percent of each retina expressing BDNF and TrkB was quantified for the total retinal thickness, and separately for the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) complex + retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL). The expression of each protein was correlated with clinical outcomes obtained from the subject's ocular histories. RESULTS There was no significant difference in BDNF or TrkB expression when comparing glaucomatous and control retinas. Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between BDNF expression and the use of prostaglandin analogs. TrkB expression was highly correlated with the last-measured intraocular pressure (IOP), the use of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, the use of beta blockers, and the total number of drugs used for the treatment of glaucoma. CONCLUSION Topical drugs used to treat glaucoma were associated with an increase in retinal BDNF and TrkB expression in human retina, independent of IOP, which may represent molecular evidence of neuroprotective pathway activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M Harper
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Veterans Administration Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, VA Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Erin A Boese
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Randy H Kardon
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Veterans Administration Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, VA Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Johannes Ledolter
- Veterans Administration Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, VA Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, USA.,The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Markus H Kuehn
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Veterans Administration Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, VA Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, USA
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41
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Carrella S, Indrieri A, Franco B, Banfi S. Mutation-Independent Therapies for Retinal Diseases: Focus on Gene-Based Approaches. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:588234. [PMID: 33071752 PMCID: PMC7541846 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.588234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy is proving to be an effective approach to treat or prevent ocular diseases ensuring a targeted, stable, and regulated introduction of exogenous genetic material with therapeutic action. Retinal diseases can be broadly categorized into two groups, namely monogenic and complex (multifactorial) forms. The high genetic heterogeneity of monogenic forms represents a significant limitation to the application of gene-specific therapeutic strategies for a significant fraction of patients. Therefore, mutation-independent therapeutic strategies, acting on common pathways that underly retinal damage, are gaining interest as complementary/alternative approaches for retinal diseases. This review will provide an overview of mutation-independent strategies that rely on the modulation in the retina of key genes regulating such crucial degenerative pathways. In particular, we will describe how gene-based approaches explore the use of neurotrophic factors, microRNAs (miRNAs), genome editing and optogenetics in order to restore/prolong visual function in both outer and inner retinal diseases. We predict that the exploitation of gene delivery procedures applied to mutation/gene independent approaches may provide the answer to the unmet therapeutic need of a large fraction of patients with genetically heterogeneous and complex retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Carrella
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Alessia Indrieri
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy
| | - Brunella Franco
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Sandro Banfi
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
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He YY, Wang L, Zhang T, Weng SJ, Lu J, Zhong YM. Aerobic exercise delays retinal ganglion cell death after optic nerve injury. Exp Eye Res 2020; 200:108240. [PMID: 32919994 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Aerobic exercise has been shown to play a crucial role in preventing neurological diseases and improving cognitive function. In the present study, we investigated the effect of treadmill training on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) following optic nerve transection in adult rats. We exercised the rats on a treadmill for 5 d/week (30 min/d at a rate of 9 m/min) or placed control rats on static treadmills. After 3 weeks of exercise, the left optic nerve of each rat was transected. After the surgery, the rat was exercised for another week. The percentages of surviving RGCs in the axotomized eyes of inactive rats were 67% and 39% at 5 and 7 days postaxotomy, respectively. However, exercised rats had significant more RGCs at 5 (74% survival) and 7 days (48% survival) after axotomy. Moreover, retinal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels were significantly upregulated in response to exercise compared with those in the axotomized eyes of inactive rats. Blocking BNDF signaling during exercise by intraperitoneal injections of ANA-12, a BDNF tropomyosin receptor kinase (TrkB) receptor antagonist, reduced the number of RGCs in exercised rats to the level of RGCs in the inactive rats, effectively abolishing the protection of RGCs afforded by exercise. The results suggest that treadmill training effectively rescues RGCs from neurodegeneration following optic nerve transection by upregulating the expression of BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Yuan He
- Department of Ophthalmology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shi-Jun Weng
- Department of Ophthalmology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jian Lu
- College of Physical & Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Yong-Mei Zhong
- Department of Ophthalmology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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43
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Wójcik-Gryciuk A, Gajewska-Woźniak O, Kordecka K, Boguszewski PM, Waleszczyk W, Skup M. Neuroprotection of Retinal Ganglion Cells with AAV2-BDNF Pretreatment Restoring Normal TrkB Receptor Protein Levels in Glaucoma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176262. [PMID: 32872441 PMCID: PMC7504711 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Intravitreal delivery of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by injection of recombinant protein or by gene therapy can alleviate retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss after optic nerve injury (ONI) or laser-induced ocular hypertension (OHT). In models of glaucoma, BDNF therapy can delay or halt RGCs loss, but this protection is time-limited. The decreased efficacy of BDNF supplementation has been in part attributed to BDNF TrkB receptor downregulation. However, whether BDNF overexpression causes TrkB downregulation, impairing long-term BDNF signaling in the retina, has not been conclusively proven. After ONI or OHT, when increased retinal BDNF was detected, a concomitant increase, no change or a decrease in TrkB was reported. We examined quantitatively the retinal concentrations of the TrkB protein in relation to BDNF, in a course of adeno-associated viral vector gene therapy (AAV2-BDNF), using a microbead trabecular occlusion model of glaucoma. We show that unilateral glaucoma, with intraocular pressure ( IOP) increased for five weeks, leads to a bilateral decrease of BDNF in the retina at six weeks, accompanied by up to four-fold TrkB upregulation, while a moderate BDNF overexpression in a glaucomatous eye triggers changes that restore normal TrkB concentrations, driving signaling towards long-term RGCs neuroprotection. We conclude that for glaucoma therapy, the careful selection of the appropriate BDNF concentration is the main factor securing the long-term responsiveness of RGCs and the maintenance of normal TrkB levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wójcik-Gryciuk
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Vision, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (A.W.-G.); (K.K.); (W.W.)
- Mediq Clinic, 05-120 Legionowo, Poland
| | - Olga Gajewska-Woźniak
- Group of Restorative Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Katarzyna Kordecka
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Vision, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (A.W.-G.); (K.K.); (W.W.)
| | - Paweł M. Boguszewski
- Laboratory of Behavioral Methods, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Wioletta Waleszczyk
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Vision, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (A.W.-G.); (K.K.); (W.W.)
| | - Małgorzata Skup
- Group of Restorative Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
- Correspondence:
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44
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Korneva A, Schaub J, Jefferys J, Kimball E, Pease ME, Nawathe M, Johnson TV, Pitha I, Quigley H. A method to quantify regional axonal transport blockade at the optic nerve head after short term intraocular pressure elevation in mice. Exp Eye Res 2020; 196:108035. [PMID: 32353427 PMCID: PMC7335019 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Axonal transport blockade is an initial step in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration in glaucoma and targeting maintenance of normal axonal transport could confer neuroprotection. We present an objective, quantitative method for assessing axonal transport blockade in mouse glaucoma models. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was elevated unilaterally in CD1 mice for 3 days using intracameral microbead injection. Longitudinal sections of optic nerve head (ONH) were immunofluorescently labeled for myelin basic protein (MBP) and amyloid precursor protein (APP), which is transported predominantly orthograde by neurons. The beginning of the myelin transition zone, visualized with the MBP label, was more posterior with elevated IOP, 288.8 ± 40.9 μm, compared to normotensive control eyes, 228.7 ± 32.7 μm (p = 0.030, N = 6 pairs). Glaucomatous regional APP accumulations in retina, prelaminar ONH, unmyelinated ONH, and myelinated optic nerve were identified by objective qualification of pixels with fluorescent intensity greater than the 97.5th percentile value of control eyes (suprathreshold pixels). This method segregated images with APP blockade from those with normal transport of APP. The fraction of suprathreshold pixels was significantly higher following IOP elevation than in normotensive controls in the unmyelinated ONH and myelinated nerve regions (paired analyses, p = 0.02 and 0.003, respectively, N = 12), but not in retina or prelaminar ONH (p = 0.91 and 0.08, respectively). The mean intensity of suprathreshold pixels was also significantly greater in glaucoma than in normotensive controls in prelaminar ONH, unmyelinated ONH and myelinated optic nerve (p = 0.01, 0.01, 0.002, respectively). Using this method, subconjunctival glyceraldehyde, which is known to worsen long-term RGC loss with IOP elevation, also produced greater APP blockade, but not statistically significant compared to glaucoma alone. Systemic losartan, which aids RGC axonal survival in glaucoma, reduced APP blockade, but not statistically significant compared to glaucoma alone. The method provides a short-term assessment of axonal injury for use in initial tests of neuroprotective therapies that may beneficially affect RGC transport in animal models of glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arina Korneva
- From the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Julie Schaub
- From the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joan Jefferys
- From the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth Kimball
- From the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mary Ellen Pease
- From the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Manasi Nawathe
- From the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thomas V Johnson
- From the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ian Pitha
- From the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Harry Quigley
- From the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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45
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Yin Y, De Lima S, Gilbert HY, Hanovice NJ, Peterson SL, Sand RM, Sergeeva EG, Wong KA, Xie L, Benowitz LI. Optic nerve regeneration: A long view. Restor Neurol Neurosci 2020; 37:525-544. [PMID: 31609715 DOI: 10.3233/rnn-190960] [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: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The optic nerve conveys information about the outside world from the retina to multiple subcortical relay centers. Until recently, the optic nerve was widely believed to be incapable of re-growing if injured, with dire consequences for victims of traumatic, ischemic, or neurodegenerative diseases of this pathway. Over the past 10-20 years, research from our lab and others has made considerable progress in defining factors that normally suppress axon regeneration and the ability of retinal ganglion cells, the projection neurons of the retina, to survive after nerve injury. Here we describe research from our lab on the role of inflammation-derived growth factors, suppression of inter-cellular signals among diverse retinal cell types, and combinatorial therapies, along with related studies from other labs, that enable animals with optic nerve injury to regenerate damaged retinal axons back to the brain. These studies raise the possibility that vision might one day be restored to people with optic nerve damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqin Yin
- Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Silmara De Lima
- Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hui-Ya Gilbert
- Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Hanovice
- Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sheri L Peterson
- Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rheanna M Sand
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elena G Sergeeva
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kimberly A Wong
- Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lili Xie
- Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Larry I Benowitz
- Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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46
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Mead B, Cullather E, Nakaya N, Niu Y, Kole C, Ahmed Z, Tomarev S. Viral delivery of multiple miRNAs promotes retinal ganglion cell survival and functional preservation after optic nerve crush injury. Exp Eye Res 2020; 197:108071. [PMID: 32574667 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC)-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEV) but not fibroblast sEV provide retinal ganglion cell (RGC) neuroprotection both in vitro and in vivo, with miRNAs playing an essential role. More than 40 miRNAs were more abundant in BMSC-sEV than in fibroblast-sEV. The purpose of this study was to test the in vitro and in vivo neuroprotective and axogenic properties of six candidate miRNAs (miR-26a, miR-17, miR-30c-2, miR-92a, miR-292, and miR-182) that were more abundant in BMSC-sEV than in fibroblast-sEV. Adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) expressing a combination of three of the above candidate miRNAs were added to heterogenous adult rat retinal cultures or intravitreally injected into rat eyes one week before optic nerve crush (ONC) injury. Survival and neuritogenesis of βIII-tubulin+ RGCs was assessed in vitro, as well as the survival of RBPMS+ RGCs and regeneration of their axons in vivo. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) was measured to assess axonal density whereas positive scotopic threshold response electroretinography amplitudes provided a readout of RGC function. Qualitative retinal expression of PTEN, a target of several of the above miRNAs, was used to confirm successful miRNA activity. AAV2 reliably transduced RGCs in vitro and in vivo. Viral delivery of miRNAs in vitro showed a trend towards neuroprotection but remained insignificant. Delivery of selected combinations of miRNAs (miR-17-5p, miR-30c-2 and miR-92a; miR-92a, miR-292 and miR-182) before ONC provided significant therapeutic benefits according to the above measurable endpoints. However, no single miRNA appeared to be responsible for the effects observed, whilst positive effects observed appeared to coincide with successful qualitative reduction in PTEN immunofluorescence in the retina. Viral delivery of miRNAs provides a possible neuroprotective strategy for injured RGCs that is conducive to therapeutic manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Mead
- School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK; Section of Retinal Ganglion Cell Biology, Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Erin Cullather
- Section of Retinal Ganglion Cell Biology, Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Naoki Nakaya
- Section of Retinal Ganglion Cell Biology, Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yuzhe Niu
- Section of Retinal Ganglion Cell Biology, Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Christo Kole
- Section of Retinal Ganglion Cell Biology, Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Zubair Ahmed
- Neuroscience and Ophthalmology, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Stanislav Tomarev
- Section of Retinal Ganglion Cell Biology, Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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47
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Naik S, Pandey A, Lewis SA, Rao BSS, Mutalik S. Neuroprotection: A versatile approach to combat glaucoma. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 881:173208. [PMID: 32464192 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In most retinal diseases, neuronal loss is the main cause of vision loss. Neuroprotection is the alteration of neurons and/or their environment to encourage the survival and function of the neurons, especially in environments that are deleterious to the neuronal health. The area of neuroprotection progresses with a therapeutically-based hope of improving vision and clinical outcomes for patients through the developments in neurotrophic therapy, antioxidative therapy, anti-excitotoxic, anti-ischemic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic care. In this review, we summarize the various neuroprotection strategies for the treatment of glaucoma, genetics of glaucoma and the role of various nanoplatforms in the treatment of glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santoshi Naik
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka State, India
| | - Abhijeet Pandey
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka State, India
| | - Shaila A Lewis
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka State, India
| | - Bola Sadashiva Satish Rao
- Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka State, India
| | - Srinivas Mutalik
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka State, India.
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48
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Tsai JC. Innovative IOP-Independent Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration Strategies in the Pipeline for Glaucoma. J Ophthalmol 2020; 2020:9329310. [PMID: 33014446 PMCID: PMC7512103 DOI: 10.1155/2020/9329310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
While sustained reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) has been shown to halt and/or delay the progressive death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in glaucoma, there exists great interest in the development and validation of IOP-independent therapeutic strategies for neuroprotection and/or neuroregeneration. Multiple etiologies for RGC death have been implicated in glaucoma including defective axonal transport, ischemia, excitotoxicity, reactive oxygen species, trophic factor withdrawal, and loss of RGC electrical activity. However, IOP lowering with medical, laser, and surgical therapies is itself neuroprotective, and investigators are seeking to identify agents that are able to confer neuroprotection independent of IOP reduction, as well as providing for regeneration of nonviable RGCs and their axons to restore and/or maintain functional vision. These innovative strategies in the pipeline include investigation of neurotrophic factors, gene therapy, immune system modulation, and novel neuroregeneration pathways. Alongside this new knowledge, enhanced opportunities for discovery of vision preservation and/or restoration therapies must be weighed against the potential disadvantages of perturbing the complex central nervous system environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C. Tsai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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49
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Mohd Lazaldin MA, Iezhitsa I, Agarwal R, Bakar NS, Agarwal P, Mohd Ismail N. Neuroprotective effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor against amyloid beta 1-40-induced retinal and optic nerve damage. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 51:2394-2411. [PMID: 31883161 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) could be considered a potential neuroprotective therapy in amyloid beta (Aβ)-associated retinal and optic nerve degeneration. Hence, in this study we investigated the neuroprotective effect of BDNF against Aβ1-40-induced retinal and optic nerve injury. In this study, exposure to Aβ1-40 was associated with retinal and optic nerve injury. TUNEL staining showed significant reduction in the apoptotic cell count in the BDNF-treated group compared with Aβ1-40 group. H&E-stained retinal sections also showed a striking reduction in neuronal cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) of retinas fourteen days after Aβ1-40 exposure. By contrast, number of retinal cells was preserved in the retinas of BDNF-treated animals. After Aβ1-40 exposure, visible axonal swelling was observed in optic nerve sections. However, the BDNF-treated group showed fewer changes in optic nerve; axonal swelling was less frequent and less marked. In the present study, exposure to Aβ was associated with oxidative stress, whereas levels of retinal glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase were significantly increased in BDNF-treated than in Aβ1-40-treated rats. Both visual object recognition tests using an open-field arena and a Morris water maze showed that BDNF improved rats' ability to recognise visual cues (objects with different shapes) after Aβ1-40 exposure, thus demonstrating that the visual performance of rats was relatively preserved following BDNF treatment. In conclusion, intravitreal treatment with BDNF prevents Aβ1-40-induced retinal cell apoptosis and axon loss in the optic nerve of rats by reducing retinal oxidative stress and restoring retinal BDNF levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Aizuddin Mohd Lazaldin
- Centre for Neuroscience Research (NeuRon), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
| | - Igor Iezhitsa
- Centre for Neuroscience Research (NeuRon), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia.,Institute for Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia.,Research Centre for Innovative Medicines, Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russia
| | - Renu Agarwal
- School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nor Salmah Bakar
- Centre for Neuroscience Research (NeuRon), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
| | - Puneet Agarwal
- School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nafeeza Mohd Ismail
- School of Medicine, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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50
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Wu J, Bell OH, Copland DA, Young A, Pooley JR, Maswood R, Evans RS, Khaw PT, Ali RR, Dick AD, Chu CJ. Gene Therapy for Glaucoma by Ciliary Body Aquaporin 1 Disruption Using CRISPR-Cas9. Mol Ther 2020; 28:820-829. [PMID: 31981492 PMCID: PMC7054720 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2019.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a common cause of blindness, yet current therapeutic options are imperfect. Clinical trials have invariably shown that reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) regardless of disease subtype prevents visual loss. Reducing ciliary body aqueous humor production can lower IOP, and the adeno-associated virus ShH10 serotype was identified as able to transduce mouse ciliary body epithelium following intravitreal injection. Using ShH10 to deliver a single vector CRISPR-Cas9 system disrupting Aquaporin 1 resulted in reduced IOP in treated eyes (10.4 ± 2.4 mmHg) compared with control (13.2 ± 2.0 mmHg) or non-injected eyes (13.1 ± 2.8 mmHg; p < 0.001; n = 12). Editing in the aquaporin 1 gene could be detected in ciliary body, and no off-target increases in corneal or retinal thickness were identified. In experimental mouse models of corticosteroid and microbead-induced ocular hypertension, IOP could be reduced to prevent ganglion cell loss (32 ± 4 /mm2) compared with untreated eyes (25 ± 5/mm2; p < 0.01). ShH10 could transduce human ciliary body from post-mortem donor eyes in ex vivo culture with indel formation detectable in the Aquaporin 1 locus. Clinical translation of this approach to patients with glaucoma may permit long-term reduction of IOP following a single injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Wu
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK; Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Oliver H Bell
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - David A Copland
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Alison Young
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - John R Pooley
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Ryea Maswood
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK
| | - Rachel S Evans
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0PY, UK
| | - Peng Tee Khaw
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 2PD, UK
| | - Robin R Ali
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 2PD, UK
| | - Andrew D Dick
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology at Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 2PD, UK
| | - Colin J Chu
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK.
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