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Nakai-Futatsugi Y, Jin J, Ogawa T, Sakai N, Maeda A, Hironaka KI, Fukuda M, Danno H, Tanaka Y, Hori S, Shiroguchi K, Takahashi M. Pigmentation level of human iPSC-derived RPE does not indicate a specific gene expression profile. eLife 2024; 12:RP92510. [PMID: 38722314 PMCID: PMC11081631 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells show heterogeneous levels of pigmentation when cultured in vitro. To know whether their color in appearance is correlated with the function of the RPE, we analyzed the color intensities of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived RPE cells (iPSC-RPE) together with the gene expression profile at the single-cell level. For this purpose, we utilized our recent invention, Automated Live imaging and cell Picking System (ALPS), which enabled photographing each cell before RNA-sequencing analysis to profile the gene expression of each cell. While our iPSC-RPE were categorized into four clusters by gene expression, the color intensity of iPSC-RPE did not project any specific gene expression profiles. We reasoned this by less correlation between the actual color and the gene expressions that directly define the level of pigmentation, from which we hypothesized the color of RPE cells may be a temporal condition not strongly indicating the functional characteristics of the RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Nakai-Futatsugi
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)KobeJapan
- VC Cell Therapy IncKobeJapan
- Ritsumeikan UniversityShigaJapan
| | - Jianshi Jin
- Laboratory for Prediction of Cell Systems Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)SuitaJapan
| | - Taisaku Ogawa
- Laboratory for Prediction of Cell Systems Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)SuitaJapan
| | - Noriko Sakai
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)KobeJapan
- VC Cell Therapy IncKobeJapan
| | - Akiko Maeda
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)KobeJapan
- Ritsumeikan UniversityShigaJapan
- Kobe City Eye Hospital, Department of OphthalmologyKobeJapan
| | | | | | | | - Yuji Tanaka
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)KobeJapan
| | | | - Katsuyuki Shiroguchi
- Laboratory for Prediction of Cell Systems Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)SuitaJapan
| | - Masayo Takahashi
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR)KobeJapan
- Ritsumeikan UniversityShigaJapan
- Kobe City Eye Hospital, Department of OphthalmologyKobeJapan
- Vision Care, IncKobeJapan
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2
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Hallam TM, Sharp SJ, Andreadi A, Kavanagh D. Complement factor I: Regulatory nexus, driver of immunopathology, and therapeutic. Immunobiology 2023; 228:152410. [PMID: 37478687 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2023.152410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Complement factor I (FI) is the nexus for classical, lectin and alternative pathway complement regulation. FI is an 88 kDa plasma protein that circulates in an inactive configuration until it forms a trimolecular complex with its cofactor and substrate whereupon a structural reorganization allows the catalytic triad to cleave its substrates, C3b and C4b. In keeping with its role as the master complement regulatory enzyme, deficiency has been linked to immunopathology. In the setting of complete FI deficiency, a consumptive C3 deficiency results in recurrent infections with encapsulated microorganisms. Aseptic cerebral inflammation and vasculitic presentations are also less commonly observed. Heterozygous mutations in the factor I gene (CFI) have been demonstrated to be enriched in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome, albeit with a very low penetrance. Haploinsufficiency of CFI has also been associated with decreased retinal thickness and is a strong risk factor for the development of age-related macular degeneration. Supplementation of FI using plasma purified or recombinant protein has long been postulated, however, technical difficulties prevented progression into clinical trials. It is only using gene therapy that CFI supplementation has reached the clinic with GT005 in phase I/II clinical trials for geographic atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Hallam
- Gyroscope Therapeutics Limited, A Novartis Company, Rolling Stock Yard, London N7 9AS, UK; Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK; National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Building 26, Royal Victoria Infirmary, UK
| | - S J Sharp
- Gyroscope Therapeutics Limited, A Novartis Company, Rolling Stock Yard, London N7 9AS, UK
| | - A Andreadi
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK; National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Building 26, Royal Victoria Infirmary, UK
| | - D Kavanagh
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK; National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Building 26, Royal Victoria Infirmary, UK; NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, Biomedical Research Building, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL, UK.
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3
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de Jong S, Tang J, Clark SJ. Age-related macular degeneration: A disease of extracellular complement amplification. Immunol Rev 2023; 313:279-297. [PMID: 36223117 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of vision impairment in the Western World, and with the aging world population, its incidence is increasing. As of today, for the majority of patients, no treatment exists. Multiple genetic and biochemical studies have shown a strong association with components in the complement system and AMD, and evidence suggests a major role of remodeling of the extracellular matrix underlying the outer blood/retinal barrier. As part of the innate immune system, the complement cascade acts as a first-line defense against pathogens, and upon activation, its amplification loop ensures a strong, rapid, and sustained response. Excessive activation, however, can lead to host tissue damage and cause complement-associated diseases like AMD. AMD patients present with aberrant activation of the alternative pathway, especially in ocular tissues but also on a systemic level. Here, we review the latest findings of complement activation in AMD, and we will discuss in vivo observations made in human tissue, cellular models, the potential synergy of different AMD-associated pathways, and conclude on current clinical trials and the future outlook.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah de Jong
- Department for Ophthalmology, University Eye Clinic, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jiaqi Tang
- Department for Ophthalmology, University Eye Clinic, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Simon J Clark
- Department for Ophthalmology, University Eye Clinic, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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4
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Schäfer N, Grässel S. Involvement of complement peptides C3a and C5a in osteoarthritis pathology. Peptides 2022; 154:170815. [PMID: 35598724 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) affects more than 500 million people worldwide and is among the five diseases in Germany causing the highest suffering of the patients and cost for the society. The quality of life of OA patients is severely compromised, and adequate therapy is lacking owing to a knowledge gap that acts as a major barrier to finding safe and effective solutions. Chronic, low-grade inflammation plays a central role in OA pathogenesis and is associated with both OA pain and disease progression. Innate immune pathways, such as the complement- and pattern-recognition receptor pathways, are pivotal to the inflammation in OA and key components of the innate immune system implicated in OA include DAMP-TLR signaling, the complement system, carboxypeptidase B (CPB), and mononuclear cells. Anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a are small polypeptides (77 and 74 amino acids, respectively) which are released by proteolytic cleavage of the complement components C3 and C5. The alternative complement pathway seems to play a crucial role in OA pathogenesis as these complement components, mostly C3 and its activation peptide C3a, were detected at high levels in osteoarthritic cartilage, synovial membrane, and cultured chondrocytes. Targeting the complement system by using anti-complement drugs as a therapeutic option bears the risk of major side effects such as increasing the risk of infection, interfering with cell regeneration and metabolism, and suppressing the clearance of immune complexes. Despite those adverse effects, several synthetic complement peptide antagonists show promising effects in ameliorating inflammatory cell responses also in joint tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Schäfer
- Experimental Orthopaedics, Centre for Medical Biotechnology (ZMB), Bio Park 1, University of Regensburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Grässel
- Experimental Orthopaedics, Centre for Medical Biotechnology (ZMB), Bio Park 1, University of Regensburg, Germany; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Regensburg, Germany.
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5
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Chen M, Rong R, Xia X. Spotlight on pyroptosis: role in pathogenesis and therapeutic potential of ocular diseases. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:183. [PMID: 35836195 PMCID: PMC9281180 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02547-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death characterized by swift plasma membrane disruption and subsequent release of cellular contents and pro-inflammatory mediators (cytokines), including IL‐1β and IL‐18. It differs from other types of programmed cell death such as apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, ferroptosis, and NETosis in terms of its morphology and mechanism. As a recently discovered form of cell death, pyroptosis has been demonstrated to be involved in the progression of multiple diseases. Recent studies have also suggested that pyroptosis is linked to various ocular diseases. In this review, we systematically summarized and discussed recent scientific discoveries of the involvement of pyroptosis in common ocular diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, AIDS-related human cytomegalovirus retinitis, glaucoma, dry eye disease, keratitis, uveitis, and cataract. We also organized new and emerging evidence suggesting that pyroptosis signaling pathways may be potential therapeutic targets in ocular diseases, hoping to provide a summary of overall intervention strategies and relevant multi-dimensional evaluations for various ocular diseases, as well as offer valuable ideas for further research and development from the perspective of pyroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meini Chen
- Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Rong
- Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China.,Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaobo Xia
- Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China. .,Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (Xiangya Hospital), Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
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6
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Ebeling MC, Fisher CR, Kapphahn RJ, Stahl MR, Shen S, Qu J, Montezuma SR, Ferrington DA. Inflammasome Activation in Retinal Pigment Epithelium from Human Donors with Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Cells 2022; 11:2075. [PMID: 35805159 PMCID: PMC9265516 DOI: 10.3390/cells11132075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, is characterized by the death of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors. One of the risk factors associated with developing AMD is the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) found within the gene encoding complement factor H (CFH). Part of the innate immune system, CFH inhibits alternative complement pathway activation. Multi-protein complexes called inflammasomes also play a role in the innate immune response. Previous studies reported that inflammasome activation may contribute to AMD pathology. In this study, we used primary human adult RPE cell cultures from multiple donors, with and without AMD, that were genotyped for the Y402H CFH risk allele. We found complement and inflammasome-related genes and proteins at basal levels in RPE tissue and cell cultures. Additionally, treatment with rotenone, bafilomycin A, and ATP led to inflammasome activation. Overall, the response to priming and activation was similar, irrespective of disease state or CFH genotype. While these data show that the inflammasome is present and active in RPE, our results suggest that inflammasome activation may not contribute to early AMD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara C. Ebeling
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.C.E.); (C.R.F.); (R.J.K.); (M.R.S.); (S.R.M.)
| | - Cody R. Fisher
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.C.E.); (C.R.F.); (R.J.K.); (M.R.S.); (S.R.M.)
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Rebecca J. Kapphahn
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.C.E.); (C.R.F.); (R.J.K.); (M.R.S.); (S.R.M.)
| | - Madilyn R. Stahl
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.C.E.); (C.R.F.); (R.J.K.); (M.R.S.); (S.R.M.)
| | - Shichen Shen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (S.S.); (J.Q.)
| | - Jun Qu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (S.S.); (J.Q.)
| | - Sandra R. Montezuma
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.C.E.); (C.R.F.); (R.J.K.); (M.R.S.); (S.R.M.)
| | - Deborah A. Ferrington
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (M.C.E.); (C.R.F.); (R.J.K.); (M.R.S.); (S.R.M.)
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Doheny Eye Institute, Pasadena, CA 91103, USA
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7
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Jones AV, MacGregor S, Han X, Francis J, Harris C, Kavanagh D, Lotery A, Waheed N. Evaluating a Causal Relationship between Complement Factor I Protein Level and Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Mendelian Randomization. OPHTHALMOLOGY SCIENCE 2022; 2:100146. [PMID: 35693873 PMCID: PMC9186402 DOI: 10.1016/j.xops.2022.100146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Importance Risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration (AAMD) is associated with rare genetic variants in the gene encoding Complement factor I (CFI), which is associated with lower circulating CFI protein levels, but the nature of the relationship is unclear. Objective Can genetic factors be used to infer whether low circulating CFI is associated with AAMD risk? Design Two-sample inverse variance weighted Mendelian Randomisation (MR) was used to evaluate evidence for a relationship between CFI levels and AAMD risk, comparing CFI levels from genetically predefined subsets in AAMD and control cohorts. Setting Published genetic and proteomic data was combined with data from cohorts of Geographic Atrophy (GA) patients in a series of MR analyses. Participants We derived genetic instruments for systemic CFI level in 3,301 healthy European participants in the INTERVAL study. To evaluate a genetic causal odds ratio (OR) for the effect of CFI levels on AAMD risk, we used results from a genome-wide association study of 12,711 AAMD cases and 14,590 European controls from the International AMD Genomics Consortium (IAMDGC), and CFI levels from patients entered into the research studies SCOPE and SIGHT. Results We identified one common CFI variant rs7439493 which was strongly associated with low CFI level, explaining 4.8% of phenotypic variance. Using rs7439493 our MR analysis estimated that AAMD odds increased per standard deviation (SD) decrease in CFI level; OR 1.47 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30-1.65, P=2.1×10-10). We identified one rare variant (rs141853578 encoding p.Gly119Arg) which was genome-wide significantly associated with CFI levels after imputation; based on this, a 1 SD decrease in CFI leads to increased AAMD odds of 1.79 (95% CI 1.46-2.19, P=1.9×10-8). The rare variant rs141853578 explained a further 1.7% of phenotypic variance. To benchmark the effect of low CFI levels on AAMD odds using a CFI-specific proteomic assay, we estimated the effect using CFI levels from 24 rs141853578 positive GA patients; each 1 SD (3.5μg/mL) reduction in CFI was associated with 1.67 fold increased odds of AAMD (95% CI 1.40-2.00, P=1.85×10-8). Conclusion and relevance Excellent concordance in direction and effect size derived from rare and common variant calculations provide good genetic evidence for a potentially causal role of lower CFI level increasing AAMD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy V. Jones
- Gyroscope Therapeutics Ltd., London, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart MacGregor
- Statistical Genetics, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Xikun Han
- Statistical Genetics, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Claire Harris
- Gyroscope Therapeutics Ltd., London, United Kingdom
- Clinical & Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - David Kavanagh
- Clinical & Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Lotery
- Clinical Neurosciences, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Southampton Eye Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Nadia Waheed
- Gyroscope Therapeutics Ltd., London, United Kingdom
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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8
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Human iPSC- and Primary-Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells for Modeling Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11040605. [PMID: 35453289 PMCID: PMC9025527 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11040605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary cultures of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from human adult donors (haRPE) and induced pluripotent stem cell derived-RPE (iPSC-RPE) are valuable model systems for gaining mechanistic insight and for testing potential therapies for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This study evaluated the treatment response of haRPE and iPSC-RPE to oxidative stress and potential therapeutics addressing mitochondrial defects. haRPE and iSPC-RPE were derived from donors with or without AMD. Mitochondrial function was measured after treatment with menadione, AICAR, or trehalose and the response to treatment was compared between cell models and by disease status. In a subset of samples, haRPE and iPSC-RPE were generated from the same human donor to make a side-by-side comparison of the two cell models' response to treatment. Disease-specific responses to all three treatments was observed in the haRPE. In contrast, iPSC-RPE had a similar response to all treatments irrespective of disease status. Analysis of haRPE and iPSC-RPE generated from the same human donor showed a similar response for donors without AMD, but there were significant differences in treatment response between cell models generated from AMD donors. These results support the use of iPSC-RPE and haRPE when investigating AMD mechanisms and new therapeutics but indicates that attention to experimental conditions is required.
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9
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Testing Mitochondrial-Targeted Drugs in iPSC-RPE from Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15010062. [PMID: 35056119 PMCID: PMC8781759 DOI: 10.3390/ph15010062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. No universally effective treatments exist for atrophic or “dry” AMD, which results from loss of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors and accounts for ≈80% of all AMD patients. Prior studies provide evidence for the involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in AMD pathology. This study used induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) RPE derived from five AMD patients to test the efficacy of three drugs (AICAR (5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide), Metformin, trehalose) that target key processes in maintaining optimal mitochondrial function. The patient iPSC-RPE lines were used in a proof-of-concept drug screen, utilizing an analysis of RPE mitochondrial function following acute and extended drug exposure. Results show considerable variability in drug response across patient cell lines, supporting the need for a personalized medicine approach for treating AMD. Furthermore, our results demonstrate the feasibility of using iPSC-RPE from AMD patients to develop a personalized drug treatment regime and provide a roadmap for the future clinical management of AMD.
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10
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Schäfer N, Rasras A, Ormenisan DM, Amslinger S, Enzmann V, Jägle H, Pauly D. Complement Factor H-Related 3 Enhanced Inflammation and Complement Activation in Human RPE Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 12:769242. [PMID: 34819935 PMCID: PMC8606654 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.769242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Complement Factor H-Related 3 (FHR-3) is a major regulator of the complement system, which is associated with different diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, the non-canonical local, cellular functions of FHR-3 remained poorly understood. Here, we report that FHR-3 bound to oxidative stress epitopes and competed with FH for interaction. Furthermore, FHR-3 was internalized by viable RPE cells and modulated time-dependently complement component (C3, FB) and receptor (C3aR, CR3) expression of human RPE cells. Independently of any external blood-derived proteins, complement activation products were detected. Anaphylatoxin C3a was visualized in treated cells and showed a translocation from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane after FHR-3 exposure. Subsequently, FHR-3 induced a RPE cell dependent pro-inflammatory microenvironment. Inflammasome NLRP3 activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion of IL-1ß, IL-18, IL-6 and TNF-α were induced after FHR-3-RPE interaction. Our previously published monoclonal anti-FHR-3 antibody, which was chimerized to reduce immunogenicity, RETC-2-ximab, ameliorated the effect of FHR-3 on ARPE-19 cells. Our studies suggest FHR-3 as an exogenous trigger molecule for the RPE cell "complosome" and as a putative target for a therapeutic approach for associated degenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Schäfer
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Experimental Orthopaedics, Centre for Medical Biotechnology (ZMB), University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anas Rasras
- Chemistry Department, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Salt, Jordan
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Delia M. Ormenisan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Amslinger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Volker Enzmann
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Bern and Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Herbert Jägle
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Diana Pauly
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Experimental Ophthalmology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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11
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de Jong S, Gagliardi G, Garanto A, de Breuk A, Lechanteur YTE, Katti S, van den Heuvel LP, Volokhina EB, den Hollander AI. Implications of genetic variation in the complement system in age-related macular degeneration. Prog Retin Eye Res 2021; 84:100952. [PMID: 33610747 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2021.100952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the main cause of vision loss among the elderly in the Western world. While AMD is a multifactorial disease, the complement system was identified as one of the main pathways contributing to disease risk. The strong link between the complement system and AMD was demonstrated by genetic associations, and by elevated complement activation in local eye tissue and in the systemic circulation of AMD patients. Several complement inhibitors have been and are being explored in clinical trials, but thus far with limited success, leaving the majority of AMD patients without treatment options to date. This indicates that there is still a gap of knowledge regarding the functional implications of the complement system in AMD pathogenesis and how to bring these towards clinical translation. Many different experimental set-ups and disease models have been used to study complement activation in vivo and in vitro, and recently emerging patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells and genome-editing techniques open new opportunities to study AMD disease mechanisms and test new therapeutic strategies in the future. In this review we provide an extensive overview of methods employed to understand the molecular processes of complement activation in AMD pathogenesis. We discuss the findings, advantages and challenges of each approach and conclude with an outlook on how recent, exciting developments can fill in current knowledge gaps and can aid in the development of effective complement-targeting therapeutic strategies in AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah de Jong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Giuliana Gagliardi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Alejandro Garanto
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Anita de Breuk
- Department of Ophthalmology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Yara T E Lechanteur
- Department of Ophthalmology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Suresh Katti
- Gemini Therapeutics Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Lambert P van den Heuvel
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Elena B Volokhina
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Anneke I den Hollander
- Department of Ophthalmology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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