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Kady NM, Liu X, Lydic TA, Syed MH, Navitskaya S, Wang Q, Hammer SS, O'Reilly S, Huang C, Seregin SS, Amalfitano A, Chiodo VA, Boye SL, Hauswirth WW, Antonetti DA, Busik JV. ELOVL4-Mediated Production of Very Long-Chain Ceramides Stabilizes Tight Junctions and Prevents Diabetes-Induced Retinal Vascular Permeability. Diabetes 2018; 67:769-781. [PMID: 29362226 PMCID: PMC5860862 DOI: 10.2337/db17-1034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Tight junctions (TJs) involve close apposition of transmembrane proteins between cells. Although TJ proteins have been studied in detail, the role of lipids is largely unknown. We addressed the role of very long-chain (VLC ≥26) ceramides in TJs using diabetes-induced loss of the blood-retinal barrier as a model. VLC fatty acids that incorporate into VLC ceramides are produced by elongase elongation of very long-chain fatty acids protein 4 (ELOVL4). ELOVL4 is significantly reduced in the diabetic retina. Overexpression of ELOVL4 significantly decreased basal permeability, inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)- and interleukin-1β-induced permeability, and prevented VEGF-induced decrease in occludin expression and border staining of TJ proteins ZO-1 and claudin-5. Intravitreal delivery of AAV2-hELOVL4 reduced diabetes-induced increase in vascular permeability. Ultrastructure and lipidomic analysis revealed that ω-linked acyl-VLC ceramides colocalize with TJ complexes. Overall, normalization of retinal ELOVL4 expression could prevent blood-retinal barrier dysregulation in diabetic retinopathy through an increase in VLC ceramides and stabilization of TJs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nermin M Kady
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Xuwen Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Todd A Lydic
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Meesum H Syed
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | | | - Qi Wang
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Sandra S Hammer
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Sandra O'Reilly
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Chao Huang
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Sergey S Seregin
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Andrea Amalfitano
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Vince A Chiodo
- Ophthalmology and Molecular Genetics and Retina Gene Therapy Group, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Sanford L Boye
- Ophthalmology and Molecular Genetics and Retina Gene Therapy Group, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - William W Hauswirth
- Ophthalmology and Molecular Genetics and Retina Gene Therapy Group, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - David A Antonetti
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Julia V Busik
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
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