Evaluation of biophysical alterations in the epithelial and endothelial layer of patients with Bullous Keratopathy
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 20;240:109791. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109791. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe cornea is a fundamental ocular tissue for the sense of sight. Thanks to it, the refraction of two-thirds of light manages to participate in the visual process and protect against mechanical damage. Because it is transparent, avascular, and innervated, the cornea comprises five main layers: Epithelium, Bowman's layer, stroma, Descemet's membrane, and endothelium. Each layer plays a key role in the functionality and maintenance of ocular tissue, providing unique ultrastructural and biomechanical properties. Bullous Keratop...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 22, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Erick Rafael Dias Rates Charles Duarte Almeida Elaine de Paula Fiod Costa Roberta Jansen de Mello Farias Ralph Santos-Oliveira Luciana M Rebelo Alencar Source Type: research
Deciphering the molecular symphony: Unraveling endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in corneal endothelial cells
In this study, we established an in vitro model to simulate endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in corneal endothelial cells. Through RNA sequencing, we identified 452 upregulated and 163 downregulated genes, resulting in a total of 615 differentially expressed genes. Key pathways enriched by GO and KEGG analysis include extracellular matrix (ECM) regulation and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Potential hub proteins such as THBS1, ITGA5, COL1A1, and SNAI1/2 were also identified, and their dynamic changes at different time points (0, 2, 12, 24 h) were monitored. Uncovering these key pathways and genes may deepen o...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 22, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Zhaoxiang Lu Haimiao Lin Jinming Li Yun Feng Source Type: research
Permanent transduction of retinal ganglion cells by rAAV2-retro
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 19;240:109793. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109793. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAdeno-associated virus (AAV) is widely used as a vector for delivery of gene therapy. Long term therapeutic benefit depends on perpetual expression of the wild-type gene after transduction of host cells by AAV. To address this issue in a mass population of identified single cells, 4 rats received an injection of a 1:1 mixture of rAAV2-retro-hSyn-EGFP and rAAV2-retro-hSyn-mCherry into each superior colliculus. After the virus was transported retrogradely to both retinas, serial fundus imaging was performed at days 14, 45, 211...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 21, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Yicen J Zheng Mikayla D Dilbeck John R Economides Jonathan C Horton Source Type: research
Identification of dysregulation of sphingolipids in retinoblastoma using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 19:109798. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109798. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTRetinoblastoma (RB) is a rare ocular cancer seen in children that counts for approximately 3% of all childhood cancers. It is found that mutation in RB1, a tumour Suppressor Gene on chromosome 13 as the cause of malignancy. Retinoblastoma protein is the target for ceramide to cause apoptosis. We studied lipidomics of two RB cell lines, one aggressive cell line (NCC-RbC-51) derived from a metastatic site and one non aggressive cell line (WERI-Rb1) in comparison with a control cell line (MIO-M1). Lipid profiles of all the cell lin...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 21, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Omkar Surendra Khade Sruthy Sasidharan Ankit Jain Bhavani Shankar Maradani Amit Chatterjee Divya Gopal Ranjith Kumar Ravi Kumar Subramaniyan Krishnakumar Akhilesh Pandey Narayanan Janakiraman Sailaja V Elchuri Seetaramanjaneyulu Gundimeda Source Type: research
Expression of Nephronectin in the Descemet's membrane of mouse corneas during development and adult homeostasis
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 19;240:109797. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109797. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTNephronectin (Npnt) is an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein with pleiotropic functions during organogenesis, disease, and homeostasis. Although the ECM plays a crucial role during development and homeostasis of the adult cornea, little is known about the expression of Npnt in the mammalian cornea. Here, we investigated the expression of Npnt during early embryonic and postnatal development, and in adult mouse corneas. We combined ultrastructural and immunohistochemical analyses to study the early formation of the Descemet's...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 21, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Matthew Garis Matthew D Meyer Peter Lwigale Source Type: research
Metabolomic profiling of ocular tissues in rabbit myopia: Uncovering differential metabolites and pathways
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 18;240:109796. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109796. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTTo investigate the metabolic difference among tissue layers of the rabbits' eye during the development of myopia using metabolomic techniques and explore any metabolic links or cascades within the ocular wall. Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was utilized for untargeted metabolite screening (UMS) to identify the significant differential metabolites produced between myopia (MY) and control (CT) (horizontal). Subsequently, we compared those key metabolites among tissues (Sclera, Choroid, Re...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 20, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Chengpeng Liang Fayuan Li Chengqi Gu Ling Xie Wen Yan Xiaoye Wang Rong Shi Shaorong Linghu Taixiang Liu Source Type: research
Scaling up polarized RPE cell supernatant production on parylene membrane
In this study, we cultivated human embryonic stem cell-derived polarized RPE (hESC-PRPE) cells on parylene membranes at both small- and large-scale settings, collecting conditioned supernatant, denoted as PRPE-SF. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the morphology of the cultured hESC-RPE cells and the secreted growth factors in PRPE-SF. To evaluate the in vivo efficacy of these products, the product was administered via intravitreal injections of PRPE-SF in immunodeficient Royal College of Surgeons (iRCS) rats, a model for retinal degeneration. Our study not only demonstrated the scalability of PRPE-SF production whi...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 19, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Dimitrios Pollalis Alejandra Gonzalez Calle Juan Carlos Martinez-Camarillo Kabir Ahluwalia Cassidy Hinman Debbie Mitra Jane Lebkowski Sun Young Lee Biju B Thomas Faizah Ahmed Victoria Chan Jason A Junge Scott Fraser Stan Louie Mark Humayun Source Type: research
Corneal stromal localization of TGF beta isoforms in spontaneous persistent epithelial defects after PRK in rabbits
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 17;239:109794. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109794. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to evaluate transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) isoform localization in rabbit corneas with spontaneous persistent epithelial defects (PEDs) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Four cryofixed corneas from a previously reported series of PEDs in rabbits that had PRK were evaluated with triplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) for TGFβ3, myofibroblast marker alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and mesenchymal marker vimentin. One cornea had sufficient remaining tissue for triplex IHC for TGFβ1...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 18, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Valeria Villabona-Martinez Barbara A L Dutra Lycia P Sampaio Marcony R Santhiago Steven E Wilson Source Type: research
Effects of hypoxia in the diabetic corneal stroma microenvironment
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 14;240:109790. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109790. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTCorneal dysfunctions associated with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), termed diabetic keratopathy (DK), can cause impaired vision and/or blindness. Hypoxia affects both Type 1 (T1DM) and Type 2 (T2DM) surprisingly, the role of hypoxia in DK is unexplored. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of hypoxia in vitro on primary human corneal stromal cells derived from Healthy (HCFs), and diabetic (T1DMs and T2DMs) subjects, by exposing them to normoxic (21% O2) or hypoxic (2% O2) conditions through 2D and 3D in vitro models. Our...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 15, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Purnima Sharma Jian-Xing Ma Dimitrios Karamichos Source Type: research
Automated hyperspectral imaging for non-invasive characterization of human eye vasculature: A potential tool for ocular vascular evaluation
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 14;240:109792. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109792. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe vascular supply to the human eye plays a vital role in maintaining ocular health, making its non-invasive evaluation essential for diagnosing and managing various ocular disorders. This paper presents a novel approach utilizing hyperspectral imaging (HSI) to non-invasively characterize human eye vasculature. The proposed system aims to specifically identify the blood atrium and veins of the human eye at 470 nm and 750 nm, respectively, using quantitative phase analysis and k-means clustering. The study involved capturing...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 15, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Yasser H El-Sharkawy Source Type: research
Causal relationships between Gut microbiota and primary open-angle Glaucoma: A Mendelian randomization and mediation analysis of Glaucoma endophenotypes
In conclusion, this study utilizes MR analysis to elucidate potential causal associations between GM and POAG, providing insights into specific GM taxa that influence POAG risk and related endophenotypes. These findings emphasize the potential role of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of POAG and pave the way for future research and therapeutic interventions.PMID:38218362 | DOI:10.1016/j.exer.2024.109788 (Source: Experimental Eye Research)
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 13, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Xiaoyu Zhou Jiahao Xu Xinyue Zhang Yang Zhao Xuanchu Duan Source Type: research
Early regional changes in retina and choroid of chicks following monocular hemifield form deprivation
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 9;239:109786. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109786. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTTo investigate regional changes in the chick retina and choroid after hemifield form deprivation (HFD). Ten chicks were randomly and equally divided into a temporal retinal deprivation (TRD) and nasal retinal deprivation (NRD) group. HFD was induced with half-lateral translucent plastic goggles in the right eye; the left eye was kept untreated. Swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) images obtained at 0, 3, and 72 hours (h) were analyzed using customized software. After 72 h of TRD, the retinal thickness (RT) of t...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 11, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Xiaoliao Peng Yangyi Huang Yuliang Wang Jianmin Shang Yang Shen Zhi Chen Xingtao Zhou Tian Han Source Type: research
Plasma-derived exosomal protein SHP2 deficiency induces neutrophil hyperactivation in Behcet's uveitis
In conclusion, we highlighted a pathogenic role of plasma-derived exosomal SHP2 deficiency in facilitating neutrophil activation and suggested that SHP2 might be an immunoprotective factor in BU pathologic process.PMID:38211682 | DOI:10.1016/j.exer.2024.109785 (Source: Experimental Eye Research)
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 11, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Jinyu Cai Qingfeng Wang Shiyao Tan Qingyan Jiang Rong Liu Guannan Su Shenglan Yi Peizeng Yang Source Type: research
Combined treatment of human mesenchymal stem cells and green tea extract on retinal ganglion cell regeneration in rats after optic nerve injury
Exp Eye Res. 2024 Jan 10;239:109787. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109787. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTRetinal ganglion cell (RGC) death and axonal loss cause irreversible vision loss upon optic nerve (ON) injury. We have independently demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and green tea extract (GTE) promote RGC survival and axonal regeneration in rats with ON injury. Here we aimed to evaluate the combined treatment effect of human bone marrow-derived MSCs (hBM-MSCs) and GTE on RGC survival and axonal regeneration after ON injury. Combined treatment of hBM-MSCs and GTE promoted RGC survival and neurite outgrowth/axo...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 11, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Qichen Yang Yanxuan Xu Xin Bin Kwok Ping Chan Shaowan Chen Zhen Qian Yao Yao Xiang-Ling Yuan Kunliang Qiu Yuqiang Huang Tsz Kin Ng Source Type: research
Sialylated IVIg promotes clinical improvements in a rabbit dry eye model by regulating inflammatory cytokines
This study explored the potential use of human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and its enriched fractions of sialylation, sialylated IVIg (sIVIg), as a treatment for DED. Fifteen female New Zealand white rabbits were topically instilled with 0.2% benzalkonium chloride (BAC) twice daily for five consecutive days to induce experimental dry eye. Saline, 0.4% IVIg, or 0.04% sIVIg eye drops were instilled twice daily for 20 consecutive days. Clinical evaluations, such as non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) and corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), were conducted. mRNA levels of mucin 4, mucin 16, TNF-α, IL-1β, MMP9, IL-10...
Source: Experimental Eye Research - January 10, 2024 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Hyeongjwa Choi Ha-Eun Lee Sung-Vin Lee Jin-Soo Joo Hayeon Baek Seulki Kim Min Park Sang-Won Lee Seung-Woo Yang Han-Sung Hwang Joon-Young Kim Young-Sun Kang Source Type: research
