The protective role of gamma zone peripapillary atrophy in diabetic retinopathy: insights from deep learning and SS-OCT angiography.

Purpose: To explore the relationship between peripapillary atrophy (PPA) and diabetic retinopathy (DR), and to uncover potential mechanisms using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) angiography.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 845 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), who underwent detailed systemic and ophthalmic evaluations. A state-of-the-art deep learning method was employed to precisely identify the parapapillary beta and gamma zones.

Genetic prediction of the effect of gut microbiota on uveitis via blood metabolites: A mediated Mendelian randomization investigation.

The gut microbiota (GM) may be associated with uveitis. However, the causal relationship between the GM and uveitis and whether blood metabolites act as mediators of the GM remain unclear. We extracted the GM, blood metabolites, and uveitis data from genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data.

Cone-rod homeobox transcriptionally activates TCF7 to promote the proliferation of retinal pigment epithelial and retinoblastoma cells .

Aim: To investigate the proliferation regulatory effect of cone-rod homeobox (CRX) in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and retinoblastoma (RB) cells to explore the potential application and side effect (oncogenic potential) of CRX-based gene therapy in RPE-based retinopathies.

Methods: Adult human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE)-19 and human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE)-1 cells and Y79 RB cell were used in the study. Genetic manipulation was performed by lentivirus-based technology.

Early detection of dementia through retinal imaging and trustworthy AI.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a global healthcare challenge lacking a simple and affordable detection method. We propose a novel deep learning framework, Eye-AD, to detect Early-onset Alzheimer's Disease (EOAD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) using OCTA images of retinal microvasculature and choriocapillaris. Eye-AD employs a multilevel graph representation to analyze intra- and inter-instance relationships in retinal layers.

The broad-spectrum deubiquitinating enzyme inhibitor PR-619 protects retinal ganglion cell and augments parkin-mediated mitophagy in experimental glaucoma.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible visual impairment worldwide, characterized by the progressive death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) inhibitors have shown promise as pharmacological interventions for neurodegenerative disorders. Our study focuses on the pan-DUB inhibitor PR-619 and its potential neuroprotective effects on RGCs through modulation of parkin-mediated mitophagy in experimental glaucoma models.

Unveiling the hidden: a deep learning approach to unraveling subzone-specific changes in peripapillary atrophy in type 2 diabetes.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) changes in subzones of peripapillary atrophy (PPA) among type 2 diabetic patients (T2DM) with or without diabetic retinopathy (DR) using well-designed deep learning models.

Methods: A multi-task joint deep-learning model was trained and validated on 2,820 images to automate the determination and quantification of the microstructure and corresponding microcirculation of beta zone and gamma zone PPA. This model was then applied in the cross-sectional study encompassing 44 eyes affected by non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and 46 eyes without DR (NDR).

Circulating Small Extracellular Vesicles Involved in Systemic Regulation Respond to RGC Degeneration in Glaucoma.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and is characterized by progressive retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration and vision loss. Since irreversible neurodegeneration occurs before diagnosable, early diagnosis and effective neuroprotection are critical for glaucoma management. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are demonstrated to be potential novel biomarkers and therapeutics for a variety of diseases.

Retinitis after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation with multiple intraocular viral infections (cytomegalovirus, Epstein‒Barr virus and herpes simplex virus)- a case report.

Background: To report a case of retinitis with multiple intraocular viral infections after second haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Case Presentation: A 39-year-old female patient developed retinitis after a second haematopoietic stem cell transplant. Right eye was tested for three viral infections- cytomegalovirus, Epstein‒Barr virus and herpes simplex virus, while left was infected with cytomegalovirus.

A sutureless technique for securing leaking sclerotomies with viscoelastic substances in 23-gauge microincision vitrectomy surgery.

Aim: To introduce and evaluate the clinical efficacy of a new technique, the use of viscoelastic substances (VS) to close leaking sclerotomy in 23G microincision vitrectomy, and to observe its effect on the visual acuity and intraocular pressure (IOP) of patients.

Methods: Patients who underwent 23G vitrectomy in Ningbo Eye Hospital before the use of VS technique (June 2019 to September 2020) and after the use of VS technique (October 2020 to December 2021) were selected as the subjects of this study. The above cases underwent operation by the same surgeon and were retrospectively analyzed.

Fucoxanthin protects retinal ganglion cells and promotes parkin-mediated mitophagy against glutamate excitotoxicity.

Objective: To clarify whether fucoxanthin plays a protective role and regulates parkin-mediated mitophagy on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) against glutamate excitotoxicity.

Methods: The excitotoxicity model of primary RGCs was carried out with glutamate. Mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by JC-1 kit (Abcam, USA).

The melatonin receptor 1B gene links circadian rhythms and type 2 diabetes mellitus: an evolutionary story.

Disturbed circadian rhythms have been a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Melatonin is the major chronobiotic hormone regulating both circadian rhythm and glucose homeostasis. The rs10830963 (G allele) of the () gene has the strongest genetic associations with T2DM according to several genome-wide association studies.

Ga-cyc-DX600 PET/CT in ACE2-targeted tumor imaging.

Purpose: For the tumor-specific ACE2 expression, this research aimed to establish and verify ACE2-targeted PET imaging in differentiating tumors with distinct ACE2 expression.

Methods: Ga-cyc-DX600 was synthesized as tracer of ACE2 PET. NOD-SCID mice were used to prepare the subcutaneous tumor models with HEK-293 or HEK-293T/hACE2 cells to verify ACE2 specificity, with other kinds of tumor cells to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency for ACE2 expression, additionally, immunohistochemical analysis and western blot were used to certify the findings on ACE2 PET, which was then performed on four cancer patients and compared with FDG PET.

Deep segmentation of OCTA for evaluation and association of changes of retinal microvasculature with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment.

Background: Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) enables fast and non-invasive high-resolution imaging of retinal microvasculature and is suggested as a potential tool in the early detection of retinal microvascular changes in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We developed a standardised OCTA analysis framework and compared their extracted parameters among controls and AD/mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a cross-section study.

Methods: We defined and extracted geometrical parameters of retinal microvasculature at different retinal layers and in the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) from segmented OCTA images obtained using well-validated state-of-the-art deep learning models.

Reduced macula microvascular densities may be an early indicator for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

To assess the alteration in the macular microvascular in type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and without peripheral neuropathy (NDPN) by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and explore the correlation between retinal microvascular abnormalities and DPN disease. Twenty-seven healthy controls (42 eyes), 36 NDPN patients (62 eyes), and 27 DPN patients (40 eyes) were included. OCTA was used to image the macula in the superficial vascular complex (SVC) and deep vascular complex (DVC).

Shared and specific biological signalling pathways for diabetic retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy and nephropathy by high-throughput sequencing analysis.

Objectives: We aimed to explore the shared and specific signalling pathways involved in diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and diabetic nephropathy (DN).

Methods: Differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs were identified by high-throughput sequencing. Subsequently, functional enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and lncRNAs-mRNAs networks were conducted to determine the pathogenic mechanisms underlying DR, DPN and DN.

Peripapillary structural and microvascular alterations in early dysthyroid optic neuropathy.

Background: To explore the changes in blood supply and structure around the optic nerve head (ONH) in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients with suspected dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON).

Methods: TAO patients [19 with DON; 24 non-DON (NDON); 20 with equivocal DON (EDON)], and 34 control subjects were examined. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was used to obtain peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (p-RNFL) and vessel density parameters, including the ONH whole image vessel density (ONH-wiVD) and the radial peripapillary capillary vessel density (RPC-VD) in early DON.

CMV retinitis and subsequent acute cystoid macular oedema after treatment with vitreous ganciclovir injection: a case report.

Background: To report a very rare acute cystoid macular oedema following ganciclovir injection in patients receiving allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Case Presentation: A 44-year-old male patient experienced vision loss in his left eye eight months after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Ophthalmologic examination showed posterior retinopathy with retinal haemorrhage, a yellow necrotic border, and a vascular white sheath involved in the superior temporal retina but not the posterior pole.

Involvement of CircRNA Expression Profile in Diabetic Retinopathy and Its Potential Diagnostic Value.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a class of non-coding and undegradable RNAs, play many pathological functions by acting as miRNA sponges, interacting with RNA-binding proteins, and others. The recent literature indicates that circRNAs possess the advanced superiority for the early screening of diabetic retinopathy (DR). CircRNA sources of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy controls ( = 4), diabetes mellitus patients (DM) ( = 4), and DR patients ( = 4) were extracted for circular RNA microarray analysis.

SOX2 maintains the stemness of retinoblastoma stem-like cells through Hippo/YAP signaling pathway.

Purpose: To explore the mechanisms underlying stemness maintenance of retinoblastoma (RB) stem cells (RSCs).

Methods: The retinoblastoma stem-like cells (RSLCs) were isolated by single cell cloning in combination of examination of sphere-forming capacities. The stemness of the cells were characterized by the sphere-forming capacity and the expression levels of RSCs markers.

Outer Retinal Layer Thickness Changes in White Matter Hyperintensity and Parkinson's Disease.

To investigate the thickness changes of outer retinal layers in subjects with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and Parkinson's Disease (PD). 56 eyes from 31 patients with WMH, 11 eyes from 6 PD patients, and 58 eyes from 32 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this study. A macular-centered scan was conducted on each participant using a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) device.

The small molecule inhibitor PR-619 protects retinal ganglion cells against glutamate excitotoxicity.

Glutamate excitotoxicity may contribute to the death of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) in glaucoma and other retinal diseases such as ischemia. Deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) inhibitors are emerging as attractive targets for pharmacological intervention in neurodegenerative diseases. However, the role of PR-619, the broad spectrum DUB inhibitor, on RGCs under different stressful environment remains largely unknown.

Scleral HIF-1α is a prominent regulatory candidate for genetic and environmental interactions in human myopia pathogenesis.

Background: Myopia is a good model for understanding the interaction between genetics and environmental stimuli. Here we dissect the biological processes affecting myopia progression.

Methods: Human Genetic Analyses: (1) gene set analysis (GSA) of new genome wide association study (GWAS) data for 593 individuals with high myopia (refraction ≤ -6 diopters [D]); (2) over-representation analysis (ORA) of 196 genes with de novo mutations, identified by whole genome sequencing of 45 high-myopia trio families, and (3) ORA of 284 previously reported myopia risk genes.

LncRNA HOXA11-AS Exerts Oncogenic Functions by Repressing p21 and miR-124 in Uveal Melanoma.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play vital roles in various human cancers. The aim of this study was to explore the critical role of lncRNA HOXA11-AS in uveal melanoma (UM) progression. Briefly, we found that HOXA11-AS is overexpressed in UM tissues and cells; HOXA11-AS could regulate UM cell growth, invasion, and apoptosis.

Association of IL-6 Gene (-174 and -572 G/C) Polymorphisms with Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy of Type 2 Diabetes in a Chinese Population.

Purpose: To investigate the association of interleukin (IL)-6 with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a Chinese population.

Methods: Two subtypes of the IL-6 promoter (-174 and -572 G/C) were genotyped in 215 T2D patients with PDR and 207 T2D patients with a normal retinal function (controls) using the PCR-RFLP method. The mRNA and protein expression of IL-6 was examined by real-time PCR.

Enhanced Depth Imaging Optical Coherence Tomography: A New Way Measuring Choroidal Thickness in Pregnant Women.

The body changes markedly during pregnancy; each system behaves differently from a nonpregnant state. As the eyes are the only windows to see directly what is going on in the internal environment, more and more researches have been done to explain the association between ocular changes and the physiological and pathological changes during pregnancy. The choroid is one of the critical parts of the eye, providing nutrition.