Chrysin alleviates DNA damage to improve disturbed immune homeostasis and pro-angiogenic environment in laser-induced choroidal neovascularization.

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a devastating pathology of numerous ocular diseases, such as wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), which causes irreversible vision loss. Although anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy has been widely used, poor response or no response still exists in some cases, suggesting that there are other components involved in the angiogenic process. Therefore, the underlying mechanism needs to be clarified and new target of anti-angiogenic therapy is urgently needed.

Dynamic changes in macrophage morphology during the progression of choroidal neovascularization in a laser-induced choroidal neovascularization mouse model.

Background: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is responsible for the majority of severe vision loss cases and is mainly caused by choroidal neovascularization (CNV). This condition persists or recurs in a subset of patients and regresses after 5 or more years of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment. The precise mechanisms of CNV continue to be elucidated.

The association between obesity and glaucoma in older adults: evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Objectives: This study evaluated the association between obesity and glaucoma in middle-aged and older people. A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Methods: Glaucoma was assessed via self-reports.

Growth of nonexudative macular neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration: an indicator of biological lesion activity.

Purpose: To investigate the growth of nonexudative macular neovascularization (MNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA).

Methods: Patients with treatment-naïve nonexudative AMD in one eye and exudative AMD in the fellow eye who underwent SS-OCTA imaging for at least 12 months were retrospectively reviewed. The MNV area measurement was quantified in eyes with treatment-naïve nonexudative MNV using ImageJ for analysing the correlation between MNV growth and the onset of exudation, as well as evaluating the consistency of the MNV growth rate during the subclinical and exudative stages.

Progression of Polypoidal Lesions Associated with Exudative Recurrence in Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy.

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics of the branching vascular network (BVN) and polypoidal lesions in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) to determine near-term indicators that may predict exudative recurrence.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Participants: Patients with PCV receiving anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monotherapy or anti-VEGF plus photodynamic therapy were followed for at least 1 year using swept-source OCT angiography (SS-OCTA) imaging.

3D Reconstruction Method based on Medical Image Feature Point Matching.

Medical 3D image reconstruction is an important image processing step in medical image analysis. How to speed up the speed while improving the accuracy in 3D reconstruction is an important issue. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a 3D reconstruction method based on image feature point matching.

The Association of Sleep Duration With Vision Impairment in Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults: Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

This study aims to investigate the association of sleep duration with vision impairment (VI) in middle-aged and elderly adults. This cross-sectional study used the data from the baseline survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2011-2012, a national survey of adults aged 45 years or older. Weighted multilevel logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between self-reported sleep duration and VI.

Choroidal Changes in Eyes With Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy After Anti-VEGF Therapy Imaged With Swept-Source OCT Angiography.

Purpose: Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography was used to investigate choroidal changes and their association with pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) after treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors.

Methods: Patients with treatment-naïve PCV were included and underwent anti-VEGF therapy. Mean choroidal thickness (MCT), choroidal vascularity index (CVI), and PED volume measurements were obtained before and after treatment.

Synthetic anti-angiogenic genomic therapeutics for treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

In light of the intriguing potential of anti-angiogenic approach in suppressing choroidal neovascularization, we attempted to elaborate synthetic gene delivery systems encapsulating anti-angiogenic plasmid DNA as alternatives of clinical antibody-based therapeutics. Herein, block copolymer of cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lysine-thiol) [RGD-PEG-PLys(thiol)] with multifunctional components was tailored in manufacture of core-shell DNA delivery nanoparticulates. Note that the polycationic PLys segments were electrostatically complexed with anionic plasmid DNA into nanoscaled core, and the tethered biocompatible PEG segments presented as the spatial shell (minimizing non-specific reactions in biological milieu).

Small dome-shaped pigment epithelium detachment in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: an under-recognized sign of polypoidal lesions on optical coherence tomography?

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and swept-source optical coherence tomographic angiography (SS-OCTA) to identify polypoidal lesions in serous or serosanguinous maculopathy.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review of patients presenting pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) with the diagnosis of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), and central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), all of which underwent SD-OCT, SS-OCTA, and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). Typical features of polypoidal lesions on SD-OCT included sharply peaked PED, notched PED, and hyperreflective ring underneath PED.

Replacement of polyps with type 1 macular neovascularization in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy imaged with swept source OCT angiography.

Purpose: To investigate the morphological changes of polyps in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) after treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors using swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA).

Observations: Following anti-VEGF therapy, polyps were found to evolve into typical type 1 macular neovascularization (MNV) in five eyes. In all of these five eyes, a polypoidal lesion was detected adjacent to a serous or hemorrhagic retinal pigment epithelial detachment (PED).

3-Methyladenine Alleviates Experimental Subretinal Fibrosis by Inhibiting Macrophages and M2 Polarization Through the PI3K/Akt Pathway.

To explore the effects of 3-methyladenine (3-MA), a selective inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), on experimental subretinal fibrosis (SRF) in mice. The SRF mouse model was established by 532 nm laser photocoagulation at each fundus of mice on day 0. 3-MA was administered every 2 days from day 0 to 35.

Identification of integrin β6 gene promoter and analysis of its transcription regulation in colon cancer cells.

Background: The integrin β6 gene, which is expressed in epithelial cancer, plays a pivotal role in various aspects of cancer progression. The present research for integrin β6 regulation mainly focuses on the post-transcription and translation related regulation mechanism and its role in tumorigenesis. The mechanisms of how the integrin β6 gene is regulated transcriptionally, and the promoter and transcription factors responsible for basic transcription of integrin β6 gene remain unknown.

CasRx-mediated RNA targeting prevents choroidal neovascularization in a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration.

RNA-targeting CRISPR system Cas13 offers an efficient approach for manipulating RNA transcripts in vitro. In this perspective, we provide a proof-of-concept demonstration that Cas13-mediated Vegfa knockdown in vivo could prevent the development of laser-induced CNV in mouse model of Age-related macular degeneration.

Chitinase-3-Like-1 Promotes M2 Macrophage Differentiation and Induces Choroidal Neovascularization in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is the principal pathological factor contributing to blindness in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Infiltration of M2 macrophage is thought to contribute to CNV progress, although the way that regulates its differentiation remains unclear. Here, we investigate the role of CHI3L1 in M2 differentiation and angiogenesis in CNV.

Appearance of Polypoidal Lesions in Patients With Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomographic Angiography.

Importance: Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a major cause of visual loss worldwide, particularly in Asia, and the appropriate understanding of the structures in PCV previously described as polypoidal lesions is important for understanding their pathogenesis, diagnosis, and prognosis.

Objective: To report the morphologic characteristics of polypoidal lesions and their association with branching vascular networks (BVNs) in eyes with PCV using swept-source optical coherence tomographic angiography (SS-OCTA).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional observational study included 20 participants recruited from Shanghai General Hospital with a diagnosis of PCV based on the presence of focal hyperfluorescent spots on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).

KIF15 promotes bladder cancer proliferation via the MEK-ERK signaling pathway.

Background: Bladder cancer (BC) is the most common cancer of the urinary tract and invariably predicts a poor prognosis. In this study, we found a reliable gene signature and potential biomarker for predicting clinical prognosis.

Methods: The gene expression profiles were obtained from the GEO database.

Paeonol-mediated apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by NF-κB pathway.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of paeonol on the apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and to explore the possible mechanism of its effect. During the experiment, the human hepatoma (Huh7) cell line was cultured and treated with different concentrations of paeonol. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to detect the effects of paeonol at different concentrations on the proliferation of Huh7 cells after 24 h, and the optimal concentration of paeonol was selected for follow-up experiments.

CCL17-CCR4 axis promotes metastasis via ERK/MMP13 pathway in bladder cancer.

As an important chemokine receptor, the role of CCR4 in the progression of bladder cancer (BC) remains unknown. In this study, we have shown that CCR4 expression was upregulated in bladder carcinoma tissues compared with adjacent nontumor tissues. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that CCR4 expression was an independent prognostic risk factor in BC patients, and the addition of CCL17 induced CCR4 production and promoted migration and invasion of BC cells.

Protective effects of a novel drug RC28-E blocking both VEGF and FGF2 on early diabetic rat retina.

Aim: To investigate protective effects of a novel recombinant decoy receptor drug RC28-E on retinal damage in early diabetic rats.

Methods: The streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: diabetes mellitus (DM) group (saline, 3 µL/eye); RC28-E at low (0.33 µg/µL, 3 µL), medium (1 µg/µL, 3 µL), and high (3 µg/µL, 3 µL) dose groups; vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) Trap group (1 µg/µL, 3 µL); fibroblast growth factor (FGF) Trap group (1 µg/µL, 3 µL).

Α-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone Protects Early Diabetic Retina from Blood-Retinal Barrier Breakdown and Vascular Leakage via MC4R.

Background/aims: Blood-retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown and vascular leakage is the leading cause of blindness of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and inflammation are primary pathogenic factors of this severe DR complication. An effective interventional modality against the pathogenic factors during early DR is needed to curb BRB breakdown and vascular leakage.

Endogenous HS sensitizes PAR4-induced bladder pain.

Bladder pain is a prominent symptom of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome. Hydrogen sulfide (HS) generated by cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) or cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) facilitates bladder hypersensitivity. We assessed involvement of the HS pathway in protease-activated receptor 4 (PAR4)-induced bladder pain.

Preoperative prognostic nutritional index and nomogram predicting recurrence-free survival in patients with primary non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer without carcinoma in situ.

Background And Objectives: Among the cancers of the urogenital system, bladder cancer is ranked second both in incidence and mortality, and hence, a more accurate estimate of the prognosis for individual patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is urgently needed. Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) which is based on serum albumin levels and peripheral lymphocyte count has been confirmed to have prognostic value in various cancers. The aim of this study was to clarify the prognostic value of PNI in patients with NMIBC.

Fluid intake-to-bed time, nocturia frequency and the risk of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: a case-control study.

To clarify the potential role of fluid intake-to-bed time and nocturia frequency on bladder cancer risk in a hospital-based case-control study with Chinese people. Four hundred and seven patients with histologically diagnosed bladder cancer and 400 matched controls were enrolled in this study. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using conditional logistic regression model.