Publications by authors named "Ryosuke Wakusawa"
Purpose: To determine whether intravitreal vasohibin-1 will reduce the grade of the choroidal neovascularization in monkey eyes.
Methods: Choroidal neovascularizations were induced in 12 monkey eyes by laser photocoagulation. Three monkeys were evaluated for the safety of the vasohibin-1 injections, 6 monkeys for the effects of a single injection, and 3 monkeys for repeated injections of vasohibin-1.
PURPOSE. To determine the expression of vasohibin-1 during the development of experimentally induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and to investigate the effect of vasohibin-1 on the generation of CNV. METHODS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To determine whether polymorphisms in the ARMS2 (LOC387715) gene and the lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1) gene are associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Japanese patients.
Design: Clinically relevant laboratory investigation.
Methods: Forty-one unrelated Japanese subjects with dry AMD, 50 subjects with exudative (wet) AMD, and 60 subjects with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) were studied.
Purpose: p27kip1 is well-known as a cell cycle inhibitor and also plays an important role for cell differentiation. We hypothesized that if we caused retinal degeneration in a p27(-/-) mouse, then the appropriate method of restoration may be different from that of wild mice and therefore suggest a therapeutic methodology for retinal regeneration.
Methods: Histological and electrophysiological (ERG) examination was performed on p27(-/-) mice retina.
Purpose: To determine how brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protects photoreceptors against phototoxicity.
Methods: Iris pigment epithelial cells (IPE) that were transduced with different concentrations of adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated BDNF (AAV-BDNF-IPE) were transplanted into the subretinal space of rats. We also injected small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for TrkB, a BDNF receptor.
Purpose: To determine whether topical doxycycline (DOX) induces the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by BDNF-transduced retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells transplanted into the subretinal space of rats.
Methods: A rat RPE cell line that can express BDNF by exposure to DOX was created (Tet-BDNF-RPE). The expression of BDNF was examined by ELISA, Western blot analysis, and real-time PCR.
Purpose: To determine whether vasohibin, an antiangiogenic factor produced by vascular endothelial cells, is expressed in the choroidal neovascular (CNV) membranes obtained from human eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).
Design: Retrospective, interventional case series.
Methods: The medical charts of 21 eyes of 21 patients with AMD or PCV who underwent surgical removal of the CNV membrane were reviewed.
The transplantation of different types of cells into the eye to treat retinal diseases has advanced in the past 20 years. One of the types of cells used for transplantation is the iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cell, because autologous IPE cells are easily obtained and their properties are similar to those of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and retinal cells. IPE cells are transplanted as; freshly isolated or cultured cells to replace defective or diseased RPE cells, genetically modified IPE cells for delivering target molecules to the retina or RPE, and retinal progenitor cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To determine whether polymorphisms in the Complement Factor H (CFH) gene and the Hemicentin-1 gene at the ARMD1 locus are associated with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Japanese patients.
Design: Clinically relevant laboratory investigation.
Methods: Eighty unrelated Japanese patients with dry AMD and 196 Japanese control patients were studied.
Purpose: To determine whether hypothermia of 8 degrees C can protect cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells and rat retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5) against trypan blue (TB) toxicity.
Design: Laboratory investigation.
Methods: ARPE-19 cells and RGC-5 were exposed to balanced salt solution as controls, and 0.
Transplantation of cells or tissues and the intravitreal injection of neurotrophic factors are two methods that have been used to treat retinal diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of combining both methods: the transplantation of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells expressing different neurotrophic factors. The neutrophic factors were Axokine, brain derived-neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To determine whether adenoassociated virus (AAV) vectors transduced into iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cells and transplanted into the subretinal space of rats will transfer the AAV genome to the host cells and whether the vectors are disseminated systemically.
Methods: Recombinant (r)AAV was transduced into rat IPE cells and transplanted into the subretinal space of rats. For the control, rAAVs alone were injected subretinally.
Introduction of the Low Vision Evaluator (LoVE) for children.
J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus
August 2005
Purpose: To determine whether the Low Vision Evaluator (LoVE) can grade the visual acuity of young children with light perception and hand movement acuity into finer acuity steps and at what age reliable measurements can be obtained.
Methods: Two hundred twenty children were tested with the LoVE. Each eye was tested separately, and each stimulus magnitude (intensity x duration) was presented three times.
Purpose: To determine whether subretinal transplantation of iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cells transduced with the adeno-associated virus (AAV2)-mediated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene can protect photoreceptors against phototoxicity.
Methods: The BDNF gene was inserted into AAV2 (AAV2-BDNF), and the recombinant AAV2 was transduced into rat IPE (AAV2-BDNF-IPE) cells at various multiplicities of infection (MOI). The concentrations of AAV capsids and BDNF were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).