Physico-chemical Stability of MabThera Drug-product Solution for Subcutaneous Injection under in-use Conditions with Different Administration Materials.

MabThera is an essential component of the standard-of-care regimens in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia. MabThera for subcutaneous injection is a novel line extension that has been approved by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This study aimed to evaluate in-use stability data of MabThera subcutaneous drug-product solution in single-use syringes for subcutaneous administration according to the European Medicines Agency guideline.

A mouse model for studying cone photoreceptor pathologies.

Purpose: Due to the low abundance of cone photoreceptors in the mouse retina and the scarcity of alternative animal models, little is known about mechanisms of cone degeneration. Nrl knockout mice develop exclusively the cone-type of photoreceptors. However, the cone photoreceptor layer in Nrl(-/-) mice displays an irregular morphology with severe rosette formation.

CDC42 is required for tissue lamination and cell survival in the mouse retina.

The small GTPase CDC42 has pleiotropic functions during development and in the adult. These functions include intra- as well as intercellular tasks such as organization of the cytoskeleton and, at least in epithelial cells, formation of adherens junctions. To investigate CDC42 in the neuronal retina, we generated retina-specific Cdc42-knockdown mice (Cdc42-KD) and analyzed the ensuing consequences for the developing and postnatal retina.

Activation of survival pathways in the degenerating retina of rd10 mice.

Blinding diseases of the retina are frequently characterized by loss of photoreceptor cells. The retinal degeneration 10 (rd10) mouse expresses a mutant form of rod phosphodiesterase leading to autosomal recessive photoreceptor degeneration. In contrast to rd1, rd10 mice have remaining rod function mimicking more closely most forms of human Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Normoxic activation of hypoxia-inducible factors in photoreceptors provides transient protection against light-induced retinal degeneration.

Purpose: Hypoxic preconditioning activates hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) in the retina and protects photoreceptors from light-induced retinal degeneration. The authors tested whether photoreceptor-specific activation of HIFs in normoxia is sufficient for protection.

Methods: Rod-specific Vhl knockdown mice were generated using the Cre-lox system with the rod opsin promoter controlling expression of CRE recombinase to stabilize HIF transcription factors in normoxic rods.

Novel rodent models for macular research.

Background: Many disabling human retinal disorders involve the central retina, particularly the macula. However, the commonly used rodent models in research, mouse and rat, do not possess a macula. The purpose of this study was to identify small laboratory rodents with a significant central region as potential new models for macular research.

Retinal neuroprotection by hypoxic preconditioning is independent of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha expression in photoreceptors.

Hypoxic preconditioning stabilizes hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1 alpha in the retina and protects photoreceptors against light-induced cell death. HIF-1 alpha is one of the major transcription factors responding to low oxygen tension and can differentially regulate a large number of target genes. To analyse whether photoreceptor-specific expression of HIF-1 alpha is essential to protect photoreceptors by hypoxic preconditioning, we knocked down expression of HIF-1 alpha specifically in photoreceptor cells, using the cyclization recombinase (Cre)-lox system.