Fabry Disease Rat Model Develops Age- and Sex-Dependent Anterior Segment Ocular Abnormalities.

Purpose: Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder that results in multi-systemic renal, cardiovascular, and neuropathological damage, including in the eyes. We evaluated anterior segment ocular abnormalities based on age, sex (male and female), and genotype (wild-type, knockout [KO] male, heterozygous [HET] female, and KO female) in a rat model of Fabry disease.

Methods: The α-Gal A KO and WT rats were divided into young (6-24 weeks), adult (25-60 weeks), and aged (61+ weeks) groups.

New Insights into RPE-Photoreceptor Complex Ultrastructure using Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Election Microscopy (FIB-SEM).

Photoreceptors in the retina are specialized neuronal cells that perceive light and play a central role in the visual system. Damage to photoreceptors is a clinical feature often associated with various retinal degenerative disorders. The photoreceptor bed comprises a unique extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold often described as the interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM) in the subretinal space, vital during retinal development and homeostasis.

Next-Generation Nanomedicine Approaches for the Management of Retinal Diseases.

Retinal diseases are one of the leading causes of blindness globally. The mainstay treatments for these blinding diseases are laser photocoagulation, vitrectomy, and repeated intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or steroids. Unfortunately, these therapies are associated with ocular complications like inflammation, elevated intraocular pressure, retinal detachment, endophthalmitis, and vitreous hemorrhage.

inPhocus: Current State and Challenges of Phage Research in Singapore.

Bacteriophages and phage-derived proteins are a promising class of antibacterial agents that experience a growing worldwide interest. To map ongoing phage research in Singapore and neighboring countries, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU) and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS) recently co-organized a virtual symposium on Bacteriophage and Bacteriophage-Derived Technologies, which was attended by more than 80 participants. Topics were discussed relating to phage life cycles, diversity, the roles of phages in biofilms and the human gut microbiome, engineered phage lysins to combat polymicrobial infections in wounds, and the challenges and prospects of clinical phage therapy.

Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) in Retinal Disorders.

Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are endogenous danger molecules released from the extracellular and intracellular space of damaged tissue or dead cells. Recent evidence indicates that DAMPs are associated with the sterile inflammation caused by aging, increased ocular pressure, high glucose, oxidative stress, ischemia, mechanical trauma, stress, or environmental conditions, in retinal diseases. DAMPs activate the innate immune system, suggesting their role to be protective, but may promote pathological inflammation and angiogenesis in response to the chronic insult or injury.

Recovery From Form-Deprivation Myopia in Chicks Is Dependent Upon the Fullness and Correlated Color Temperature of the Light Spectrum.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of full-spectrum light-emitting diodes mimicking sunlight (Sunlike LEDs) on ocular growth and refractive error development in a chicken model of myopia.

Methods: One-day old chicks (n = 39) were distributed into 3 groups and raised for 28 days in isoluminant (approximately 285 lux) fluorescent (n = 18, [FL-4000], correlated color temperature [CCT] = 4000 K) or Sunlike LED (n = 12, [SL-4000], CCT = 4000 K; n = 9, [SL-6500], CCT = 6500 K) white lighting environments. Form-deprivation myopia was induced monocularly from day 1 post-hatching (D1) until D14.

Decorin Concentrations in Aqueous Humor of Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of diabetes in the retina. Chronic hyperglycemia damages retinal microvasculature embedded into the extracellular matrix (ECM), causing fluid leakage and ischemic retinal neovascularization. Current treatment strategies include intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or steroidal injections, laser photocoagulation, or vitrectomy in severe cases.

Small Leucine-Rich Proteoglycans (SLRPs) in the Retina.

Retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are the leading causes of visual impairment worldwide. There is a critical need to understand the structural and cellular components that play a vital role in the pathophysiology of retinal diseases. One potential component is the family of structural proteins called small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs).