Gut microbiota induced abnormal amino acids and their correlation with diabetic retinopathy.

Aim: To explore the correlation of gut microbiota and the metabolites with the progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and provide a novel strategy to elucidate the pathological mechanism of DR.

Methods: The fecal samples from 32 type 2 diabetes patients with proliferative retinopathy (PDR), 23 with non-proliferative retinopathy (NPDR), 27 without retinopathy (DM), and 29 from the sex-, age- and BMI- matched healthy controls (29 HC) were analyzed by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Sixty fecal samples from PDR, DM, and HC groups were assayed by untargeted metabolomics.

Chinese Guideline on the Management of Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy (2022).

Background In mainland China, patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) have approximately an 40% prevalence of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). This disease leads to recurrent retinal pigment epithelium detachment (PED), extensive subretinal or vitreous hemorrhages, and severe vision loss. China has introduced various treatment modalities in the past years and gained comprehensive experience in treating PCV.

Lutein delays photoreceptor degeneration in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa is a retinal disease characterized by photoreceptor degeneration. There is currently no effective treatment for retinitis pigmentosa. Although a mixture of lutein and other antioxidant agents has shown promising effects in protecting the retina from degeneration, the role of lutein alone remains unclear.

Tissue-Specific Gamma-Flicker Light Noninvasively Ameliorates Retinal Aging.

Aging is a risk factor for multiple retinal degeneration diseases. Entraining brain gamma oscillations with gamma-flicker light (γFL) has been confirmed to coordinate pathological changes in several Alzheimer's disease mouse models and aged mice. However, the direct effect of γFL on retinal aging remains unknown.

Characteristics of neural growth and cryopreservation of the dorsal root ganglion using three-dimensional collagen hydrogel culture conventional culture.

In vertebrates, most somatosensory pathways begin with the activation of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. The development of an appropriate DRG culture method is a prerequisite for establishing in vitro peripheral nerve disease models and for screening therapeutic drugs. In this study, we compared the changes in morphology, molecular biology, and transcriptomics of chicken embryo DRG cultured on tissue culture plates (T-DRG) versus three-dimensional collagen hydrogels (C-DRG).

Differentiation of retinal ganglion cells from induced pluripotent stem cells: a review.

Glaucoma is a common optic neuropathy that is characterized by the progressive degeneration of axons and the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Current glaucoma treatments only slow the progression of RGCs loss.

5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in the regulation of antioxidant enzymes in retinal endothelial cells and rat diabetic retina.

Aim: To investigate the roles of a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) in the regulation of antioxidant enzymes in diabetic retinopathy (DR) models.

Methods: DNMTs expressions and activity, and changes of two key antioxidant enzymes in DR, MnSOD (encoded by gene) and glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1), were quantified in the isolated human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) exposed to high glucose (HG) with or without 5-aza-dC treatment. The downstream exacerbating factors including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), which are implicated in the pathogenesis of DR and closely related to oxidative stress were also analyzed.

Reduced Macular Vascular Density in Myopic Eyes.

Background: Morphological changes of the vasculature system in patients with myopia have been observed by Doppler ultrasound and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA); however, these studies have limitations. Doppler ultrasound provides low-resolution images which are mainly obtained from visualized large vessels, and FFA is an invasive examination. Optic coherence tomography (OCT) angiography is a noninvasive, high-resolution measurement for vascular density.

Translocation of protein kinase C δ contributes to the moderately high glucose-, but not hypoxia-induced proliferation in primary cultured human retinal endothelial cells.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications in patients with diabetes and affects ~75% of them within 15 years of the onset of the disease. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) is a key feature of diabetes mellitus and may be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. The present study aimed to examine the translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms, which are triggered by high an moderately high glucose levels as well as hypoxic conditions.

Morphological and immunocytochemical analysis of human retinal glia subtypes in vitro.

Aim: To examine the morphological characteristics and antigen expression patterns of cultured human retinal glia to define novel subtypes.

Methods: Morphologic characteristics and marker expression were examined during cultivation using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and immunostaining for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin.

Results: A subtype of human retinal glia distinct from radial glia (Müller cells) was successfully isolated by digesting the retina first in diastase vera (pancreatin) and then in clostridiopeptidase, followed by culture on fibronectin substrate in human endothelial cell medium (supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, growth factors, and heparin sodium).

[Relationship between gender and posterior pole choroidal thickness in normal eyes].

Objective: To investigate and compare the choroidal thickness between healthy male and female subjects.

Method: Six-hundred and twenty eyes of 310 healthy volunteers with no ophthalmic disease history were recruited, including 152 males and 158 females. All volunteers were subgrouped into Group A to F according to their ages.

[Construction of recombinant adenovirus expressing shRNA targeting human leukocyte-derived arginine aminopeptidase gene].

Aim: To construct the recombinant adenovirus expressing small hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting human leukocyte-derived arginine aminopeptidase (LRAP) gene and silence the expression of LRAP in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs).

Methods: Three pairs of oligonucleotides coding for shRNAs targeting human LRAP gene were designed and synthesized, and were cloned into the shuttle vector pRNAT-H1.1/Adeno after annealing.

Upregulation of heparanase in high-glucose-treated endothelial cells promotes endothelial cell migration and proliferation and correlates with Akt and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to determine whether high-glucose-induced upregulation of heparanase (HPSE) expression and differential heparanase expression in human retinal vascular endothelial cells (HRECs) can alter HREC migration and proliferation. We also aimed to determine whether HREC migration and proliferation correlate with the levels of protein kinase B (Akt) and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation and activation.

Methods: HRECs were treated with either 5 mM glucose (Glu5) or high (30 mM) glucose (Glu30) for 48 h.

Phosphomannopentaose sulfate (PI-88) suppresses angiogenesis by downregulating heparanase and vascular endothelial growth factor in an oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization animal model.

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most potent angiogenic mitogen, and has been associated with angiogenesis. Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that specifically cleaves heparan sulfate side chains, which can induce VEGF expression. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the heparanase expression and its relationship with VEGF in the retina of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) mice, and to investigate the effect of the heparanase inhibitor phosphomannopentaose sulfate (PI-88) in the OIR retinas.

[Differential expression and significance of complement C4b and transthyretin in proliferative vitreoretinopathy].

Objective: To investigate the differential expression of complement C4b and transthyretin in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

Methods: It was a controlled experimental study. Human vitreous samples of 5 patients with PVR were analyzed by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, and the results were compared with those from normal control vitreous obtained from donor eyes.

[The effect of rAAV2-PEDF on proliferation of human retinal capillary endothelium cells].

Objective: To culture human retinal capillary endothelium cells (HRCECs) in vitro and explore the effect of rAAV2-PEDF on proliferation of HRCEs.

Methods: Retinas were digested by 2.5% trypsin and 0.

[Effect of huoxueyiqimingmu capsule on retinal degenerative diseases].

Objective: To investigate therapeutic effects of Huoxueyiqimingmu capsule on retinal degenerative diseases.

Methods: Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: negative control group, light damage model group, Huoxueyiqimingmu capsule group. The light damage model was used as retinal degenerative diseases animal model.

Overexpression of nuclear transport factor 2 may protect against diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: We performed human, animal, and in vitro studies to examine the potential role of nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2) in conferring resistance to diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: Blood NTF2 levels were assessed in two groups of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Group P patients had a history of proliferative DR (PDR), while group N patients did not.

Remodeling retinal neovascularization by ALK1 gene transfection in vitro.

Purpose: To explore a novel strategy for balancing retinal neovascularization by assessing the role activin-like kinase receptor 1 (ALK1) plays in neovascularization in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-stimulated human retinal capillary endothelial cells (HRCECs).

Methods: HRCECs were transfected with an ALK1 gene-encoding plasmid or a pSIREN-ALK1 RNAi vector and stimulated with VEGF. The mRNA and protein expression levels of ALK1, occludin, ANG2, and ALK5 were evaluated by real-time PCR and/or Western blot analysis.

Scutellarein inhibits hypoxia- and moderately-high glucose-induced proliferation and VEGF expression in human retinal endothelial cells.

Aim: This study was designed to examine the effect of scutellarein on high glucose- and hypoxia-stimulated proliferation of human retinal endothelial cells (HREC).

Methods: HREC were cultured under normal glucose (NG), moderate, and high glucose (NG supplemented with 10 or 25 mmol/L D-glucose) and/or hypoxic (cobalt chloride treated) conditions. Cell proliferation was evaluated by a cell counting kit.

[A preliminary study on intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration].

Objective: To evaluate the short-term safety of intravitreous bevacizumab (Avastin) and its effects on visual acuity (VA) and subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).

Methods: Single-center, uncontrolled clinical study. Five ARMD patients (5 eyes) with subfoveal CNV and best-corrected VA (BCVA) less than 0.

[Clinical study of photodynamic therapy with visudyne for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy].

Objective: To study the clinical effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with Visudyne for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Methods: Ten patients (10 eyes) with PCV who were diagnosed by fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), optic coherence tomography (OCT) were treated by PDT with Visudyne. Eight cases (8 eyes) were male, the other two cases (2 eyes) were female.

[Changes of tight junction protein and GFAP in the retina of experimental diabetic rats and their relationship with blood aqueous barrier].

Objective: To investigate the changes of vascular endothelial cell tight junction protein (occludin) and glial cell morphology as well as their relationship with blood-retinal barrier (BRB) in the retina of diabetic rats.

Methods: The distribution of occludin and GFAP were explored by immunofluorescence histochemical studies in the retina of streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats and age-matched control rats. Evans blue was used to evaluate the impairment of BRB.

[Experimental studies on the existence and distribution characteristics of neural stem cells in adult human ciliary body and retina].

Objective: To investigate the existence and distribution characteristics of neural stem cells in the eyes of adult human ciliary body and retina.

Methods: Eight eyes from 20 - 40 years old health adult and 3 infant eyes were obtained from Guangdong Eye Bank and were used in the present studies. The protein and mRNA expressions of neural progenitor cell-specific antigen nestin in the ciliary body and retina were detected by immunohistochemical staining and reverse RT-PCR assays, respectively.

Protective effects of transcription factor HESR1 on retinal vasculature.

HESR1 is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors regulated by the Notch signaling pathway in vertebrate and Drosophila embryos, and is related to the HES/Hairy/E (sp1) family. HESR1 is a downstream target of Notch in endothelial cells and could be an effector of Notch signaling in these cells. HESR1 is necessary for the induction of a tubular network and for continued maintenance of mature and quiescent blood vessels.