Differences in activation of intracellular signaling in primary human retinal endothelial cells between isoforms of VEGFA 165.

Purpose: There are reports that a b-isoform of vascular endothelial growth factor-A 165 (VEGFAb) is predominant in normal human vitreous, switching to the a-isoform (VEGFAa) in the vitreous of some diseased eyes. Although these isoforms appear to have a different ability to activate the VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in various endothelial cells, the nature of their ability to activate intracellular signaling pathways is not fully characterized, especially in retinal endothelial cells. We determined their activation potential for two key intracellular signaling pathways (MAPK, AKT) over complete dose-response curves and compared potential effects on the expression of several VEGFA target genes in primary human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs).

Effects of anti-VEGF treatment on the recovery of the developing retina following oxygen-induced retinopathy.

Purpose: Inhibition of VEGF is widely used in patients to control neovascularization and decrease vascular permeability. To date, the effect of VEGF inhibition has not been evaluated in the developing retina such as that seen in premature infants. The goal of this study was to address the effect of anti-VEGF treatment on retinal development of a mouse model of retinopathy.

Retinal vascular rescue of oxygen-induced retinopathy in mice by norrin.

Purpose: Wnt-signaling has been implicated in retinal development. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of improving retinal vasculature in an animal model of retinopathy by activating Wnt-signaling.

Methods: C57BL/6J mice were evaluated using a model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR).

A disposable system for rapid purification of autologous plasmin as an adjunct to vitrectomy - performance and safety profile.

Background: The generation of an atraumatic posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), a common goal in vitreoretinal surgery, is a challenge particularly in children and young trauma patients. Plasmin has been proposed as a surgical adjunct to enzymatically generate a PVD. This study assesses the performance and safety of a new system for rapid purification of plasmin as an adjunct to vitrectomy.

Clinical presentation and genetic correlation of patients with mutations affecting the FZD4 gene.

Objective: To correlate the ophthalmic findings of patients with pediatric vitreoretinopathies with mutations occurring in the FZD4 gene.

Methods: A total of 123 patients diagnosed with autosomal-dominant familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (AdFEVR) or retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and 42 control patients were enrolled in the study. Diagnoses were based on retinal findings at each patient's first examination or during ROP screening.

Norrin attenuates protease-mediated death of transformed retinal ganglion cells.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of norrin, a nonconventional ligand for Wingless-Int (Wnt)-beta-catenin signaling pathway, on protease-mediated death of transformed rat retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5).

Methods: Transformed RGC-5 cells were treated with 2.0 microM staurosporine (SS), a broad-spectrum protein kinase-C inhibitor, to induce growth arrest, differentiation, and elevated levels of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA).

Elevated levels of cystatin C and tenascin-C in schisis cavities of patients with congenital X-linked retinoschisis.

Purpose: To describe the finding of tenascin C and cystatin-C in the intraschisis cavities of pediatric patients with intraretinal schisis cavities.

Methods: Three patients with congenital X-linked retinoschisis (CXLRS) and one girl with clinical retinoschisis underwent vitrectomy for vision-threatening schisis cavities. At the time of surgery undiluted samples of intraschisis fluid and vitreous fluid from four eyes (three male and one female) were obtained and analyzed by gel electrophoresis and protein sequencing for the presence of tenascin C and cystatin-C.