Editorial Material
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Zhongjie Fu, Lois E. H. Smith
Summary: Pathologic angiogenesis in eye diseases leading to blindness can be attributed to cell senescence, as demonstrated by the bioinformatics study conducted by Crespo-Garcia, Tsuruda, and Dejda. Their findings were validated in human and mouse retina models, where clearance of senescent cells effectively suppressed neovessel growth.
TRENDS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Jinying Li, Chen Qiu, Yang Wei, Weixin Yuan, Jia Liu, Wenyu Cui, Jiayi Zhou, Cong Qiu, Lihe Guo, Liquan Huang, Zhen Ge, Luyang Yu
Summary: Human amniotic epithelial stem cells can differentiate into RPE like cells with the help of trichostatin A and nicotinamide, showing potential therapeutic effects for age-related macular degeneration. Subretinal transplantation of these cells in RCS rats resulted in rescued visual function and retinal structure.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bhav Harshad Parikh, Paul Blakeley, Kakkad Regha, Zengping Liu, Binxia Yang, Mayuri Bhargava, Daniel Soo Lin Wong, Queenie Shu Woon Tan, Claudine See Wei Wong, Hao Fei Wang, Abdurrahmaan Al-Mubaarak, Chai Chou, Chui Ming Gemmy Cheung, Kah Leong Lim, Veluchamy Amutha Barathi, Walter Hunziker, Gopal Lingam, Tim Xiaoming Hu, Xinyi Su
Summary: Transplantation of stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is a potential treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, there is limited understanding of how the recipient retina regulates the survival and maturation of transplanted RPE cells. In this study, we transplanted stem cell-derived RPE into rabbits and analyzed their gene expression, finding that the transplanted RPE cells retained their identity and showed maturation towards the normal RPE state. Transcription factors FOS, JUND, and MAFF were activated in the transplanted RPE cells and played important roles in regulating gene expression related to supporting host photoreceptor function and promoting cell survival.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Lei Wang, Jiani Cao, Yaojin Peng, Boqiang Fu, Zibing Jin, Yuntao Hu, Wei Wu, Andy Peng Xiang, Shijun Hu, Junying Yu, Yu Zhang, Jun Wei, Yong Zhang, Qiyuan Li, Jiaxi Zhou, Peijun Zhai, Huanxin Zhu, Lingmin Liang, Aijin Ma, Glyn Stacey, Tongbiao Zhao, Jie Hao
Summary: The guidelines for human retinal pigment epithelial cells in China were jointly drafted by experts from the Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research, aiming to improve quality control and accelerate international standardization.
CELL PROLIFERATION
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Ting Zhang, Xianyu Huang, Sujun Liu, Xinyue Bai, Xinyue Zhu, Dennis O. Clegg, Mei Jiang, Xiaodong Sun
Summary: This study investigated the cryopreservation of hESC-derived RPE cells and found that freezing the cells at passage 2 day 5 (P2D5) resulted in the best post-thawing outcome in terms of cell viability and preservation of RPE cell properties and functions. The RNA-sequencing analysis identified key pathways and molecules associated with RPE cell freezing tolerance. The findings provide valuable insights for further research in this area.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
M. Helena Cardoso, Michael J. Hall, Thomas Burgoyne, Pedro Fale, Tina Storm, Cristina Escrevente, Pedro Antas, Miguel C. Seabra, Clare E. Futter
Summary: This study aimed to model the effects of chloroquine on the retinal pigment epithelium in vivo and investigate the impact of mild chloroquine treatment on lysosome function and turnover. The research found that low-dose chloroquine treatment inhibits lysosome reformation, leading to a gradual depletion of lysosomes' ability to interact with cargo-carrying vacuoles and degrade their content. The accumulation of pro-cathepsin D and LAMP1 reflects the inhibition of normal turnover of lysosomal constituents and possibly lysosomes themselves. Understanding the mechanisms underlying lysosome reformation may contribute to the development of new treatments for chloroquine-induced retinopathy.
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuqin Liang, Feng Tan, Xihao Sun, Zekai Cui, Jianing Gu, Shengru Mao, Hon Fai Chan, Shibo Tang, Jiansu Chen
Summary: This study established an iPSCs model of a PRPF6-related adRP patient and generated a disease model of RPE cells, revealing the effects of PRPF6 mutation on the morphology, gene expression, and function of RPE cells. This research is of great significance for understanding PRPF6-related RPE cells and future cell therapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ninan Jacob, Mudit Tyagi, Jay Chhablani, Raja Narayanan, Anup Kelgaonkar, Mukesh Jain, Sumit Randhir Singh, Niroj Kumar Sahoo
Summary: This paper evaluates the role of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) as a biomarker of inflammation in acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. The study found a significant decrease in RPE thickness and a significant increase in RPE reflectivity following resolution of the disease. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between RPE and choroidal thickness during the acute stage of the disease.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dai Le, Soyeon Lim, Kwang Wook Min, Joon Woo Park, Youjoung Kim, Taejeong Ha, Kyeong Hwan Moon, Kay-Uwe Wagner, Jin Woo Kim
Summary: The distribution of membrane proteins in RPE varies during different developmental stages, indicating developmental regulation of protein trafficking. Deletion of Tsg101 disrupts RPE polarity, leading to irregular aggregates and non-polarized distribution of cell adhesion proteins and activation of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling, highlighting the importance of ESCRT-mediated protein trafficking for RPE cell polarity development and maintenance.
MOLECULES AND CELLS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cody R. Fisher, Mara C. Ebeling, Zhaohui Geng, Rebecca J. Kapphahn, Heidi Roehrich, Sandra R. Montezuma, James R. Dutton, Deborah A. Ferrington
Summary: This study evaluated the treatment response of haRPE and iPSC-RPE to oxidative stress and potential therapeutics for mitochondrial defects. The results showed disease-specific responses in haRPE, while iPSC-RPE had similar responses regardless of disease status. Analysis of cells generated from the same donor showed a similar response for donors without AMD, but significant differences in treatment response between cell models from AMD donors.
Article
Immunology
R. Scott Duncan, Andrew Keightley, Adam A. A. Lopez, Conner W. W. Hall, Peter Koulen
Summary: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of blindness in the elderly, and oxidative stress plays a role in its development. In this study, the researchers used hTERT-RPE cells to understand the pathophysiological changes in RPE during oxidative stress. They found that alpha Toc and gamma Toc independently induced the expression of antioxidant proteins in RPE cells, suggesting potential therapeutic strategies for protecting RPE cells from oxidative stress. Proteomics approaches were used to identify the changes in protein expression in cellular antioxidant response pathways during oxidative stress and after tocopherol treatment.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Eabha O'Driscoll, Emily Hughes, Mustapha Irnaten, Markus Kuehn, Deborah Wallace, Colm O'Brien
Summary: Optic nerve head cupping, a feature of glaucoma, is associated with extracellular matrix remodeling and lamina cribrosa fibrosis. Peripapillary atrophy is common in glaucoma and involves the loss of retinal pigment epithelium adjacent to the optic nerve head. Under pro-fibrotic conditions, epithelial cells can undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and contribute to extracellular matrix fibrosis. This study investigates the role of this process in glaucoma and peripapillary atrophy, demonstrating the presence of retinal pigment epithelium cells in glaucomatous optic nerve heads and the potential of these cells to differentiate into fibroblast-like cells.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Biola F. Egbowon, Enzo Fornari, Joseph M. Pally, Alan J. Hargreaves, Bob Stevens, T. Martin Mcginnity, Barbara K. Pierscionek
Summary: This study demonstrates that human RPE cell lines (ARPE-19) can be cultured on ultrathin suspended electrospun nanofibre scaffolds (ENS) composed of hydrophobic polymer polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and a water-soluble aliphatic diamine, without or with fluocinolone acetonide (FA) treatment. The cells survived and maintained their morphology for up to 150 days with FA-treated ENS, showing an epithelial phenotype with biomarkers critical for retinal characteristics. This technique has potential for subretinal transplantation.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Masahiro Miura, Shuichi Makita, Yoshiaki Yasuno, Takuya Iwasaki, Shinnosuke Azuma, Toshihiro Mino, Tatsuo Yamaguchi
Summary: The study quantitatively evaluated retinal pigment epithelium changes in patients with age-related macular degeneration using prototype multi-contrast optical coherence tomography. The results showed that multi-contrast OCT is useful for objective evaluation of changes in the retinal pigment epithelium.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Hang Liu, Fan Wu, Renwei Chen, Yanan Chen, Kai Yao, Zengping Liu, Bhav Harshad Parikh, Linzhi Jing, Tiange Liu, Xinyi Su, Jie Sun, Dejian Huang
Summary: Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of visual loss. This study developed and evaluated ultrathin scaffolds using an electrohydrodynamic jet printing method for retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell culture. The results showed that the printed scaffolds promoted the maturation of RPE cells, forming a functional monolayered epithelium with potential as an in vitro model for studying retinal diseases and treatment methods.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOPRINTING
(2022)