Knockout of AMD-associated gene POLDIP2 reduces mitochondrial superoxide in human retinal pigment epithelial cells
Aging (Albany NY). 2023 Feb 16;15. doi: 10.18632/aging.204522. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Genetic and epidemiologic studies have significantly advanced our understanding of the genetic factors contributing to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In particular, recent expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies have highlighted POLDIP2 as a significant gene that confers risk of developing AMD. However, […]
Mitochondrial Open Reading Frame of the 12S rRNA Type-c: Potential Therapeutic Candidate in Retinal Diseases
Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Feb 18;12(2):518. doi: 10.3390/antiox12020518. ABSTRACT Mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA type-c (MOTS-c) is the most unearthed peptide encoded by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). It is an important regulator of the nuclear genome during times of stress because it promotes an adaptive stress response to maintain cellular homeostasis. Identifying MOTS-c specific […]
The Anti-Aging Hormone Klotho Promotes Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cell Viability and Metabolism by Activating the AMPK/PGC-1α Pathway
Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Feb 5;12(2):385. doi: 10.3390/antiox12020385. ABSTRACT Initially discovered by Makuto Kuro-o in 1997, Klotho is a putative aging-suppressor gene when overexpressed and accelerates aging when deleted in mice. Previously, we showed that α-Klotho regulates retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) functions and protects against oxidative stress. However, the mechanisms by which Klotho influences RPE and […]
TRAP1 Is Expressed in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells and Is Required to Maintain their Energetic Status
Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Feb 4;12(2):381. doi: 10.3390/antiox12020381. ABSTRACT Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss and blindness in elderly people worldwide. The damage to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) triggered by oxidative stress plays a central role in the onset and progression of AMD and results from the excessive accumulation […]
Optimisation of AAV-NDI1 Significantly Enhances Its Therapeutic Value for Correcting Retinal Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Pharmaceutics. 2023 Jan 18;15(2):322. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020322. ABSTRACT AAV gene therapy for ocular disease has become a reality with the market authorisation of LuxturnaTM for RPE65-linked inherited retinal degenerations and many AAV gene therapies currently undergoing phase III clinical trials. Many ocular disorders have a mitochondrial involvement from primary mitochondrial disorders such as Leber hereditary optic […]
Divergent Metabolomic Signatures of TGFβ2 and TNFα in the Induction of Retinal Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Metabolites. 2023 Jan 31;13(2):213. doi: 10.3390/metabo13020213. ABSTRACT Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a dedifferentiation program in which polarized, differentiated epithelial cells lose their cell-cell adhesions and transform into matrix-producing mesenchymal cells. EMT of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells plays a crucial role in many retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and diabetic retinopathy. This […]
Role of Oxidative Stress in Ocular Diseases: A Balancing Act
Metabolites. 2023 Jan 27;13(2):187. doi: 10.3390/metabo13020187. ABSTRACT Redox homeostasis is a delicate balancing act of maintaining appropriate levels of antioxidant defense mechanisms and reactive oxidizing oxygen and nitrogen species. Any disruption of this balance leads to oxidative stress, which is a key pathogenic factor in several ocular diseases. In this review, we present the current […]
Vitreal Concentrations of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients with Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment
J Clin Med. 2023 Feb 5;12(4):1259. doi: 10.3390/jcm12041259. ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to evaluate the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the vitreous humor of patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). This is a prospective case control study. Eighteen patients with primary RRD without proliferative vitreoretinopathy C (PVR C) […]
Airborne Exposure of the Cornea to PM10 Induces Oxidative Stress and Disrupts Nrf2 Mediated Anti-Oxidant Defenses
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 15;24(4):3911. doi: 10.3390/ijms24043911. ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to test the effects of whole-body animal exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 μm (PM10) in the mouse cornea and in vitro. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to control or 500 µg/m3 PM10 for […]
Quantitative Proteomics of Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium Reveals Key Regulators for the Pathogenesis of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 7;24(4):3252. doi: 10.3390/ijms24043252. ABSTRACT Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in elderly people, with limited treatment options available for most patients. AMD involves the death of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptor cells, with mitochondria dysfunction being a critical early event. In the current study, […]