A Mouse Model of Retinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Through Elevation of Intraocular Pressure

Retinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is a pathophysiological process contributing to cellular damage in multiple ocular conditions, including glaucoma, ...

Johns Hopkins University

Blood-retinal barrier [BRB] breakdown, characteristic of diabetic retinopathy (DR), is believed to depend on inflammation and apoptosis. Retinal inflammation is almost completely suppressed in the absence of TNFα, which is also associated with apoptosis. This study was conducted to determine the role of TNFα in these diabetic complications.

TNFalpha is required for late BRB breakdown in diabetic retinopathy, and its inhibition prevents leukostasis and protects vessels and neurons from apoptosis.

Retinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) involves an extensive increase in reactive oxygen species as well as proinflammatory changes that result in significant histopathologic damage, including neuronal and vascular degeneration. Nrf2 has a well-known cytoprotective role in many tissues, but its protective function in the retina is unclear. We investigated the possible role of Nrf2 as a protective mechanism in retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury using Nrf2(-/-) mice. I/R resulted in an increase in retinal levels of superoxide and proinflammatory mediators, as well as leukocyte infiltration of the retina and vitreous, in Nrf2(+/+) mice. These effects were greatly accentuated in Nrf2(-/-) mice. With regard to histopathologic damage, Nrf2(-/-) mice exhibited loss of cells in the ganglion cell layer and markedly accentuated retinal capillary degeneration, as compared to wild-type. Treatment with the Nrf2 activator CDDO-Me increased antioxidant gene expression and normalized I/R-induced superoxide in the retina in wild-type but not Nrf2(-/-) mice. CDDO-Me treatment abrogated retinal capillary degeneration induced by I/R in wild-type but not Nrf2(-/-) mice. These studies indicate that Nrf2 is an important cytoprotective mechanism in the retina in response to ischemia-reperfusion injury and suggest that pharmacologic induction of Nrf2 could be a new therapeutic strategy for retinal ischemia-reperfusion and other retinal diseases.

Nrf2 has a protective role against neuronal and capillary degeneration in retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Direct oxidation of methane to hydrogen peroxide and organic oxygenates in a double dielectric plasma reactor.

Retinal angiogenesis is a major cause of blindness in ischemic retinopathies including diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity. Integrin αvβ3 is a promising therapeutic target for ocular angiogenesis, modulating the pro-angiogenic actions of multiple growth factors. In this study, we sought to determine the effects of the integrin αvβ3 antagonist tetra-iodothyroacetic acid (tetrac) on the angiogenic actions of VEGF and erythropoietin (EPO) in cultured human retinal endothelial cells. In addition, we investigated the effect of tetrac and a nanoparticulate formulation of tetrac on retinal angiogenesis in vivo, in the mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model. Tetrac inhibitory activity was evaluated in human retinal endothelial cells treated with VEGF and/or EPO. Endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation were assessed, in addition to phosphorylation of ERK1/2. For the studies of the oxygen-induced retinopathy model, C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 75% oxygen from postnatal day (P)7 to P12, and then returned to room air. Tetrac and tetrac-nanoparticle (tetrac-NP) were administered at P12 and P15 by either intraperitoneal or intravitreal injection. Retinal neovascularization was quantitated at P18. Tetrac significantly inhibited pro-angiogenic effects of VEGF and/or EPO on retinal endothelial cells, indicating that the angiogenic effects of both growth factors are dependent on integrin αvβ3. Retinal neovascularization in the OIR model was significantly inhibited by both tetrac and tetrac-NP. These results indicate that the integrin αvβ3 antagonist, tetrac, is an effective inhibitor of retinal angiogenesis. The ability of tetrac to inhibit the pro-angiogenic effect of both VEGF and EPO on retinal endothelial cells suggests that tetrac (and antagonism of integrin αvβ3) is a viable therapeutic strategy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Inhibition of pathological retinal angiogenesis by the integrin αvβ3 antagonist tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac).

Ischemic retinopathies, including retinopathy of prematurity and diabetic retinopathy, are major causes of blindness. Both have two phases, vessel loss and consequent hypoxia-driven pathologic retinal neovascularization, yet relatively little is known about the transcription factors regulating these processes. Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) C, a member of the MEF2 family of transcription factors that plays an important role in multiple developmental programs, including the cardiovascular system, seems to have a significant functional role in the vasculature. We, therefore, generated endothelial cell (EC)-specific MEF2C-deficient mice and explored the role of MEF2C in retinal vascularization during normal development and in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy. Ablation of MEF2C did not cause appreciable defects in normal retinal vascular development. However, MEF2C ablation in ECs suppressed vessel loss in oxygen-induced retinopathy and strongly promoted vascular regrowth, consequently reducing retinal avascularity. This finding was associated with suppression of pathologic retinal angiogenesis and blood-retinal barrier dysfunction. MEF2C knockdown in cultured retinal ECs using small-interfering RNAs rescued ECs from death and stimulated tube formation under stress conditions, confirming the endothelial-autonomous and antiangiogenic roles of MEF2C. HO-1 was induced by MEF2C knockdown in vitro and may play a role in the proangiogenic effect of MEF2C knockdown on retinal EC tube formation. Thus, MEF2C may play an antiangiogenic role in retinal ECs under stress conditions, and modulation of MEF2C may prevent pathologic retinal neovascularization.

MEF2C ablation in endothelial cells reduces retinal vessel loss and suppresses pathologic retinal neovascularization in oxygen-induced retinopathy.

We sought to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the potential factors affecting ischaemic postconditioning (IPoC) for patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Stenting technique, gender, and age are associated with cardioprotection by ischaemic postconditioning in primary coronary intervention: a systematic review of 10 randomized trials.

Angiogenesis, in which new blood vessels form via endothelial cell (EC) sprouting from existing vessels, is a critical event in embryonic development and multiple disease processes. Many insights have been made into key EC receptors and ligands/growth factors that govern sprouting angiogenesis, but intracellular molecular mechanisms of this process are not well understood. NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor well-known for regulating the stress response in multiple pathologic settings, but its role in development is less appreciated. Here, we show that Nrf2 is increased and activated during vascular development. Global deletion of Nrf2 resulted in reduction of vascular density as well as EC sprouting. This was also observed with specific deletion of Nrf2 in ECs, but not with deletion of Nrf2 in the surrounding nonvascular tissue. Nrf2 deletion resulted in increased delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4) expression and Notch activity in ECs. Blockade of Dll4 or Notch signaling restored the vascular phenotype in Nrf2 KOs. Constitutive activation of endothelial Nrf2 enhanced EC sprouting and vascularization by suppression of Dll4/Notch signaling in vivo and in vitro. Nrf2 activation in ECs suppressed Dll4 expression under normoxia and hypoxia and inhibited Dll4-induced Notch signaling. Activation of Nrf2 blocked VEGF induction of VEGFR2-PI3K/Akt and downregulated HIF-2α in ECs, which may serve as important mechanisms for Nrf2 inhibition of Dll4 and Notch signaling. Our data reveal a function for Nrf2 in promoting the angiogenic sprouting phenotype in vascular ECs.

Nrf2 acts cell-autonomously in endothelium to regulate tip cell formation and vascular branching.

Although much is known about the pathophysiological processes contributing to diabetic retinopathy (DR), the role of protective pathways has received less attention. The transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (also known as NFE2L2 or NRF2) is an important regulator of oxidative stress and also has anti-inflammatory effects. The objective of this study was to explore the potential role of NRF2 as a protective mechanism in DR.

NRF2 plays a protective role in diabetic retinopathy in mice.

The role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the cardioprotection induced by delayed remote ischemic preconditioning (DRIPC) has not been investigated. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate whether HO-1 is involved in DRIPC-mediated cardioprotection in an isolated perfused rat heart model.

Delayed remote preconditioning induces cardioprotection: role of heme oxygenase-1.

Retinal ischemia plays a critical role in multiple vision-threatening diseases and leads to death of retinal neurons, particularly ganglion cells. Oxidative stress plays an important role in this ganglion cell loss. Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor 2) is a major regulator of the antioxidant response, and its role in the retina is increasingly appreciated. We investigated the potential retinal neuroprotective function of Nrf2 after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. In an experimental model of retinal I/R, Nrf2 knockout mice exhibited much greater loss of neuronal cells in the ganglion cell layer than wild-type mice. Primary retinal ganglion cells isolated from Nrf2 knockout mice exhibited decreased cell viability compared to wild-type retinal ganglion cells, demonstrating the cell-intrinsic protective role of Nrf2. The retinal neuronal cell line 661W exhibited reduced cell viability following siRNA-mediated knockdown of Nrf2 under conditions of oxidative stress, and this was associated with exacerbation of increase in reactive oxygen species. The synthetic triterpenoid CDDO-Im (2-Cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-imidazolide), a potent Nrf2 activator, inhibited reactive oxygen species increase in cultured 661W under oxidative stress conditions and increased neuronal cell survival after I/R injury in wild-type, but not Nrf2 knockout mice. Our findings indicate that Nrf2 exhibits a retinal neuroprotective function in I/R and suggest that pharmacologic activation of Nrf2 could be a therapeutic strategy. Oxidative stress is thought to be an important mediator of retinal ganglion cell death in ischemia-reperfusion injury. We found that the transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a major regulator of oxidative stress, is an important endogenous neuroprotective molecule in retinal ganglion cells in ischemia-reperfusion, exerting a cell-autonomous protective effect.  The triterpenoid 2-Cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-imidazolide (CDDO-Im) reduces neurodegeneration following ischemia-reperfusion in an Nrf2-dependent fashion. This suggests that Nrf2-activating drugs including triterpenoids could be a therapeutic strategy for retinal neuroprotection.

Neuroprotective role of Nrf2 for retinal ganglion cells in ischemia-reperfusion.

Levosimendan has been shown to confer direct renoprotection in renal endotoxemic and ischemia-reperfusion injury and could increase renal blood flow in patients with low-cardiac-output heart failure. Results from clinical trials of levosimendan on acute kidney injury (AKI) following cardiac surgery are controversial.

Levosimendan for Prevention of Acute Kidney Injury After Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Delayed revascularization of ischemic neural tissue is a major impediment to preservation of function in central nervous system (CNS) diseases including stroke and ischemic retinopathies. Therapeutic strategies allowing rapid revascularization are greatly needed to reduce ischemia-induced cellular damage and suppress harmful pathologic neovascularization. However, key mechanisms governing vascular recovery in ischemic CNS, including regulatory molecules governing the transition from tissue injury to tissue repair, are largely unknown. NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a major stress-response transcription factor well known for its cell-intrinsic cytoprotective function. However, its role in cell-cell crosstalk is less appreciated. Here we report that Nrf2 is highly activated in ischemic retina and promotes revascularization by modulating neurons in their paracrine regulation of endothelial cells. Global Nrf2 deficiency strongly suppresses retinal revascularization and increases pathologic neovascularization in a mouse model of ischemic retinopathy. Conditional knockout studies demonstrate a major role for neuronal Nrf2 in vascular regrowth into avascular retina. Deletion of neuronal Nrf2 results in semaphorin 6A (Sema6A) induction in hypoxic/ischemic retinal ganglion cells in a hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α)-dependent fashion. Sema6A expression increases in avascular inner retina and colocalizes with Nrf2 in human fetal eyes. Extracellular Sema6A leads to dose-dependent suppression of the migratory phenotype of endothelial cells through activation of Notch signaling. Lentiviral-mediated delivery of Sema6A small hairpin RNA (shRNA) abrogates the defective retinal revascularization in Nrf2-deficient mice. Importantly, pharmacologic Nrf2 activation promotes reparative angiogenesis and suppresses pathologic neovascularization. Our findings reveal a unique function of Nrf2 in reprogramming ischemic tissue toward neurovascular repair via Sema6A regulation, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for ischemic retinal and CNS diseases.

Junsong Gong

Department of Ophthalmology,
School of Medicine,
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine

Johns Hopkins University

A Mouse Model of Retinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Through Elevation of Intraocular Pressure

Junsong Gong

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Ophthalmology,School of Medicine,Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine

Johns Hopkins University

A Mouse Model of Retinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Through Elevation of Intraocular Pressure

Department of Ophthalmology,
School of Medicine,
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine