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Isolation of Primary Murine Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) by Flow Cytometry

Neurodegenerative diseases often have a devastating impact on those affected. Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss is implicated in an array of diseases, ...

University of Tennessee Health Science Center

FOXP3 is critical for the development and function of CD4(+)CD25(bright) natural regulatory T cells (nTreg). Individuals harboring mutations in FOXP3 develop immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked syndrome (IPEX). We describe a child diagnosed with IPEX who underwent a reduced intensity, T and B cell depleted, matched unrelated donor bone marrow transplant followed by clinical resolution. Using lineage-specific donor chimerism studies, we demonstrate that non-myeloablative HSCT resolves disease in the context of low level donor hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engraftment. Despite low-levels of donor HSC, thymically-derived nTreg and to a lesser extent CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, exhibit a selective in vivo growth advantage for populations containing a functional FOXP3 gene. Moreover, nTreg from this patient show regulatory function directly ex vivo. These results have implications for improving clinical therapy for patients with IPEX and provide mechanistic insight into the in vivo development of human nTreg and unexpectedly, non-regulatory T cells.

Therapeutic in vivo selection of thymic-derived natural T regulatory cells following non-myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant for IPEX.

Type 2 diabetes is commonly characterized by insulin deficiency and decreased sensitivity of insulin receptors, leading to a chronic state of hyperglycemia in individuals. Disease progression induces changes in the immune profile that engenders a chronic inflammatory condition. Thiazolidinedione (TDZ) drugs, such as Pioglitazone (Pio), aid in controlling disease symptoms. While the mechanisms by which Pio controls hyperglycemia are beginning to be understood, relatively little is known about the effects of Pio on suppression of the systemic immune phenotype, attributed to visceral adipose tissue and macrophages.

Pioglitazone alters monocyte populations and stimulates recent thymic emigrants in the BBDZR/Wor type 2 diabetes rat model.

Loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is one of the hallmarks of retinal neurodegenerative diseases, glaucoma being one of the most common. Mechanistic studies on RGCs are hindered by the lack of sufficient primary cells and consensus regarding their signature markers. Recently, γ-synuclein (SNCG) has been shown to be highly expressed in the somas and axons of RGCs. In various mouse models of glaucoma, downregulation of Sncg gene expression correlates with RGC loss. To investigate the role of Sncg in RGCs, we used a novel systems genetics approach to identify a gene that modulates Sncg expression, followed by confirmatory studies in both healthy and diseased retinae. We found that chromosome 1 harbors an expression quantitative trait locus that modulates Sncg expression in the mouse retina, and identified the prefoldin-2 (PFDN2) gene as the candidate upstream modulator of Sncg expression. Our immunohistochemical analyses revealed similar expression patterns in both mouse and human healthy retinae, with PFDN2 colocalizing with SNCG in RGCs and their axons. In contrast, in retinae from glaucoma subjects, SNCG levels were significantly reduced, although PFDN2 levels were maintained. Using a novel flow cytometry-based RGC isolation method, we obtained viable populations of murine RGCs. Knocking down Pfdn2 expression in primary murine RGCs significantly reduced Sncg expression, confirming that Pfdn2 regulates Sncg expression in murine RGCs. Gene Ontology analysis indicated shared mitochondrial function associated with Sncg and Pfdn2. These data solidify the relationship between Sncg and Pfdn2 in RGCs, and provide a novel mechanism for maintaining RGC health.

Multipronged approach to identify and validate a novel upstream regulator of Sncg in mouse retinal ganglion cells.

Loss of functional retinal ganglion cells (RGC) is an element of retinal degeneration that is poorly understood. This is in part due to the lack of a reliable and validated protocol for the isolation of primary RGCs. Here we optimize a feasible, reproducible, standardized flow cytometry-based protocol for the isolation and enrichment of homogeneous RGC with the Thy1.2(hi)CD48(neg)CD15(neg)CD57(neg) surface phenotype. A three-step validation process was performed by: (1) genomic profiling of 25-genes associated with retinal cells; (2) intracellular labeling of homogeneous sorted cells for the intracellular RGC-markers SNCG, brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 3A (BRN3A), TUJ1, and RNA-binding protein with multiple splicing (RBPMS); and (3) by applying the methodology on RGC from a mouse model with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and optic nerve damage. Use of primary RGC cultures will allow for future careful assessment of important cell specific pathways in RGC to provide mechanistic insights into the declining of visual acuity in aged populations and those suffering from retinal neurodegenerative diseases.

Isolation and Molecular Profiling of Primary Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells: Comparison of Phenotypes from Healthy and Glaucomatous Retinas.

To report the outcomes of survival, local control, visual acuity, and eye retention in patients treated with repeat episcleral plaque brachytherapy (EPBT) for locally recurrent posterior uveal melanoma (PUM).

Repeat Episcleral Plaque Brachytherapy: Clinical Outcomes in Patients Treated for Locally Recurrent Posterior Uveal Melanoma.

Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in children. Local treatment of the intraocular disease is usually effective if diagnosed early; however advanced Rb can metastasize through routes that involve invasion of the choroid, sclera and optic nerve or more broadly via the ocular vasculature. Metastatic Rb patients have very high mortality rates. While current therapy for Rb is directed toward blocking tumor cell division and tumor growth, there are no specific treatments targeted to block Rb metastasis. Two such targets are matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2, -9), which degrade extracellular matrix as a prerequisite for cellular invasion and have been shown to be involved in other types of cancer metastasis. Cancer Clinical Trials with an anti-MMP-9 therapeutic antibody were recently initiated, prompting us to investigate the role of MMP-2, -9 in Rb metastasis.

Vanessa M. Morales-Tirado

Department of Ophthalmology,
Hamilton Eye Institute,
Department of Microbiology,
Immunology and Biochemistry,
Department of Ophthalmology, Hamilton Eye Institute,
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry

University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Isolation of Primary Murine Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) by Flow Cytometry

Vanessa M. Morales-Tirado

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Ophthalmology,Hamilton Eye Institute,Department of Microbiology,Immunology and Biochemistry,Department of Ophthalmology, Hamilton Eye Institute,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry

University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Isolation of Primary Murine Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) by Flow Cytometry

Department of Ophthalmology,
Hamilton Eye Institute,
Department of Microbiology,
Immunology and Biochemistry,
Department of Ophthalmology, Hamilton Eye Institute,
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry