CSPalpha-deficiency causes massive and rapid photoreceptor degeneration.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Schmitz F
PROVIDER: S-EPMC1413794 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:PurposeSmall guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) ADP-ribosylation factors (Arfs) regulate membrane traffic and actin reorganization under the control of GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs). Arap1 is an Arf-directed GAP that inhibits the trafficking of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to the early endosome, but the diversity of its functions is incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to determine the role of Arap1 in the mammalian retina.MethodsGenetically engineered Arap1 knockout mice were screened for ocular abnormalities in the National Institutes of Health Knockout Mouse Production and Phenotyping (KOMP2) Project. Arap1 knockout and wild-type eyes were imaged using optical coherence tomography and fundus photography, and analyzed by immunohistochemistry.ResultsArap1-/- mice develop a normal appearing retina, but undergo photoreceptor degeneration starting at 4 weeks postnatal age. The fundus appearance of mutants is notable for pigmentary changes, optic nerve pallor, vascular attenuation, and outer retinal thinning, reminiscent of retinitis pigmentosa in humans. Immunohistochemical studies suggest the cell death is predominantly in the outer nuclear layer. Functional evaluation of the retina by electroretinography reveals amplitudes are reduced. Arap1 is detected most notably in Müller glia, and not in photoreceptors, implicating a role for Müller glia in photoreceptor survival.ConclusionsArap1 is necessary for normal photoreceptor survival in mice, and may be a novel gene relevant to human retinal degenerative processes, although its mechanism is unknown. Further studies in this mouse model of retinal degeneration will give insights into the cellular functions and signaling pathways in which Arap1 participates.
| S-EPMC5361582 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The authors have identified a recessive mutation causing progressive retinal degeneration, white fundus flecks, and eventual retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy. The goal of these studies was to characterize the retinal phenotype, to identify the causative locus, and to examine possible functions of the affected gene.SNP mapping, DNA sequencing, and genetic complementation were used to identify the affected locus. Histology, electroretinography, immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, fundus photography, electron microscopy, and in vitro phagocytosis assays were used to characterize the phenotype of the mouse.Gene mapping identified a single base pair deletion in membrane-type frizzled related protein (MFRP), designated Mfrp(174delG). MFRP is normally expressed in the RPE and ciliary body but was undetectable by Western blot in mutants. CTRP5, a binding partner of MFRP, was upregulated at the mRNA level and at the protein level in most patients. Assays designed to test the integrity of retinoid cycling and phagocytic pathways showed no deficits in Mfrp(174delG) or rd6 animals. However, the RPE of both Mfrp(174delG) and rd6 mice exhibited a dramatic increase in the number of apical microvilli. Furthermore, evidence of RPE atrophy was evident in Mfrp(174delG) mice by 21 months.The authors have identified a novel null mutation in mouse Mfrp. This mutation causes photoreceptor degeneration and eventual RPE atrophy, which may be related to alterations in the number of RPE microvilli. These mice will be useful to identify a function of MFRP and to study the pathogenesis of atrophic macular degeneration.
| S-EPMC3207726 | biostudies-other
Project description:The Drosophila trp gene encodes a light-activated Ca(2+) channel subunit, which is a prototypical member of a novel class of channel proteins. Previously identified trp mutants are all recessive, loss-of-function mutants characterized by a transient receptor potential and the total or near-total loss of functional TRP protein. Although retinal degeneration does occur in these mutants, it is relatively mild and slow in onset. We report herein a new mutant, Trp(P365), that does not display the transient receptor potential phenotype and is characterized by a substantial level of the TRP protein and rapid, semi-dominant degeneration of photoreceptors. We show that, in spite of its unusual phenotypes, Trp(P365) is a trp allele because a Trp(P365) transgene induces the mutant phenotype in a wild-type background, and a wild-type trp transgene in a Trp(P365) background suppresses the mutant phenotype. Moreover, amino acid alterations that could cause the Trp(P365) phenotype are found in the transmembrane segment region of the mutant channel protein. Whole-cell recordings clarified the mechanism underlying the retinal degeneration by showing that the TRP channels of Trp(P365) are constitutively active. Although several genes, when mutated, have been shown to cause retinal degeneration in Drosophila, the underlying mechanism has not been identified for any of them. The present studies provide evidence for a specific mechanism for massive degeneration of photoreceptors in Drosophila. Insofar as some human homologs of TRP are highly expressed in the brain, a similar mechanism could be a major contributor to degenerative disorders of the brain.
| S-EPMC6772429 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The retina is the light sensing tissue of the eye which contains multiple layers of cells required for the detection and transmission of a visual signal. Loss of the light-sensing photoreceptors leads to defects in visual function and blindness. Previously, we found that mosaic deletion of Kcnj13, and subsequent loss of the potassium channel Kir7.1, in mice leads to photoreceptor degeneration and recapitulates the human retinal disease phenotype (Zhong et al., 2015). Kcnj13 expression in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is essential for normal retinal electrophysiology, function, and survival. Mice with homozygous loss of Kcnj13 die at postnatal day 1 (P1), requiring a tissue-specific approach to study retinal degeneration phenotypes in adult mice. We used the CRISPR-Cas9 system to generate a floxed, conditional loss-of-function (cKO) Kcnj13flox allele to study the pathogenesis of Kcnj13 deficiency in the retina. To investigate if the Kcnj13 is required in the RPE for photoreceptor function and survival, we used Best1-cre, which is specifically expressed in the RPE. We observed complete loss of Kcnj13 expression in Cre-positive RPE cells. Furthermore, our findings show that widespread loss of Kcnj13 in the RPE leads to severe and progressive thinning of the outer nuclear layer and a reduced response to light. Finally, to detect Best1-cre expression in the RPE of live animals without sacrificing the animal for histology, we generated a Cre-reporter-containing Kcnj13 cKO mouse line (cKOR: Kcnj13flox/flox; Best1-cre; Ai9) which can be rapidly screened using retinal fluorescence microscopy. These findings provide new tools for studying the roles of Kcnj13 in retinal homeostasis.
| S-EPMC6707361 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposePhotoreceptor degeneration in the retina is a major cause of blindness in humans. Elucidating mechanisms of degenerative and neuroprotective pathways in photoreceptors should afford identification and development of therapeutic strategies.MethodsWe used mouse genetic models and improved methods for retinal explant cultures. Retinas were enucleated from Mef2d+/+ and Mef2d-/- mice, stained for MEF2 proteins and outer nuclear layer thickness, and assayed for apoptotic cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays revealed MEF2 binding, and RT-qPCR showed levels of transcription factors. We used AAV2 and electroporation to express genes in retinal explants and electroretinograms to assess photoreceptor functionality.ResultsWe identify a prosurvival MEF2D-PGC1α pathway that plays a neuroprotective role in photoreceptors. We demonstrate that Mef2d-/- mouse retinas manifest decreased expression of PGC1α and increased photoreceptor cell loss, resulting in the absence of light responses. Molecular repletion of PGC1α protects Mef2d-/- photoreceptors and preserves light responsivity.ConclusionsThese results suggest that the MEF2-PGC1α cascade may represent a new therapeutic target for drugs designed to protect photoreceptors from developmental- and age-dependent loss.
| S-EPMC5525556 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Two insults often underlie a variety of eye diseases including glaucoma, optic atrophy, and retinal degeneration--defects in mitochondrial function and aberrant Rhodopsin trafficking. Although mitochondrial defects are often associated with oxidative stress, they have not been linked to Rhodopsin trafficking. In an unbiased forward genetic screen designed to isolate mutations that cause photoreceptor degeneration, we identified mutations in a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene, ppr, a homolog of human LRPPRC. We found that ppr is required for protection against light-induced degeneration. Its function is essential to maintain membrane depolarization of the photoreceptors upon repetitive light exposure, and an impaired phototransduction cascade in ppr mutants results in excessive Rhodopsin1 endocytosis. Moreover, loss of ppr results in a reduction in mitochondrial RNAs, reduced electron transport chain activity, and reduced ATP levels. Oxidative stress, however, is not induced. We propose that the reduced ATP level in ppr mutants underlies the phototransduction defect, leading to increased Rhodopsin1 endocytosis during light exposure, causing photoreceptor degeneration independent of oxidative stress. This hypothesis is bolstered by characterization of two other genes isolated in the screen, pyruvate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase. Their loss also causes a light-induced degeneration, excessive Rhodopsin1 endocytosis and reduced ATP without concurrent oxidative stress, unlike many other mutations in mitochondrial genes that are associated with elevated oxidative stress and light-independent photoreceptor demise.
| S-EPMC4503542 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Photoreceptor cells express the patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 2 (PNPLA2) gene that codes for pigment epithelium-derived factor receptor (PEDF-R) (also known as ATGL). PEDF-R exhibits phospholipase activity that mediates the neurotrophic action of its ligand PEDF. Because phospholipids are the most abundant lipid class in the retina, we investigated the role of PEDF-R in photoreceptors by generating CRISPR Pnpla2 knock-out mouse lines in a retinal degeneration-free background. Pnpla2-/- mice had undetectable retinal Pnpla2 gene expression and PEDF-R protein levels as assayed by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence, respectively. The photoreceptors of mice deficient in PEDF-R had deformities as examined by histology and transmission electron microscopy. Pnpla2 knockdown diminished the PLA2 enzymatic activity of PEDF-R in the retina. Lipidomic analyses revealed the accumulation of lysophosphatidyl choline-DHA and lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine-DHA in PEDF-R-deficient retinas, suggesting a possible causal link to photoreceptor dysfunction. Loss of PEDF-R decreased levels of rhodopsin, opsin, PKCα, and synaptophysin relative to controls. Pnpla2-/- photoreceptors had surface-exposed phosphatidylserine, and their nuclei were TUNEL positive and condensed, revealing an apoptotic onset. Paralleling its structural defects, PEDF-R deficiency compromised photoreceptor function in vivo as indicated by the attenuation of photoreceptor a- and b-waves in Pnpla2-/- and Pnpla2+/- mice relative to controls as determined by electroretinography. In conclusion, ablation of PEDF-R in mice caused alteration in phospholipid composition associated with malformation and malperformance of photoreceptors. These findings identify PEDF-R as an important component for photoreceptor structure and function, highlighting its role in phospholipid metabolism for retinal survival and its consequences.
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Project description:Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels play a pivotal role in phototransduction. Mutations in the cone CNG channel subunits CNGA3 and CNGB3 account for >70% of all known cases of achromatopsia. Cones degenerate in achromatopsia patients and in CNGA3(-/-) and CNGB3(-/-) mice. This work investigates the molecular basis of cone degeneration in CNG channel deficiency. As cones comprise only 2-3% of the total photoreceptor population in the wild-type mouse retina, we generated mouse lines with CNG channel deficiency on a cone-dominant background, i.e. CNGA3(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) and CNGB3(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) mice. The retinal phenotype and potential cell death pathways were examined by functional, biochemical, and immunohistochemical approaches. CNGA3(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) and CNGB3(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) mice showed impaired cone function, opsin mislocalization, and cone degeneration similar to that in the single knock-out mice. The endoplasmic reticulum stress marker proteins, including Grp78/Bip, phospho-eIF2?, phospho-IP(3)R, and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein, were elevated significantly in CNGA3(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) and CNGB3(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) retinas, compared with the age-matched (postnatal 30 days) Nrl(-/-) controls. Along with these, up-regulation of the cysteine protease calpains and cleavage of caspase-12 and caspase-7 were found in the channel-deficient retinas, suggesting an endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated apoptosis. In addition, we observed a nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and endonuclease G in CNGA3(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) and CNGB3(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) retinas, implying a mitochondrial insult in the endoplasmic reticulum stress-activated cell death process. Taken together, our findings suggest a crucial role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in cone degeneration associated with CNG channel deficiency.
| S-EPMC3365688 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. While the histopathology of the different disease stages is well characterized, the cause underlying the progression, from the early drusen stage to the advanced macular degeneration stage that leads to blindness, remains unknown. Here, we show that photoreceptors (PRs) of diseased individuals display increased expression of two key glycolytic genes, suggestive of a glucose shortage during disease. Mimicking aspects of this metabolic profile in PRs of wild-type mice by activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) caused early drusen-like pathologies, as well as advanced AMD-like pathologies. Mice with activated mTORC1 in PRs also displayed other early disease features, such as a delay in photoreceptor outer segment (POS) clearance and accumulation of lipofuscin in the retinal-pigmented epithelium (RPE) and of lipoproteins at the Bruch's membrane (BrM), as well as changes in complement accumulation. Interestingly, formation of drusen-like deposits was dependent on activation of mTORC1 in cones. Both major types of advanced AMD pathologies, including geographic atrophy (GA) and neovascular pathologies, were also seen. Finally, activated mTORC1 in PRs resulted in a threefold reduction in di-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-containing phospholipid species. Feeding mice a DHA-enriched diet alleviated most pathologies. The data recapitulate many aspects of the human disease, suggesting that metabolic adaptations in photoreceptors could contribute to disease progression in AMD. Identifying the changes downstream of mTORC1 that lead to advanced pathologies in mouse might present new opportunities to study the role of PRs in AMD pathogenesis.
| S-EPMC7293639 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The retinas of the retinal degeneration (rd) chicken are fully developed and possess normal morphology at hatching but fail to respond to light stimulation. Analyses of retinal cGMP, the internal messenger of phototransduction, show that the amount of cGMP in predegenerate, fully developed rd/rd photoreceptors is 5-10 times less than that seen in normal photoreceptor cells. We show that the low levels of cGMP in rd chicken retina are a consequence of a null mutation in the photoreceptor guanylate cyclase (GC1) gene. Thus, the rd chicken is a model for human Leber's congenital amaurosis. Absence of GC1 in rd retina prevents phototransduction and affects survival of rods and cones but does not interfere with normal photoreceptor development.
| S-EPMC18742 | biostudies-literature