Dataset Information

Lack of Acid Sphingomyelinase Induces Age-Related Retinal Degeneration.

ABSTRACT: Mutations of acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) cause Niemann-Pick diseases type A and B, which are fatal inherited lipid lysosomal storage diseases, characterized with visceral organ abnormalities and neurodegeneration. However, the effects of suppressing retinal ASMase expression are not understood. The goal of this study was to determine if the disruption of ASMase expression impacts the retinal structure and function in the mouse, and begin to investigate the mechanisms underlying these abnormalities.Acid sphingomyelinase knockout (ASMase KO) mice were utilized to study the roles of this sphingolipid metabolizing enzyme in the retina. Electroretinogram and morphometric analysis were used to assess the retinal function and structure at various ages. Sphingolipid profile was determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Western blots evaluated the level of the autophagy marker LC3-II.When compared to control animals, ASMase KO mice exhibited significant age-dependent reduction in ERG a- and b-wave amplitudes. Associated with these functional deficits, morphometric analysis revealed progressive thinning of retinal layers; however, the most prominent degeneration was observed in the photoreceptor and outer nuclear layer. Additional analyses of ASMase KO mice revealed early reduction in ERG c-wave amplitudes and increased lipofuscin accumulation in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Sphingolipid analyses showed abnormal accumulation of sphingomyelin and sphingosine in ASMase KO retinas. Western blot analyses showed a higher level of the autophagosome marker LC3-II.These studies demonstrate that ASMase is necessary for the maintenance of normal retinal structure and function. The early outer retinal dysfunction, outer segment degeneration, accumulation of lipofuscin and autophagosome markers provide evidence that disruption of lysosomal function contributes to the age-dependent retinal degeneration exhibited by ASMase KO mice.

SUBMITTER: Wu BX

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4500403 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Lack of Acid Sphingomyelinase Induces Age-Related Retinal Degeneration.

Wu Bill X BX Fan Jie J Boyer Nicholas P NP Jenkins Russell W RW Koutalos Yiannis Y Hannun Yusuf A YA Crosson Craig E CE

PloS one 20150713 7

<h4>Background</h4>Mutations of acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) cause Niemann-Pick diseases type A and B, which are fatal inherited lipid lysosomal storage diseases, characterized with visceral organ abnormalities and neurodegeneration. However, the effects of suppressing retinal ASMase expression are not understood. The goal of this study was to determine if the disruption of ASMase expression impacts the retinal structure and function in the mouse, and begin to investigate the mechanisms underl ...[more]

PMID: 26168297

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Project description:The first goal of the study was to find the genes that explain the difference in progression of age-related retinal degeneration (ageRD) between the inbred strains C57BL/6J-c2J (B6a) and BALB/cByJ (C). The specific goal was to find the candidate genes that explain the chromosome 6 and chromosome 10 quantitative trait loci (QTL) found in a previous study. Genes differentially expressed in retina between both strains and that map to the QTL are candidate genes. By integrating different approaches: microarray study, knowledge-based candidate gene search and screening of genetic variants, we found 35 candidate genes for chromosome 6 QTL and 14 candidate genes for chromosome 10 QTL. Five genes for each QTL were selected for sequencing and qPCR analysis. One gene, Tnfaip3 was selected for phenotypic testing and was excluded as the quantitative trait gene for chr10 QTL. The second goal of the study was to find biological processes and pathways associated with ageRD by Gene Ontology analysis of the microarray data. We concentrated on GO terms overrepresented in either strain at 8 months; the age when there is a difference in the phenotype (outer nuclear layer thickness). The GO analysis revealed that transcripts associated with inflammation, mitochondrial envelope, DNA repairing and oxidative stress were increased in the ageRD sensitive C strain with age (8 months). In the ageRD resistant B6a strain transcripts associated with antioxidant response, regulation of blood vessel size and growth factor activity were increased with age. Transcripts associated with cell remodeling and lipid metabolism were increased in either strain with age. This study aims to identify gene expression differences in posterior eyecups between the strains C and B6a at 4 months and at 8 months. Twelve animals were used per strain and time point for a total of 48 mice. Total RNA for 3 animals (6 eyes) were pooled giving a total of 4 biological replicates per strain and time point. The 4-month C samples labeled with Cy5 were hybridized with the 4-month B6a samples labeled with Cy3 (4 biological replicates); the 8-month C samples labeled with Cy5 were hybridized with the 8-month B6a samples labeled with Cy3, for 8 arrays (4 biological replicates). A second set of eight arrays were used to analyzed the same RNA samples but with the dye orientation reversed, yielding a total of 16 arrays in the experiment. Set of arrays organized by shared biological context, such as organism, tumors types, processes, etc.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Intensive light exposure and beta-amyloid (A?) aggregates have been known as a risk factor for macular degeneration and an important component in the pathologic drusen structure involved in this disorder, respectively. However, it is unknown whether A? deposition mediates or exacerbates light exposure-induced pathogenesis of macular degeneration. Several studies including the one from us already showed accumulation of A? deposits in the retina in Alzheimer's transgenic mice. Using histopathological analysis combined with electroretinographic functional assessment, we investigated the effects of cyclic intensive light exposure (CILE) on the architecture of retina and related function in the APPswe/PS1bigenic mouse. RESULTS: Histopathological analysis has found significant loss of outer nuclear layer/photoreceptor outer segment and outer plexiform layer along with abnormal hypo- and hyper-pigmentation in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), remarkable choroidal neovascularization (CNV), and exaggerated neuroinflammatory responses in the outer retina of APPswe/PS1 bigenic mice following cyclic intensive light exposure (CILE), whereas controls remained little change contrasted with age-matched non-transgenic littermates. CILE-induced degenerative changes in RPE are further confirmed by transmission electron microcopy and manifest as formation of basal laminar deposits, irregular thickening of Bruch's membrane (BrM), deposition of outer collagenous layer (OCL) in the subretinal space, and vacuolation in the RPE. Immunofluorescence microscopy reveals drusenoid A? deposits in RPE as well as neovessels attached which are associated with disruption of RPE integrity and provoked neuroinflammatory response as indicated by markedly increased retinal infiltration of microglia. Moreover, both immunohistochemistry and Western blots detect an induction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in RPE, which corroborates increased CNV in the outer retina in the bigenic mice challenged by CILE. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that degenerative changes in the outer retina in the APPswe/PS1 bigenic mouse induced by CILE are consistent with these in AMD. These results suggest that an Alzheimer's transgenic animal model with accumulation of A? deposits might be an alternative animal model for AMD, if combined with other confounding factors such as intensive light exposure for AMD.

Dataset Information

Lack of Acid Sphingomyelinase Induces Age-Related Retinal Degeneration.

Publications

Lack of Acid Sphingomyelinase Induces Age-Related Retinal Degeneration.

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