Dataset Information

Epithelial Membrane Protein-2 (EMP2) Antibody Blockade Reduces Corneal Neovascularization in an In Vivo Model.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Pathologic corneal neovascularization is a major cause of blindness worldwide, and treatment options are currently limited. VEGF is one of the critical mediators of corneal neovascularization but current anti-VEGF therapies have produced limited results in the cornea. Thus, additional therapeutic agents are needed to enhance the antiangiogenic arsenal. Our group previously demonstrated epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2) involvement in pathologic angiogenesis in multiple cancer models including breast cancer and glioblastoma. In this paper, we investigate the efficacy of anti-EMP2 immunotherapy in the prevention of corneal neovascularization.

Methods

An in vivo murine cornea alkali burn model was used to study pathologic neovascularization. A unilateral corneal burn was induced using NaOH, and subconjunctival injection of either anti-EMP2 antibody, control antibody, or sterile saline was performed after corneal burn. Neovascularization was clinically scored at 7 days postalkali burn, and eyes were enucleated for histologic analysis and immunostaining including VEGF, CD31, and CD34 expression.

Results

Anti-EMP2 antibody, compared to control antibody or vehicle, significantly reduced neovascularization as measured by clinical score and central cornea thickness, as well as by histologic reduction of neovascularization, decreased CD34 staining, and decreased CD31 staining. Incubation of corneal limbal cells in vitro with anti-EMP2 blocking antibody significantly decreased EMP2 expression, VEGF expression and secretion, and cell migration.

Conclusions

This work demonstrates the effectiveness of EMP2 as a novel target in pathologic corneal neovascularization in an animal model and supports additional investigation into EMP2 antibody blockade as a potential new therapeutic option.

SUBMITTER: Sun MM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6336205 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Epithelial Membrane Protein-2 (EMP2) Antibody Blockade Reduces Corneal Neovascularization in an In Vivo Model.

Sun Michel M MM Chan Ann M AM Law Samuel M SM Duarte Sergio S Diaz-Aguilar Daniel D Wadehra Madhuri M Gordon Lynn K LK

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 20190101 1

<h4>Purpose</h4>Pathologic corneal neovascularization is a major cause of blindness worldwide, and treatment options are currently limited. VEGF is one of the critical mediators of corneal neovascularization but current anti-VEGF therapies have produced limited results in the cornea. Thus, additional therapeutic agents are needed to enhance the antiangiogenic arsenal. Our group previously demonstrated epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2) involvement in pathologic angiogenesis in multiple cancer ...[more]

PMID: 30646013

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Project description:Pathologic retinal neovascularization is a potentially blinding consequence seen in many common diseases including diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, and retinal vascular occlusive diseases, among others. The use of therapeutics targeting pro-angiogenesis factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has proven to be highly effective, however considerable side effects exist and serial anti-VEGF treatment has been shown to decrease effectiveness over time. Characterization of additional regulators of neovascularization is needed to further understand neovascular disease and identify possible new therapeutic targets. This study investigates epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) and its role as a possible modulator of angiogenesis in human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) under hypoxia. EMP2 is highly expressed in human RPE and RPE cell lines. Adult retinal pigment epithelial cell line-19 (ARPE-19) cells were genetically modified to either overexpress EMP2 (OE) or knock down EMP2 (KD) and expression at the RNA and protein level was evaluated using RNA sequencing and western blot respectively. Protein expression was evaluated under both normoxic conditions and conditions of hypoxic stress with 0.5% O2. EMP2 expression was found to positively correlate with expression of the pro-angiogenesis factors hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1a) and VEGF for both RNA and protein. EMP2 mediated changes in ARPE-19 cells was also found to alter the secretion of a paracrine factor(s) in conditioned media that can regulate human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) endothelial cell migration and capillary tube formation in in vitro functional angiogenesis assays. This study identifies EMP2 as a potentially important mediator of angiogenesis in the human RPE, a tissue involved in abnormal retinal neovascularization in a number of diseases. EMP2 levels positively correlate with those of the potent pro-angiogenesis mediators HIF-1a and VEGF, however the mechanism of this relationship remains to be clarified. This study supports further investigation of EMP2 as a promising novel target for therapeutic treatment of pathologic neovascularization in the retina.

Project description:INTRODUCTION: In Sjögren's syndrome, keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye) is associated with infiltration of lacrimal glands by leukocytes and consequent losses of tear-fluid production and the integrity of the ocular surface. We investigated the effect of blockade of the lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTBR) pathway on lacrimal-gland pathology in the NOD mouse model of Sjögren's syndrome. METHODS: Male NOD mice were treated for up to ten weeks with an antagonist, LTBR-Ig, or control mouse antibody MOPC-21. Extra-orbital lacrimal glands were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for high endothelial venules (HEV), by Affymetrix gene-array analysis and real-time PCR for differential gene expression, and by ELISA for CXCL13 protein. Leukocytes from lacrimal glands were analyzed by flow-cytometry. Tear-fluid secretion-rates were measured and the integrity of the ocular surface was scored using slit-lamp microscopy and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) staining. The chemokine CXCL13 was measured by ELISA in sera from Sjögren's syndrome patients (n = 27) and healthy controls (n = 30). Statistical analysis was by the two-tailed, unpaired T-test, or the Mann-Whitney-test for ocular integrity scores. RESULTS: LTBR blockade for eight weeks reduced B-cell accumulation (approximately 5-fold), eliminated HEV in lacrimal glands, and reduced the entry rate of lymphocytes into lacrimal glands. Affymetrix-chip analysis revealed numerous changes in mRNA expression due to LTBR blockade, including reduction of homeostatic chemokine expression. The reduction of CXCL13, CCL21, CCL19 mRNA and the HEV-associated gene GLYCAM-1 was confirmed by PCR analysis. CXCL13 protein increased with disease progression in lacrimal-gland homogenates, but after LTBR blockade for 8 weeks, CXCL13 was reduced approximately 6-fold to 8.4 pg/mg (+/- 2.7) from 51 pg/mg (+/-5.3) in lacrimal glands of 16 week old control mice. Mice given LTBR blockade exhibited an approximately two-fold greater tear-fluid secretion than control mice (P = 0.001), and had a significantly improved ocular surface integrity score (P = 0.005). The mean CXCL13 concentration in sera from Sjögren's patients (n = 27) was 170 pg/ml, compared to 92.0 pg/ml for sera from (n = 30) healthy controls (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Blockade of LTBR pathways may have therapeutic potential for treatment of Sjögren's syndrome.

Dataset Information

Epithelial Membrane Protein-2 (EMP2) Antibody Blockade Reduces Corneal Neovascularization in an In Vivo Model.

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Epithelial Membrane Protein-2 (EMP2) Antibody Blockade Reduces Corneal Neovascularization in an In Vivo Model.

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