Restoration of mesenchymal retinal pigmented epithelial cells by TGFbeta pathway inhibitors

ABSTRACT: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness. Most vision loss occurs following the transition from a disease of deposit formation and inflammation to a disease of neovascular fibrosis and/or cell death. Here, we investigate how protracted wound stimulus leads to seminal changes in gene expression and the onset of a self-sustained state of wound response in retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells. Using a human fetal RPE cell culture model and a systems level transcriptome analysis, we show that prolonged subconfluent culture resulting from repeated passage, leads to terminal acquisition of a mesenchymal-like phenotype post-confluence accompanied by altered expression of >40% of the transcriptome. In contrast, at subconfluence <5% of transcripts have >2-fold expression changes after repeated passage. Protein-protein interaction analysis reveals a core set of genes comprising two interconnected modules with functions pertaining to wound response and cell division. Among the wound response genes are the TGF-beta pathway activators: TGFB1, TGFG2, INHBA, INHBB, GDF6, CTGF, and THBS1. Small molecule inhibition of TGFBR1/ACVR1B mediated signaling both forestalls and reverses the passage-dependent loss of epithelial potential. Moreover, a disproportionate number of RPE wound response genes have altered expression in neovascular and geographic AMD; including key members of the TGF-beta pathway. In conclusiton, in RPE cells the switch to a terminal mesenchymal-like state following protracted or repeated wound stimulus is driven by activation of a self-perpetuating TGF-beta feedback loop. Targeted inhibition of TGF-beta signaling may be an effective approach towards retarding AMD progression and producing RPE cells in quantity for research and cell based therapies.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE62224 | GEO | 2015/07/06

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA263500

REPOSITORIES: GEO