Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease affected by environmental factors and genetic variation, which is a major cause of irreversible vision loss in the elderly. miRNA is a kind of endogenous non-coding RNA, which plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AMD, such as oxidative stress, pathological neovascularization and inflammation, by inhibiting or silencing the expression of transcription genes. miRNA has unique advantages in terms of ease synthesis, targeting and additive effect, a large number of experiments have proved the therapeutic potential of miRNA in AMD, which is expected to become a new method for the treatment of AMD in the future. Since the pathogenesis of AMD has not been fully elucidated, it is still necessary to continue to study the pathogenesis of AMD, the biological effects and mechanisms of various miRNA in the occurrence and development of AMD, and observe its therapeutic effects in AMD, so as to provide more effective options for the precise prevention and treatment of AMD.
ObjectiveTo observe the OCT angiography (OCTA) features of adult-onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy (AFVD).MethodsRetrospective clinical observational study. Twelve patients (22 eyes) diagnosed as AFVD by multi-modal imaging in Ophthalmology Department of Yunnan Second People’s Hospital from March 2018 to May 2019 were included in this study. There were 8 males (16 eyes) and 4 females (6 eyes). The patients aged from 33 to 62 years, with the mean age of 48.7±8.9 years. Ten patients were binocular, 2 patients were monocular. The visual acuity was 0.08-0.6. In 22 eyes, the vitelloid-like substance was relatively complete in 8 eyes, the vitelloid-like substance had different degrees of rupture in 14 eyes, secondary choroidal neovascularization (CNV) was observed in 10 eyes. The Heidelberg OCTA instrument was used for OCTA examination. The central wavelength was 840 nm, the acquisition speed was 85,000 times/s. A 3 mm × 3 mm scan was obtained. In the scanning process, eye-tracking technology was adopted to select images with better image quality and position for marking and saving. The image characteristics of vitelloid-like substance, fundus vascular changes and secondary CNV in OCTA were analyzed.ResultsIn 8 eyes with a relatively complete vitelloid-like substance, B-scan images showed dense vitelloid-like substance under the retinal neurocortical layer, which was located between the RPE layer and the ellipsoid zone and had a uniform density. Blood flow signals at the vitelloid-like substance can be seen in the en-face image, which was the artifact of the vitelloid-like substance reflecting the blood vessels above. In the 14 eyes with different degrees of vitellin-like material rupture, the signal of vitellin-like substance between the ellipsoid zone and the RPE layer in the B-scan image was not uniform, and some weak reflected signal lacunae could be seen. In the image of en-face, the relatively intact areas of vitelloid-like substance still showed the artifact of the blood vessels above the reflection, while there was no blood flow signal at the rupture of vitelloid-like substance. In 22 eyes, the morphology of retinal small blood vessels in the superficial and deep capillary arch ring region of retina was abnormal in 10 eyes. Some small blood vessels could be seen to have branch and shape changes, and the anastomosis failed to show a complete arch ring structure.No significant structural changes in retinal capillaries were observed in 12 eyes. Among the 10 eyes with secondary CNV, 8 eyes showed the non-active CNV which was as thick as "wild branches", and 2 eyes showed the active CNV which was composed of dense and small vascular branches.ConclusionAFVD in OCTA can be manifested as abnormal retinal vascular morphology caused by the vitelliform material pushing, vascular artifacts reflected by the vitelliform material itself, and the presence of CNV under the vitelliform material.
ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effect of lentivirus-mediated polypyrimidine bundle binding protein-associated splicing factor (PSF) on retinal neovascularization (RNV) in mice model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR).MethodsOne hundred and twelve 5-day-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control group, simple OIR model group, OIR model + lentivirus empty vector treatment group (Vec group) and OIR model + PSF lentivirus treatment group (PSF group), with 16, 32, 32 and 32 mice, respectively. When the mice were 7 days old, the mice in the normal control group were fed in a routine environment, and the mice in the OIR model group, Vec group and PSF group were established OIR model. The mice in the Vec group and PSF group were given an intravitreal injection of 1 μl of lentiviral vector and PSF lentivirus (titer 1×1011 TU/ml) at the age of 12 days. No injection was performed in the normal control group and simple OIR group. RNV was evaluated by counting the number of pre-retinal neovascular cells and analysis of non-perfusion area by immunofluorescent staining of the mouse retina. Real-time quantitative PCR was applied to detect the mRNA expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1). Western blot analysis was applied to detect the protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and PSF. Results Of the normal control group, simple OIR model group, Vec group and PSF group, the number of pre-retinal neovascular cell nuclei were 0.00, 14.36±5.50, 15.67±4.96, 8.13±2.09, the non-perfusion area were 0.00%, (35.71±2.81)%, (36.57±4.53)%, (15.33±4.75)%, respectively. The differences of the number of pre-retinal neovascular cell nuclei and non-perfusion area among 4 groups were significant (F=24.87, 165.70; P＜0.05). Compared with the normal control group, there were more pre-retinal neovascular cell nucleis and larger non-perfusion area in the simple OIR model group and Vec group (P＜0.05). Compared with the simple OIR model group and Vec group, there were lower pre-retinal neovascular cell nucleis and smaller non-perfusion area in the PSF group (P＜0.05). Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot showed that the mRNA expression of Nrf2, HO-1 (F=53.66, 83.54) and protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and PSF (F=58.38, 52.69, 24.79) among 4 groups were significant (P＜0.05). The mRNA expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and PSF in the simple OIR model group and Vec group decreased significantly than those in the normal control group (P＜0.05). The mRNA expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and PSF in the PSF group were increased significantly than those in the simple OIR model group and Vec group (P＜0.05). model group and Vec group (P＜0.05).ConclusionIntravitreal injection of lentivirus-mediated PSF inhibits RNV in mice model of OIR possibly through up-regulating the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1.