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  1. Sharif U, Mahmud NM, Kay P, Yang YC, Harding SP, Grierson I, et al.
    J Cell Mol Med, 2019 01;23(1):405-416.
    PMID: 30338926 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13944
    The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays a central role in neuroretinal homoeostasis throughout life. Altered proteolysis and inflammatory processes involving RPE contribute to the pathophysiology of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but the link between these remains elusive. We report for the first time the effect of advanced glycation end products (AGE)-known to accumulate on the ageing RPE's underlying Bruch's membrane in situ-on both key lysosomal cathepsins and NF-κB signalling in RPE. Cathepsin L activity and NF-κB effector levels decreased significantly following 2-week AGE exposure. Chemical cathepsin L inhibition also decreased total p65 protein levels, indicating that AGE-related change of NF-κB effectors in RPE cells may be modulated by cathepsin L. However, upon TNFα stimulation, AGE-exposed cells had significantly higher ratio of phospho-p65(Ser536)/total p65 compared to non-AGEd controls, with an even higher fold increase than in the presence of cathepsin L inhibition alone. Increased proportion of active p65 indicates an AGE-related activation of NF-κB signalling in a higher proportion of cells and/or an enhanced response to TNFα. Thus, NF-κB signalling modulation in the AGEd environment, partially regulated via cathepsin L, is employed by RPE cells as a protective (para-inflammatory) mechanism but renders them more responsive to pro-inflammatory stimuli.
    Matched MeSH terms: Retinal Pigment Epithelium/metabolism*
  2. Paraoan L, Sharif U, Carlsson E, Supharattanasitthi W, Mahmud NM, Kamalden TA, et al.
    Prog Retin Eye Res, 2020 11;79:100859.
    PMID: 32278708 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100859
    Secretory proteostasis integrates protein synthesis, processing, folding and trafficking pathways that are essential for efficient cellular secretion. For the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), secretory proteostasis is of vital importance for the maintenance of the structural and functional integrity of apical (photoreceptors) and basal (Bruch's membrane/choroidal blood supply) sides of the environment it resides in. This integrity is achieved through functions governed by RPE secreted proteins, which include extracellular matrix modelling/remodelling, angiogenesis and immune response modulation. Impaired RPE secretory proteostasis affects not only the extracellular environment, but leads to intracellular protein aggregation and ER-stress with subsequent cell death. Ample recent evidence implicates dysregulated proteostasis as a key factor in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the developed world, and research aiming to characterise the roles of various proteins implicated in AMD-associated dysregulated proteostasis unveiled unexpected facets of the mechanisms involved in degenerative pathogenesis. This review analyses cellular processes unveiled by the study of the top 200 transcripts most abundantly expressed by the RPE/choroid in the light of the specialised secretory nature of the RPE. Functional roles of these proteins and the mechanisms of their impaired secretion, due to age and genetic-related causes, are analysed in relation to AMD development. Understanding the importance of RPE secretory proteostasis in relation to maintaining retinal health and how it becomes impaired in disease is of paramount importance for the development and assessment of future therapeutic advancements involving gene and cell therapies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Retinal Pigment Epithelium/metabolism*
  3. Han H, Chen N, Huang X, Liu B, Tian J, Lei H
    J Biol Chem, 2019 10 18;294(42):15408-15417.
    PMID: 31467081 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.010130
    Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a family of lipid kinases that play a critical role in transmitting signals from cell-surface molecules to intracellular protein effectors. Key PI3Ks include PI3Kα, PI3Kβ, and PI3Kδ, which are regulated by receptors. The signaling pathway comprising the PI3Ks, along with a Ser/Thr kinase (AKT), a proto-oncogene product (mouse double minute (MDM)2), and a tumor suppressor protein (p53), plays an essential role in experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), which is a fibrotic blinding eye disorder. However, which PI3K isoforms are involved in PVR is unknown. A major characteristic of PVR is the formation of epi (or sub)-retinal membranes that consist of extracellular matrix and cells, including retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, glial cells, and macrophages. RPE cells are considered key players in PVR pathogenesis. Using immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analyses, we herein provide the evidence that PI3Kδ is highly expressed in human RPEs when it is primarily expressed in leukocytes. We also found that PI3Kδ inactivation through two approaches, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated depletion and a PI3Kδ-specific inhibitor (idelalisib), not only blocks vitreous-induced activation of AKT and MDM2 but also abrogates a vitreous-stimulated decrease in p53. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PI3Kδ inactivation prevents vitreous-induced proliferation, migration, and contraction of human RPEs. These results suggest that PI3Kδ may represent a potential therapeutic target for RPE-related eye diseases, including PVR.
    Matched MeSH terms: Retinal Pigment Epithelium/metabolism*
  4. Arumugam B, Palanisamy UD, Chua KH, Kuppusamy UR
    Mol Vis, 2019;25:47-59.
    PMID: 30820141
    Purpose: Oxidative stress is implicated in the etiology of diabetes and its debilitating complications, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR). Various flavonoids have been reported to be useful in reducing DR progression. Myricetin derivatives (F2) isolated from leaf extract of Syzygium malaccense have the potential to serve as functional food as reported previously. The present study was performed with the aim of determining the antioxidant potential and protective effect of myricetin derivatives (F2) isolated from leaf extract of S. malaccense against glucose oxidase (GO)-induced hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production that causes oxidative stress in ARPE-19 (RPE) cells.

    Methods: Antioxidant properties were assessed through various radical (DPPH, ABTS, and nitric oxide) scavenging assays and determination of total phenolic content and ferric reducing antioxidant power level. ARPE-19 cells were preincubated with samples before the addition of GO (to generate H2O2). Cell viability, change in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), H2O2 levels in cell culture supernatant, and gene expression were assessed.

    Results: F2 showed higher antioxidant levels than the extract when assessed for radical scavenging activities and ferric reducing antioxidant power. F2 protected the ARPE-19 cells against GO-H2O2-induced oxidative stress by reducing the production of H2O2 and intracellular reactive oxygen species. This was achieved by the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2/NFE2L2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD2), as well as downregulation of nitric oxide producer (NOS2) at the transcriptional level.

    Conclusions: The results showed that myricetin derivatives from S. malaccense have the capacity to exert considerable exogenous antioxidant activities and stimulate endogenous antioxidant activities. Therefore, these derivatives have excellent potential to be developed as therapeutic agents for managing DR.

    Matched MeSH terms: Retinal Pigment Epithelium/metabolism
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