Project description:We generated a retinal pigment epithelial cell line with complete knockout of giantin using CRISPR. This experiment sought to define changes in the transcriptome of that cell line compared to the parental wild-type cells.
Project description:Retinal pigment epithelial cells are critical for eye function and loss of cell function is linked to age-related blindness. Relatively little is known about the transcriptional regulatory networks in these cells. The datasets presented here are ChIP-seq experiments for RNA polymerase II , transcription factors and histone modifications in human retinal pigment epithelial cells. ChIP-Seq for transcription factors, RNA polymerase, histone modifications and CTCF in retinal pigment epithelial cells
Project description:T cells that encounter cultured ocular pigment epithelial cells in vitro are inhibited from undergoing T cell receptor-triggered activation. Because retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are able to suppress T-cell activation, we studied whether RPE cells could suppress cytokine production by activated T helper (Th) cells. In this study we showed that primary cultured RPE cells greatly suppressed activation of bystander CD4+ T cells in vitro, especially the cytokine production by the target T helper cells (Th1 cells, Th2 cells, Th17 cells, but not Th3 cells). Cultured RPE cells and RPE-supernatants significantly suppressed IL-17 producing CD4+ T cells, and RPE cells fully suppressed polarized Th17 cell lines that induced by recombinant proteins, IL-6 and TGFb2. Moreover, RPE cells failed to suppress IL-17 producing T cells in the presence of rIL-6. In addition, Th17 cells exposed to RPE were suppressed via TGFb, which produce RPE cells. These results indicate that retinal PE cells have immunosuppressive capacity in order to inhibit Th17-type effector T cells. Thus, ocular resident cells play a role in establishing immune regulation in the eye. Retinal pigment epithelium suppresses Th17 cells
Project description:Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and choroidal stromal fibroblast (CSF) were isolated from healthy human donor eyes. Cells were cultured and RNA extracted.
Project description:Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), featured with dysfunction and loss of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), is lacking efficient therapeutic approaches. According to our previous studies, human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs) may serve as a potential seed cell source of RPE cells for therapy because they have no ethical concerns, no tumorigenicity, and little immunogenicity. Herein, trichostatin A and nicotinamide can direct hAESCs differentiation into RPE like cells. The differentiated cells display the morphology, marker expression and cellular function of the native RPE cells, and noticeably express little MHC class II antigens and high level of HLA-G. Importantly, visual function and retinal structure of Royal College of Surgeon (RCS) rats, a classical animal model of retinal degeneration, were rescued after subretinal transplantation with the hAESCs-derived RPE like cells. We established a high-efficient, low-cost and safety-guaranteed system for generating functional RPE cells from hAESCs. These results suggest a novel and ideal therapeutic strategy for retinal degeneration diseases