Project description:Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is the advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy (DR), coupling with irregular neovascularization, and is the leading cause of blindness in working-age people; but the molecular mechanism of vascular differentiation in PDR remains poorly characterized. In our study, we obtained the transcriptome profile of neovascular proliferative membrane specimens from patients with PDR via high-throughput sequencing and advanced bioinformatics. Marker genes of neovascularization were validated and distinct gene expression patterns were formed of PDR compared with normal retina. We also discovered gene sets that were co-expressed with vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), including transcription factors (TFs) that dysregulate VEGFA. In particular, ETS transcription factors family could negatively regulate VEGFA. We also detected a set of genes related to PDR was dramatically changed from pre-mRNA to mature mRNA. In summary, our study firstly presented the profile of neovascular proliferative membrane and identified new marker genes and key regulators of VEGFA, which could contribute the molecular therapy of PDR in the future.
Project description:The microRNA profiles in the vitreous of proliferative vitreoretinal disease (PVD) such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy with fibrovascular membrane and macular hole (MH) patients were studied by RT-PCR.
Project description:The microRNA profiles in the vitreous of proliferative vitreoretinal disease (PVD) such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy with fibrovascular membrane and macular hole (MH) patients were studied by RT-PCR. From each individual in the two cohorts: the PVD (n=3) and MH patients (n=3), vitreous specimens were collected and microRNAs were extracted for miRNA profiles analysis.
Project description:Analysis of ex vivo isolated lymphatic endothelial cells from the dermis of patients to define type 2 diabetes-induced changes. Results preveal aberrant dermal lymphangiogenesis and provide insight into its role in the pathogenesis of persistent skin inflammation in type 2 diabetes. The ex vivo dLEC transcriptome reveals a dramatic influence of the T2D environment on multiple molecular and cellular processes, mirroring the phenotypic changes seen in T2D affected skin. The positively and negatively correlated dLEC transcripts directly cohere to prolonged inflammatory periods and reduced infectious resistance of patients´ skin. Further, lymphatic vessels might be involved in tissue remodeling processes during T2D induced skin alterations associated with impaired wound healing and altered dermal architecture. Hence, dermal lymphatic vessels might be directly associated with T2D disease promotion. Global gene expression profile of normal dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (ndLECs) compared to dermal lymphatic endothelial cells derived from type 2 diabetic patients (dLECs).Quadruplicate biological samples were analyzed from human lymphatic endothelial cells (4 x diabetic; 4 x non-diabetic). subsets: 1 disease state set (dLECs), 1 control set (ndLECs)
Project description:Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of irreversible vision impairment and blindness. To explore the dynamics of aqueous humor (AH) protein profiles during four stages from non-diabetic individuals to proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients, especially to improve our understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
Project description:The goal of the study was to identify genes whose aberrant expression can contribute to diabetic retinopathy. We determined differential response in gene expression to high glucose in lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from matched type 1 diabetic individuals with and without retinopathy. Those genes exhibiting the largest difference in glucose response between diabetic subjects with and without retinopathy were assessed for association to diabetic retinopathy utilizing genotype data from a meta-genome-wide association study. All genetic variants associated with gene expression (expression QTLs; eQTLs) of the glucose response genes were tested for association with diabetic retinopathy. We detected an enrichment of the glucose response gene eQTLs among small association p-values for diabetic retinopathy. Among these, we identified FLCN as a susceptibility gene for diabetic retinopathy. Expression of FLCN in response to glucose is greater in individuals with diabetic retinopathy compared to diabetic individuals without retinopathy. Three large, independent cohorts of diabetic individuals revealed an enhanced association of FLCN eQTL to diabetic retinopathy. Mendelian randomization confirmed a direct positive effect of increased FLCN expression on retinopathy in diabetic individuals. Together, our studies integrating genetic association and gene expression implicate FLCN as a disease gene in diabetic retinopathy.
Project description:Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is a vision-threatening disorder characterized by the formation of cicatricial fibrovascular membranes leading to traction retinal detachment. Despite the recent advance in the treatment of PDR such as vitreoretinal surgery with use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drug as an adjunct, it still remains vision-threatening disease. In order to identify genes associated with the pathogenesis of PDR, we performed gene expression analyses in fibrovascular membrane in patients with PDR using DNA microarray technology.