Project description:Impaired development and maintenance of Schlemm's canal (SC) are associated with perturbed aqueous humor outflow and intraocular pressure. The angiopoietin (ANGPT)/TIE2 signaling pathway regulates SC development and maintenance, whereas the molecular mechanisms of crosstalk between SC and the neural crest (NC)-derived neighboring tissue, the trabecular meshwork (TM), are poorly understood. Here, we show NC-specific forkhead box (Fox)c2 deletion in mice results in impaired SC morphogenesis, loss of SC identity, and elevated intraocular pressure. Visible-light optical coherence tomography analysis further demonstrated functional impairment of the SC in response to changes in intraocular pressure in NC-Foxc2 -/- mice, suggesting altered TM biomechanics. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis identified that this phenotype is predominately characterized by transcriptional changes associated with extracellular matrix organization and stiffness in TM cell clusters, including increased matrix metalloproteinase expression, which can cleave the TIE2 ectodomain to produce soluble TIE2. Moreover, endothelial-specific Foxc2 deletion impaired SC morphogenesis because of reduced TIE2 expression, which was rescued by deleting the TIE2 phosphatase VE-PTP. Thus, Foxc2 is critical in maintaining SC identity and morphogenesis via TM-SC crosstalk.
Project description:Trabecular meshwork cells in eyes with glaucoma aquire mesenchymal phenotypes. The types of microRNAs in exosomes may differ between static and glaucomatous status and their effects on aqueous humor regulation are still uknown. We used microarrays to identify the differential microRNA expression related to interaction between trabecular meshwork cells and Schlemm's canal endothelial cells.
Project description:Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling in cultured human Schelmm's Canal endothelial cells (SC) and trabecular meshwork (TM) cells derived from post-mortem eyes with or without glaucoma. Our study aimed to identify glaucoma-associated genes that were affected by DNA methylation.
Project description:This study highlights the differential roles of apoptosis versus autophagy in cell death mechanism in the trabecular meshwork in primary adult glaucoma at various stages. This reflects the possible role of autophagy in causing glaucomatous damage in severe disease stages
Project description:Impaired development and maintenance of Schlemm's canal (SC) are associated with perturbed aqueous humor outflow and intraocular pressure. The angiopoietin (ANGPT)/TIE2 signaling pathway regulates SC development and maintenance, whereas the molecular mechanisms of crosstalk between SC and the neural crest (NC)-derived neighboring tissue, the trabecular meshwork (TM), are poorly understood. Here, we show NC-specific forkhead box (Fox)c2 deletion in mice results in impaired SC morphogenesis, loss of SC identity, and elevated intraocular pressure. Visible-light optical coherence tomography analysis further demonstrated functional impairment of the SC in response to changes in intraocular pressure in NC-Foxc2 -/- mice, suggesting altered TM biomechanics. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis identified that this phenotype is predominately characterized by transcriptional changes associated with extracellular matrix organization and stiffness in TM cell clusters, including increased matrix metalloproteinase expression, which can cleave the TIE2 ectodomain to produce soluble TIE2. Moreover, endothelial-specific Foxc2 deletion impaired SC morphogenesis because of reduced TIE2 expression, which was rescued by deleting the TIE2 phosphatase VE-PTP. Thus, Foxc2 is critical in maintaining SC identity and morphogenesis via TM-SC crosstalk.
Project description:TGF-beta levels are known to increase in the aqueous humor of eye cells in patients with glaucoma. Increase TGF-beta is assumed to have a biochemical impact on the trabecular meshwork, and an increase in extracellular matrix formation, which may be responsible for decrease outflow facility of the eye. This may increase extracellular pressure, causing glaucoma. TGF-beta 1 may be the cause of abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrices in trabecular meshwork of eyes with primary open angle glaucoma. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta2 regulates the expression of proteoglycans in aqueous humor from human glaucomatous eyes. To identify gene expression changes as a result of TGF-beta1 and 2 treatment of human trabecular meshwork cells. We expect to see a change in expression of the proteoglycans in HTM cells as a response to TGF-beta treatment. Human Trabecular Meswork cells in the eye were bathed by aqueous humor. TM cells were removed from individuals with the following ages: 16,66,67,73, and 76. Each individual was treated with EtOH (control), TGF-beta1, or TGF-beta2. Total RNA from each individual was pooled for each chip. Technical replicates were created for each treatment type, for a total of 6 chips.
Project description:TGF-beta levels are known to increase in the aqueous humor of eye cells in patients with glaucoma. Increase TGF-beta is assumed to have a biochemical impact on the trabecular meshwork, and an increase in extracellular matrix formation, which may be responsible for decrease outflow facility of the eye. This may increase extracellular pressure, causing glaucoma. TGF-beta 1 may be the cause of abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrices in trabecular meshwork of eyes with primary open angle glaucoma. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta2 regulates the expression of proteoglycans in aqueous humor from human glaucomatous eyes. To identify gene expression changes as a result of TGF-beta1 and 2 treatment of human trabecular meshwork cells. We expect to see a change in expression of the proteoglycans in HTM cells as a response to TGF-beta treatment. Human Trabecular Meswork cells in the eye were bathed by aqueous humor. TM cells were removed from individuals with the following ages: 16,66,67,73, and 76. Each individual was treated with EtOH (control), TGF-beta1, or TGF-beta2. Total RNA from each individual was pooled for each chip. Technical replicates were created for each treatment type, for a total of 6 chips. Keywords: dose response
Project description:Extracellular matrix (ECM) materials accumulate in the trabecular meshwork (TM) tissue of patients with glaucoma, which is associated with a decrease in aqueous humor outflow and therefore an increase in intraocular pressure. To explore a potential mechanism for ECM regulation in the TM, we purified extracellular vesicles (EVs) from conditioned media of differentiated TM cells in culture isolated from non-glaucomatous and glaucomatous human donor eyes. EVs were purified using the double cushion ultracentrifugation gradient method. Fractions containing EV markers CD9 and TSG101 were analyzed using nanoparticle tracking analysis to determine their size and concentration. We then determined their proteomic cargo by mass spectrometry and compared protein profiles of EVs between normal and glaucomatous TM cells using PANTHER. Key protein components from EV preparations were validated with Western blotting. Results showed changes in the percentage of ECM proteins associated with EVs from glaucomatous TM cells compared to non-glaucomatous TM cells (5.7% vs 13.1% respectively). Correspondingly, we found that two ECM-related cargo proteins found across all samples, fibronection and EDIL3 were significantly less abundant in glaucomatous EVs (<0.3 fold change across all groups) compared to non-glaucomatous EVs. Overall, these data establish that ECM materials are prominent cargo in EVs from TM cells, and their binding to EVs is diminished in glaucoma