Histone HIST1H1C/H1.2 regulates autophagy in the development of diabetic retinopathy

Autophagy plays critical and complex roles in many human diseases, including diabetes and its complications. However, the role of autophagy in the development of diabetic retinopathy remains uncertain. Core histone modifications have been reported involved in the development of diabetic retinopathy, but little is known about the histone variants. Here, we observed increased autophagy and histone HIST1H1C/H1.2, an important variant of the linker histone H1, in the retinas of type 1 diabetic rodents. Overexpression of histone HIST1H1C upregulates SIRT1 and HDAC1 to maintain the deacetylation status of H4K16, leads to upregulation of ATG proteins, then promotes autophagy in cultured retinal cell line. Histone HIST1H1C overexpression also promotes inflammation and cell toxicity in vitro. Knockdown of histone HIST1H1C reduces both the basal and stresses (including high glucose)-induced autophagy, and inhibits high glucose induced inflammation and cell toxicity. Importantly, AAV-mediated histone HIST1H1C overexpression in the retinas leads to increased autophagy, inflammation, glial activation and neuron loss, similar to the pathological changes identified in the early stage of diabetic retinopathy. Furthermore, knockdown of histone Hist1h1c by siRNA in the retinas of diabetic mice significantly attenuated the diabetes-induced autophagy, inflammation, glial activation and neuron loss. These results indicate that histone HIST1H1C may offer a novel therapeutic target for preventing diabetic retinopathy.     

Up‐regulated basigin‐2 in microglia induced by hypoxia promotes retinal angiogenesis

Retinal microglia cells contribute to vascular angiogenesis and vasculopathy induced by relative hypoxia. However, its concrete molecular mechanisms in shaping retinal angiogenesis have not been elucidated. Basigin, being involved in tumour neovasculogenesis, is explored to exert positive effects on retinal angiogenesis induced by microglia. Therefore, we set out to investigate the expression of basigin using a well‐characterized mouse model of oxygen‐induced retinopathy, which recapitulated hypoxia‐induced aberrant neovessel growth. Our results elucidate that basigin is overexpressed in microglia, which accumulating in retinal angiogenic sprouts. In vitro, conditioned media from microglia BV2 under hypoxia treatment increase migration and tube formation of retinal capillary endothelia cells, compared with media from normoxic condition. The angiogenic capacity of BV2 is inhibited after basigin knockdown by small interfering RNAs. A new molecular mechanism for high angiogenic capacity, whereby microglia cells release basigin via up‐regulation of PI3K‐AKT and IGF‐1 pathway to induce angiogenesis is unveiled. Collectively, our results demonstrate that basigin from hypoxic microglia plays a pivotal pro‐angiogenic role, providing new insights into microglia‐promoting retinal angiogenesis.     

High glucose promotes retinal endothelial cell migration through activation of Src, PI3K/Akt1/eNOS, and ERKs

Hyperglycemia impacts retinal vascular function and promotes the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy, which ultimately results in growth of new blood vessels and loss of vision. How high glucose affects retinal endothelial cell (EC) properties requires further investigation. Here we determined the impact of high glucose on mouse retinal EC function in vitro. High glucose significantly enhanced the migration of retinal EC without impacting their proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, and capillary morphogenesis. The enhanced migration of retinal EC under high glucose was reversed in the presence of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine, suggesting increased oxidative stress under high-glucose conditions. Retinal EC under high-glucose conditions also expressed increased levels of fibronectin, osteopontin, and alpha(v)beta(3)-integrin, and reduced levels of thrombospondin-1. These changes were concomitant with sustained activation of the downstream prosurvival and promigratory signaling pathways, including Src kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt1/endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and ERKs. The sustained activation of these signaling pathways was essential for enhanced migration of retinal EC under high-glucose conditions. Together, our results indicate the exposure of retinal EC to high glucose promotes a promigratory phenotype. Thus alterations in the proangiogenic properties of retinal EC during diabetes may contribute to the development and pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.     

High glucose induces HGF-independent activation of Met receptor in human renal tubular epithelium

Context: The role of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in diabetic kidney damage remains controversial.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that high glucose levels activate pathways related to HGF and its receptor Met and that this could participate in glucose-induced renal cell damage.

Materials and methods: HK2 cells, a human proximal tubule epithelial cell line, were stimulated with high glucose for 48?hours. Levels of pMet/Met, pEGFR/EGFR, pSTAT3/STAT3, pAkt/Akt and pERK1/2/ERK1/2 were studied by immunoblotting. Absence of HGF was verified by qRT-PCR and ELISA.

Results: High glucose level activated Met and its downstream pathways STAT3, Akt and ERK independently of HGF. High glucose induced an integrin ligand fibronectin. HGF-independent Met phosphorylation was prevented by inhibition of integrin α5β1, Met inhibitor crizotinib, Src inhibitors PP2 and SU5565, but not by EGFR inhibitor AG1478. High glucose increased the expression of TGFβ-1, CTGF and the tubular damage marker KIM-1 and increased apoptosis of HK2 cells, effects inhibited by crizotinib.

Conclusion: High glucose activated Met receptor in HK2 cells independently of HGF, via induction of integrin α5β1 and downstream signaling. This mode of Met activation was associated with tubular cell damage and apoptosis and it may represent a novel pathogenic mechanism and a treatment target in diabetic nephropathy.     

Microglial TNF-α-Dependent Elevation of MHC Class I Expression on Brain Endothelium Induced by Amyloid-Beta Promotes T Cell Transendothelial Migration

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) normally bars peripheral T lymphocytes from entering the cerebrum. Interestingly, activated T cells exist as infiltrates in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients, but little is known about the mechanisms involved. In this study, we observed significantly higher MHC class I expression in rat brain endothelial cells compared with controls following the induction of experimental AD models. An in vitro BBB model, which was constructed with human brain microvascular endothelial cells, was established to study the mechanisms underlying the transendothelial migration of T cells. Using in vitro studies, we demonstrated that secretion of TNF-α from Aβ_1–42-treated BV2 microglia contributes to the elevated expression of MHC class I on the brain microvessel endothelium. Transmigration assays and adhesion assays confirmed that the upregulation of MHC class I molecules was associated with T cell transendothelial migration. MHC class I knock-down in HBMECs significantly attenuated the migratory and adhesive capability of the T cells. Interestingly, a TNF-α neutralizing antibody effectively blocked the transendothelial migration of T cells triggered by treatment with the supernatant from Aβ_1–42-treated BV2 microglia. We propose that microglia-derived TNF-α upregulates MHC class I molecule expression on brain endothelial cells, which represents a mechanism of T cell migration into the brain. This study may provide a new insight into the potential pathomechanism of Alzheimer’s disease.     

ATP and glutamate released via astroglial connexin 43 hemichannels mediate neuronal death through activation of pannexin 1 hemichannels

Inflammation contributes to neurodegeneration in post-ischemic brain, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Participants in this inflammatory response include activation of microglia and astrocytes. We studied the role of microglia treated with amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) on hemichannel activity of astrocytes subjected to hypoxia in high glucose. Reoxygenation after 3?h hypoxia in high glucose induced transient astroglial permeabilization via Cx43 hemichannels and reduction in intercellular communication via Cx43 cell-cell channels. Both responses were greater and longer lasting in astrocytes previously exposed for 24 h to conditioned medium from Aβ-treated microglia (CM-Aβ). The effects of CM-Aβ were mimicked by TNF-α and IL-1β and were abrogated by neutralizing TNF-α with soluble receptor and IL-1β with a receptor antagonist. Astrocytes under basal conditions protected neurons against hypoxia, but exposure to CM-Aβ made them toxic to neurons subjected to a sub-lethal hypoxia/reoxygenation episode, revealing the additive nature of the insults. Astrocytes exposed to CM-Aβ induced permeabilization of cortical neurons through activation of neuronal pannexin 1 (Panx1) hemichannels by ATP and glutamate released through astroglial Cx43 hemichannels. In agreement, inhibition of NMDA or P2X receptors only partially reduced the activation of neuronal Panx1 hemichannels and neuronal mortality, but simultaneous inhibition of both receptors completely prevented the neurotoxic response. Therefore, we suggest that responses to ATP and glutamate converge in activation of neuronal Panx1 hemichannels. Thus, we propose that blocking hemichannels expressed by astrocytes and/or neurons in the inflamed nervous system could represent a novel and alternative strategy to reduce neuronal loss in various pathological states including Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and ischemia.     

LncRNA FENDRR promotes high-glucose-induced proliferation and angiogenesis of human retinal endothelial cells

The study aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA FENDRR in proliferation and angiogenesis of human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs). HRECs were cultured in high-glucose medium to mimic diabetic retinopathy (DR) model. We overexpressed or knocked down FENDRR in HRECs to evaluate the effect of FENDRR expression on cell proliferation, migration, and capillary morphogenesis of HRECs under either normal glucose or high glucose condition. Results showed that VEGF and FENDRR expression were increased in blood from DR patients compared with the control subjects. Furthermore, high glucose treatment upregulated expression of VEGF and FENDRR secreted from HRECs, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Importantly, FENDRR overexpression significantly promoted the high-glucose-induced proliferation, migration, capillary morphogenesis, and VEGF expression in HRECs. In contrast, FENDRR knockdown exerted the opposite effects. In conclusion, lncRNA FENDRR promotes the high-glucose-induced proliferation and angiogenesis of HRECs and may serve as a potential target for anti-angiogenic therapy for DR.     

Enhancing fractalkine/CX3CR1 signalling pathway can reduce neuroinflammation by attenuating microglia activation in experimental diabetic retinopathy

The concept of diabetic retinopathy (DR) has been extended from microvascular disease to neurovascular disease in which microglia activation plays a remarkable role. Fractalkine (FKN)/CX3CR1 is reported to regulate microglia activation in central nervous system diseases. To characterize the effect of FKN on microglia activation in DR, we employed streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats, glyoxal‐treated R28 cells and hypoxia‐treated BV2 cells to mimic diabetic conditions and explored retinal neuronal apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as the expressions of FKN, Iba‐1, TSPO, NF‐κB, Nrf2 and inflammation‐related cytokines. The results showed that FKN expression declined with diabetes progression and in glyoxal‐treated R28 cells. Compared with normal control, retinal microglia activation and inflammatory factors surged in both diabetic rat retinas and hypoxia‐treated microglia, which was largely dampened by FKN. The NF‐κB and Nrf2 expressions and intracellular ROS were up‐regulated in hypoxia‐treated microglia compared with that in normoxia control, and FKN significantly inhibited NF‐κB activation, activated Nrf2 pathway and decreased intracellular ROS. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that FKN deactivated microglia via inhibiting NF‐κB pathway and activating Nrf2 pathway, thus to reduce the production of inflammation‐related cytokines and ROS, and protect the retina from diabetes insult.     

Dietary Taurine Supplementation Ameliorates Diabetic Retinopathy via Anti-excitotoxicity of Glutamate in Streptozotocin-induced Sprague-Dawley Rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether taurine ameliorate the diabetic retinopathy, and to further explore the underlying mechanisms. The Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with streptozotocin to establish experimental diabetic model, then fed without or with 1.2% taurine for additional 4–12 weeks. After that, the protective effects of dietary taurine supplementation on diabetic retinopathy were estimated. Our results showed that chronic taurine supplement effectively improved diabetic retinopathy as changes of histopathology and ultrastructure. The supplementation could not lower plasma glucose concentration (P > 0.05), but caused an elevation in taurine content and a decline in levels of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in diabetic retina (P < 0.05). Moreover, chronic taurine supplementation increased glutamate transporter (GLAST) expression (P < 0.05), decreased intermediate filament glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit 1 (NR1) expression in diabetic retina (P < 0.05). These results demonstrated that chronic taurine supplementation ameliorates diabetic retinopathy via anti-excitotoxicity of glutamate in rats.     

E2f1 mediates high glucose-induced neuronal death in cultured mouse retinal explants

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common complication of diabetes and remains one of the major causes of blindness in the world; infants born to diabetic mothers have higher risk of developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). While hyperglycemia is a major risk factor, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying DR and diabetic ROP are poorly understood. To explore the consequences of retinal cells under high glucose, we cultured wild type or E2f1^?/? mouse retinal explants from postnatal day 8 with normal glucose, high osmotic or high glucose media. Explants were also incubated with cobalt chloride (CoCl₂) to mimic the hypoxic condition. We showed that, at 7 days post exposure to high glucose, retinal explants displayed elevated cell death, ectopic cell division and intact retinal vascular plexus. Cell death mainly occurred in excitatory neurons, such as ganglion and bipolar cells, which were also ectopically dividing. Many Müller glial cells reentered the cell cycle; some had irregular morphology or migrated to other layers. High glucose inhibited the hyperoxia-induced blood vessel regression of retinal explants. Moreover, inactivation of E2f1 rescued high glucose-induced ectopic division and cell death of retinal neurons, but not ectopic cell division of Müller glial cells and vascular phenotypes. This suggests that high glucose has direct but distinct effects on retinal neurons, glial cells and blood vessels, and that E2f1 mediates its effects on retinal neurons. These findings shed new light onto mechanisms of DR and the fetal retinal abnormalities associated with maternal diabetes, and suggest possible new therapeutic strategies.     

Hypoxia Induces Autophagic Cell Death through Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α in Microglia

As phagocytic cells of central nervous system, excessive activation or cell death of microglia is involved in a lot of nervous system injury and degenerative disease, such as stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson''s disease, Alzheimer''s disease. Accumulating evidence indicates that hypoxia upregulates HIF-1α expression leading to cell death of microglia. However, the exact mechanism of cell death induced by hypoxia in microglia is not clear. In the current study, we showed that hypoxia induced cell death and autophagy in microglia. The suppression of autophagy using either pharmacologic inhibitors (3-methyladenine, bafilomycin A1) or RNA interference in essential autophagy genes (BECN1 and ATG5) decreased the cell death induced by hypoxia in microglia cells. Moreover, the suppression of HIF-1α using either pharmacologic inhibitors (3-MA, Baf A1) or RNA interference decreased the microglia death and autophagy in vitro. Taken together, these data indicate that hypoxia contributes to autophagic cell death of microglia through HIF-1α, and provide novel therapeutic interventions for cerebral hypoxic diseases associated with microglia activation.     

Prevention of inflammation‐mediated neurotoxicity by butylidenephthalide and its role in microglial activation

Microglial cells are the prime effectors in immune and inflammatory responses of the central nervous system (CNS). During pathological conditions, the activation of these cells helps restore CNS homeostasis. However, chronic microglial activation endangers neuronal survival through the release of various proinflammatory molecules and neurotoxins. Thus, negative regulators of microglial activation have been considered as potential therapeutic candidates to target neurodegeneration, such as that in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (Ligusticum wallichii Franch) has been widely used for the treatment of vascular diseases in traditional oriental medicine. Butylidenephthalide (BP), a major bioactive component from L. chuanxiong, has been reported to have a variety of pharmacological activities, including vasorelaxant, anti‐anginal, anti‐platelet and anti‐cancer effects. The aim of this study was to examine whether BP represses microglial activation. In rat brain microglia, BP significantly inhibited the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced production of nitric oxide (NO), tumour necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐1β. In organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, BP clearly blocked the effect of LPS on hippocampal cell death and inhibited LPS‐induced NO production in culture medium. These results newly suggest that BP provide neuroprotection by reducing the release of various proinflammatory molecules from activated microglia. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Potential Role of Cyr61 Induced Degeneration of Human Müller Cells in Diabetic Retinopathy

The degeneration of Müller cells has been recognized to involve in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. However, the mechanism is not yet clear. This study is to explore the potential role of Cyr61, a secreted signaling protein in extracellular matrix, in inducing human Müller cell degeneration in diabetic retinopathy (DR). Twenty patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and twelve non-diabetic patients were recruited for this study. Vitreous fluid was collected during vitrectomy surgery for Cyr61 ELISA. Human Müller cell line MIO-M1 were cultured to be subconfluent, and then treated with glucose (0–20 mM) or Cyr61 (0–300 ng/ml). Cyr61 expression induced by increasing concentrations of glucose was evaluated by RT-qPCR and Western blot. Effects of Cyr61 on Müller cells viability, migration and apoptosis were observed by MTT assay, Transwell assay, and TUNEL assay. Vitreous Cyr61 levels were observed to be 8-fold higher in patients with PDR (3576.92±1574.58 pg/mL), compared with non-diabetic controls (436.14±130.69 pg/mL). Interestingly, the active PDR group was significantly higher than the quiescent PDR group (P<0.01). In retinal Müller cells culture, high glucose significantly and dose-dependently elevated Cyr61 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Cyr61 at high concentrations dose-dependently inhibited the viability and migration of Müller cells. TUNEL assay further revealed that high concentration of Cyr61 significantly promoted the cell apoptosis. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated for the first time that the expression of Cyr61 was elevated by high glucose in Müller cells, and Cyr61 inhibited cell viability and migration while induced apoptosis, suggesting the potential role of Cyr61 in Müller cell degeneration. The elevated Cyr61 levels in vitreous fluid of PDR patients further support its role in diabetic retinopathy (DR).     

Imbalances in Mobilization and Activation of Pro-Inflammatory and Vascular Reparative Bone Marrow-Derived Cells in Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a sight-threatening complication of diabetes, affecting 65% of patients after 10 years of the disease. Diabetic metabolic insult leads to chronic low-grade inflammation, retinal endothelial cell loss and inadequate vascular repair. This is partly due to bone marrow (BM) pathology leading to increased activity of BM-derived pro-inflammatory monocytes and impaired function of BM-derived reparative circulating angiogenic cells (CACs). We propose that diabetes has a significant long-term effect on the nature and proportion of BM-derived cells that circulate in the blood, localize to the retina and home back to their BM niche. Using a streptozotocin mouse model of diabetic retinopathy with GFP BM-transplantation, we have demonstrated that BM-derived circulating pro-inflammatory monocytes are increased in diabetes while reparative CACs are trapped in the BM and spleen, with impaired release into circulation. Diabetes also alters activation of splenocytes and BM-derived dendritic cells in response to LPS stimulation. A majority of the BM-derived GFP cells that migrate to the retina express microglial markers, while others express endothelial, pericyte and Müller cell markers. Diabetes significantly increases infiltration of BM-derived microglia in an activated state, while reducing infiltration of BM-derived endothelial progenitor cells in the retina. Further, control CACs injected into the vitreous are very efficient at migrating back to their BM niche, whereas diabetic CACs have lost this ability, indicating that the in vivo homing efficiency of diabetic CACs is dramatically decreased. Moreover, diabetes causes a significant reduction in expression of specific integrins regulating CAC migration. Collectively, these findings indicate that BM pathology in diabetes could play a role in both increased pro-inflammatory state and inadequate vascular repair contributing to diabetic retinopathy.     

Effect of hyperglycemia on insulin receptor signaling in the cultured retinal Müller glial cells

Hyperglycemia and impaired insulin signaling are considered as major factors in the retinal pathology in diabetic retinopathy (DR). Numerous reports support that these two factors damage retinal glial as well as neuronal cells early in diabetes. However, it is not known whether diabetic induced hyperglycemia causes a depression to the insulin signaling. In this study we utilized a well characterized cultured Muller cells (TR-MUL) where we found a high expression of insulin receptor molecules. TR-MUL Cells were treated with high glucose, glutamate and hydrogen peroxide, and activated with insulin. Following treatments, cell lysates were analyzed by immunoblotting experiments for insulin receptor (IRβ) and insulin receptor substrate (IRS1). In addition, cell lysates were immunoprecipitated using antibodies against insulin receptor proteins to analyze tyrosine phosphorylation and serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor proteins. Results indicate that hyperglycemia did not affect the expression of insulin receptor proteins in cultured TR-MUL cells. Although, hyperglycemia seems to inhibit the interaction between IRS1 and IRβ. Hydrogen peroxide increased the tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor proteins but excess glutamate could not affect the insulin receptor proteins indicating that glutamate may not cause oxidative stress in TR-MUL cells. Hyperglycemia lowered serine phosphorylation of IRS^ser632 and IRS^ser1101 however, IRS^ser307 was not affected. Thus, hyperglycemia may not affect insulin signaling through tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor proteins but may inhibit the interactions between insulin receptor proteins. Hyperglycemia induced phosphorylation of various serine residues of IRS1 and their influence on insulin signaling needs further investigation in TR-MUL cells.