Journal article
Defibrinogenation Ameliorates Retinal Microgliosis and Inflammation in A CX3CR1-Independent Manner
ASN neuro, Vol.14, 17590914221131446
10/11/2022
DOI: 10.1177/17590914221131446
PMCID: PMC9557863
PMID: 36221892
Abstract
Microglia-mediated inflammation plays a significant role in neuronal and vascular damage in diabetic retinopathy (DR), but the mechanism linking inflammation, neurodegeneration, and impaired vascular integrity is still unclear. Previous studies from diabetic mouse models showed accumulation of fibrinogen at vessel lesions surrounded by perivascular microglial clusters. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the pathological hallmarks of gliosis and vascular aberrations characterized in diabetic animal models are consistent with those in diabetic human retinas, and to assess the effects of the defibrinogenating agent ancrod in retinal pathology and visual acuity in a two-hit inflammatory diabetic mouse model. Post-mortem human eyes were assessed for retinal and inflammatory gene expression by quantitative PCR. Immunohistochemical analyses in human and murine retinas were performed using markers of gliosis, vascular integrity, and fibrinogen deposition. An inflammatory microenvironment, with microgliosis and microaneurysms, was found in the diabetic human eye. Microglial activation, fibrinogen deposition, and axonal loss were also observed in the diabetic murine retina. Ancrod treatment correlated with reduced microgliosis, less fibrinogen deposition, and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in diseased retinal tissues. Together, these data suggest that fibrinogen contributes to microglia-mediated inflammation in the diabetic retina. Since retinal microgliosis, vascular pathology, and vision deficits manifest in diabetic mice irrespective of CX3CR1 genotype, our results indicate that defibrinogenation can dampen systemic neuroinflammation and vascular insults, thereby improving vision at early stages of diabetes.
Summary Statement
Diabetic human and murine retinas revealed pronounced microglial morphological activation and vascular abnormalities associated with inflammation. Pharmacological fibrinogen depletion using ancrod dampened microglial morphology alterations, resolved fibrinogen accumulation, rescued axonal integrity, and reduced inflammation in the diabetic murine retina.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Defibrinogenation Ameliorates Retinal Microgliosis and Inflammation in A CX3CR1-Independent Manner
- Creators
- Borna Sarker - The University of Texas at San AntonioSandra M. Cardona - The University of Texas at San AntonioKaira A. Church - The University of Texas at San AntonioDifernando Vanegas - The University of Texas at San AntonioPriscila Velazquez - The University of Texas at San AntonioColin Rorex - The University of Texas at San AntonioDerek Rodriguez - The University of Texas at San AntonioAndrew S. Mendiola - Gladstone InstitutesTimothy S. Kern - Department of Ophthalmology, 481087Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.Nadia D. Domingo - Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyRobin Stephens - Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyIsabel A. Muzzio - University of IowaAstrid E. Cardona - The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- ASN neuro, Vol.14, 17590914221131446
- DOI
- 10.1177/17590914221131446
- PMID
- 36221892
- PMCID
- PMC9557863
- NLM abbreviation
- ASN Neuro
- ISSN
- 1759-0914
- eISSN
- 1759-0914
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Grant note
- R01EY029913; R01NS106597 / National Institutes of Health (https://doi.org/10.13039/100000002) GM060655 / University of Texas at San Antonio (https://doi.org/10.13039/100008634)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/11/2022
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984305045102771
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