Normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is a complex optic neuropathy characterized by progressive retinal ganglion cell death and glaucomatous visual field loss, despite normal intraocular pressure (IOP). ...This condition poses a unique clinical challenge due to the absence of elevated IOP, a major risk factor in typical glaucoma. Recent research indicates that up to 21% of NTG patients have a family history of glaucoma, suggesting a genetic predisposition. In this comprehensive review using PubMed studies from January 1990 to December 2023, our focus delves into the genetic basis of autosomal dominant NTG, the only known form of inheritance for glaucoma. Specifically exploring optineurin ( OPTN ), TANK binding kinase 1 ( TBK1 ), methyltransferase-like 23 ( METTL23 ), and myocilin ( MYOC ) mutations, we summarize their clinical manifestations, mutant protein behaviors, relevant animal models, and potential therapeutic pathways. This exploration aims to illuminate the intricate pathogenesis of NTG, unraveling the contribution of these genetic components to its complex development.
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of bilateral blindness, affecting nearly 57 million people worldwide. Glaucoma is characterized by a progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells and is often ...associated with intraocular pressure (IOP). Normal tension glaucoma (NTG), marked by normal IOP but progressive glaucoma, is incompletely understood. In 2002, Sarfarazi et al. identified FIP-2 gene mutations responsible for hereditary NTG, renaming this gene “optineurin” (OPTN). Further investigations by multiple groups worldwide showed that OPTN is involved in several critical cellular functions, such as NF-κB regulation, autophagy, and vesicle transport. Recently, OPTN mutations were found to cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Surprisingly, a mutation in the OPTN interacting protein, i.e., the duplication of TANK binding protein 1 (TBK1) gene, also can cause both NTG and ALS. These phenotypically distinct neuronal diseases are now merging into one common pathological mechanism by these two genes. TBK1 inhibition has emerged as a potential therapy for NTG. In this manuscript, we focus on the OPTN E50K mutation, the most common mutation for NTG, to describe the molecular mechanism of NTG by expressing a mutant Optn gene in cells and genetically modified mice. Patient iPS cells were developed and differentiated into neural cells to observe abnormal behavior and the impact of the E50K mutation. These in vitro studies were further extended to identify the inhibitors BX795 and amlexanox, which have the potential to reverse the disease-causing phenomenon in patient's neural cells. Here we show for the first time that amlexanox protects RGCs in Optn E50K knock-in mice.
Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank Hoch, Jeffrey C; Baskaran, Kumaran; Burr, Harrison ...
Nucleic acids research,
01/2023, Letnik:
51, Številka:
D1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank (BMRB, https://bmrb.io) is the international open data repository for biomolecular nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data. Comprised of both empirical and ...derived data, BMRB has applications in the study of biomacromolecular structure and dynamics, biomolecular interactions, drug discovery, intrinsically disordered proteins, natural products, biomarkers, and metabolomics. Advances including GHz-class NMR instruments, national and trans-national NMR cyberinfrastructure, hybrid structural biology methods and machine learning are driving increases in the amount, type, and applications of NMR data in the biosciences. BMRB is a Core Archive and member of the World-wide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB).
Protein Data Bank Japan (PDBj), a founding member of the worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB) has accepted, processed and distributed experimentally determined biological macromolecular structures for ...20 years. During that time, we have continuously made major improvements to our query search interface of PDBj Mine 2, the BMRBj web interface, and EM Navigator for PDB/BMRB/EMDB entries. PDBj also serves PDB‐related secondary database data, original web‐based modeling services such as Homology modeling of complex structure (HOMCOS), visualization services and utility tools, which we have continuously enhanced and expanded throughout the years. In addition, we have recently developed several unique archives, BSM‐Arc for computational structure models, and XRDa for raw X‐ray diffraction images, both of which promote open science in the structural biology community. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, PDBj has also started to provide feature pages for COVID‐19 related entries across all available archives at PDBj from raw experimental data and PDB structural data to computationally predicted models, while also providing COVID‐19 outreach content for high school students and teachers.
This study aimed to develop a more suitable ovarian stimulation procedure for cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Macaques were divided into 4 groups, 7AG, 8AG, 7AN, and 8AN, according to the ...ovarian stimulation procedure administered (i.e., administration of either a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist GnRH-a or GnRH antagonist GnRH-ant) and the number of menstruations (≤ 7 times or ≥ 8 times) in the previous year. In both procedures, oocyte growth and maturation were induced by administration of human follicle-stimulating hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin. The mean numbers of metaphase II mature and metaphase I premature oocytes collected from the 7AG, 8AG, 7AN, and 8AN groups were 12.1 and 10.4, 12.0 and 13.8, 9.1 and 8.3, and 15.5 and 8.8, respectively (P>0.05). The fertilization rates of the 7AN and 8AN groups (85.3% and 74.7%) tended to be higher compared with those in the 7AG and 8AG groups (59.1% and 47.3%; P>0.05). The 8AN group yielded 19.9 zygotes, which was the largest number per macaque, compared with the other three groups. Furthermore, regarding the decreases in body weight between the start of the procedures and the time of oocyte collection, those of the 7AN and 8AN groups were significantly smaller than those of the 7AG and 8AG groups (P<0.05), suggesting that the procedure involving GnRH-ant reduced the burden on the macaques. Thus, controlled ovarian stimulation using a GnRH-ant has some advantages for cynomolgus macaques compared with that using a GnRH-a.
Childhood glaucoma, a significant cause of global blindness, represents a heterogeneous group of disorders categorized into primary or secondary forms. Primary childhood glaucoma stands as the most ...prevalent subtype, comprising primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) and juvenile open-angle glaucoma (JOAG). Presently, multiple genes are implicated in inherited forms of primary childhood glaucoma. This comprehensive review delves into genetic investigations into primary childhood glaucoma, with a focus on identifying causative genes, understanding their inheritance patterns, exploring essential biological pathways in disease pathogenesis, and utilizing animal models to study these mechanisms. Specifically, attention is directed towards genes such as
(cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily B member 1),
(latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 2),
(TEK receptor tyrosine kinase),
(angiopoietin 1), and
(forkhead box C1), all associated with PCG; and
(myocilin), associated with JOAG. Through exploring these genetic factors, this review aims to deepen our understanding of the intricate pathogenesis of primary childhood glaucoma, thereby facilitating the development of enhanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe irreversible central vision loss in individuals over 65 years old. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have shown that the ...region at chromosome 10q26, where the age-related maculopathy susceptibility (ARMS2/LOC387715) and HtrA serine peptidase 1 (HTRA1) genes are located, represents one of the strongest associated loci for AMD. However, the underlying biological mechanism of this genetic association has remained elusive. In this article, we extensively review the literature by us and others regarding the ARMS2/HTRA1 risk alleles and their functional significance. We also review the literature regarding the presumed function of the ARMS2 protein and the molecular processes of the HTRA1 protein in AMD pathogenesis in vitro and in vivo, including those of transgenic mice overexpressing HtrA1/HTRA1 which developed Bruch's membrane (BM) damage, choroidal neovascularization (CNV), and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), similar to human AMD patients. The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of the ARMS2 and HTRA1 susceptibility loci has begun to untangle the complex biological pathways underlying AMD pathophysiology, pointing to new testable paradigms for treatment.
The Protein Data Bank Japan (PDBj), a member of the worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB), accepts and processes the deposited data of experimentally determined biological macromolecular structures. In ...addition to archiving the PDB data in collaboration with the other wwPDB partners, PDBj also provides a wide range of original and unique services and tools, which are continuously improved and updated. Here, we report the new RDB PDBj Mine 2, the WebGL molecular viewer Molmil, the ProMode‐Elastic server for normal mode analysis, a virtual reality system for the eF‐site protein electrostatic molecular surfaces, the extensions of the Omokage search for molecular shape similarity, and the integration of PDBj and BMRB searches.
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common inherited human eye disease resulting in night blindness and visual defects. It is well known that the disease is caused by rod photoreceptor ...degeneration; however, it remains incurable, due to the unavailability of disease-specific human photoreceptor cells for use in mechanistic studies and drug screening. We obtained fibroblast cells from five RP patients with distinct mutations in the RP1, RP9, PRPH2 or RHO gene, and generated patient-specific induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells by ectopic expression of four key reprogramming factors. We differentiated the iPS cells into rod photoreceptor cells, which had been lost in the patients, and found that they exhibited suitable immunocytochemical features and electrophysiological properties. Interestingly, the number of the patient-derived rod cells with distinct mutations decreased in vitro; cells derived from patients with a specific mutation expressed markers for oxidation or endoplasmic reticulum stress, and exhibited different responses to vitamin E than had been observed in clinical trials. Overall, patient-derived rod cells recapitulated the disease phenotype and expressed markers of cellular stresses. Our results demonstrate that the use of patient-derived iPS cells will help to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms caused by genetic mutations in RP.
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