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Tauopathy is a neurodegenerative condition associated with oligomeric tau formation through abnormal phosphorylation. We previously showed that tauopathy is involved in death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after optic nerve crush (ONC). It has been proposed that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is involved in the hyperphosphorylation of tau in Alzheimer’s disease. To determine the roles of GSK3β in tauopathy-related death of RGCs, lithium chloride (LiCl), a GSK3β inhibitor, was injected intravitreally just after ONC. The neuroprotective effects of LiCl were determined by counting Tuj-1-stained RGCs on day 7. Changes of phosphorylated (ser 396) tau in the retina were determined by Simple Western analysis (WES) on day 3. Retinal GSK3β levels were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and an ELISA. There was a 1.9- and 2.1-fold increase in the levels of phosphorylated tau monomers and dimers on day 3 after ONC. LiCl significantly suppressed the increase in the levels of phosphorylated tau induced by ONC. GSK3β was mainly present in somas of RGCs, and ELISA showed that retinal levels increased to 2.0-fold on day 7. IHC showed that the GSK3β expression increased over time and remained in RGCs that were poorly stained by Tuj-1. The GSK3β and tau expression was colocalized in RGCs. The number of RGCs decreased from 1881 ± 188 (sham control) to 1150 ± 192 cells/mm2 on day 7, and LiCl preserved the levels at 1548 ± 173 cells/mm2. Accordingly, GSK3β may be a promising target for some optic nerve injuries.

In this immunohistological study on the peripheral retina of 3-year-old beagle dogs, excised retina specimens were immunostained with antibodies against nestin, Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, CDX2, cytokeratin 18 (CK 18), RPE65, and YAP1, as well as hematoxylin and DAPI, two nuclear stains. Our findings revealed solitary cysts of various sizes in the inner retina. Intriguingly, a mass of small round cells with scant cytoplasms was observed in the cavity of small cysts, while many disorganized cells partially occupied the cavity of the large cysts. The small cysts were strongly positive for nestin, Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, CDX2, CK18, and YAP1. RPE65-positive cells were exclusively observed in the tissue surrounding the cysts. Since RPE65 is a specific marker of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, the surrounding cells of the peripheral cysts were presumably derived from RPE cells that migrated intraretinally. In the small cysts, intense positive staining for nestin, a marker of retinal stem cells, seemed to indicate that they were derived from retinal stem cells. The morphology and positive staining for markers of blastocyst and RPE cells indicated that the small cysts may have formed structures resembling the blastocyst, possibly caused by the interaction between retinal stem cells and migrated RPE cells.

Abstract Determine the impact of the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, on the hyperglycemia-induced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in retinal cells. Rats made hyperglycemic for 8 weeks by streptozotocin, as well as control rats, received i.p. rapamycin (1 mg/kg) for 3 days prior to immunostaining of their retinas with anti-VEGF and anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and measuring retinal protein levels of VEGF and GFAP by Western blotting. In other experiments, flow cytometry analysis of ethidium fluorescence determined intracellular ROS levels in the absence or presence of rapamycin (1 μM) under normoglycemic (5.5 mM) and hyperglycemic (25 mM) conditions in a rat retinal Müller cell line (TR-MUL5) and primary human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs). In the diabetic retina, VEGF was elevated and colocalized with the glial marker, GFAP, whose level was also elevated. Treatment with rapamycin inhibited the diabetes-induced VEGF and GFAP increases. We also found that raising extracellular glucose from 5.5 mM to 25 mM resulted in significant rapamycin-sensitive increases in the ROS levels of TR-MUL5 cells and HRMECs. In rat retina, rapamycin attenuates the diabetes-induced VEGF overexpression, and in cultured Müller cells and HRMECs, inhibits the hyperglycemia-induced boost ROS.

Purpose: To report the case of a patient with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-producing pituitary adenoma who developed a mental disorder after initial surgery that kept him from undergoing scheduled follow-up visits and who ultimately had a giant recurrent tumor that resulted in blindness. Case Report: A 37-year-old male presented with the primary complaint of decreased visual acuity (VA) in both eyes and visual field defects. Visual field examination revealed bitemporal hemianopia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a pituitary tumor of approximately 4 cm in diameter extending from the intrasellar region to the sphenoid sinus and the suprasellar region. Transnasal transsphenoidal surgery was performed. Immunostaining of tumor tissue collected intraoperatively showed ACTH-positive cells, thus leading to the diagnosis of ACTH-producing pituitary adenoma. Postoperatively, the patient reportedly developed mental disorder that possibly interfered with scheduled appointments or continuous follow-up visits for many years, so we had no postoperative data about the vision/visual filed. Seven years later, he presented with markedly decreased VA (i.e., no light perception) in both eyes. Fundus examination showed bilateral marked optic disc atrophy. MRI showed a larger than 8-cm diameter giant recurrent pituitary adenoma in the suprasellar region, for which craniotomy was performed for partial tumor resection. Preoperatively, his blood cortisol level was low, and the lesion was deemed a nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma. Postoperatively, no significant complications occurred, yet his VA was no light perception OD and light perception OS. Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware that patients with ACTH-producing pituitary adenomas may develop a mental disorder following surgery and possibly be unable to undergo scheduled follow-up, thus illustrating the importance of establishing an adequate patient follow-up system.

We report a case of idiopathic orbital inflammation with a shallow anterior chamber and choroidal detachments. This study involved an 87-year-old female patient who presented at our department after becoming aware of the progression of diplopia. Examination of the patient’s right eye revealed proptosis, as well as conjunctival edema with dilated and tortuous blood vessels. The right-eye anterior chamber was shallow, and fundus examination revealed marked choroidal detachments. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed enlargement of the right-orbit extraocular muscles and a suspected compression of the right-orbit superior and inferior ophthalmic veins, yet no expansion of the cavernous sinus. We diagnosed the patient as having idiopathic orbital inflammation in her right orbit, and subsequently started corticosteroid therapy. One week after initiating treatment, the anterior chamber was found to be nearing a normal depth, and the choroidal detachments were found to have disappeared. Our findings revealed that the inflammatory swelling of the extraocular muscle due to idiopathic orbital inflammation resulted in compression of the right-orbit superior and inferior ophthalmic veins, thus leading to an apparent choroidal circulation disorder that presented with a shallow anterior chamber and marked choroidal detachments.

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a common vascular disease of the retina; however, the pathogenesis of RVO is still unclear. Branch RVO (BRVO) commonly occurs at the arteriovenous crossing and it was formerly believed that the diseased artery mechanically compresses the vein. However, it has been reported that the retinal vein runs deep beneath the artery at the arteriovenous crossing in eyes with an arterial overcrossing, and the venous lumen often appears to be preserved, even at the arteriovenous crossing, as shown by optical coherence tomography. Paques et al. [1] found venous nicking without arteriovenous contact using adaptive optics imaging. Thus, we investigated the potential role of a dysregulation of the retinal vein.While the pathogenesis of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is still unclear, systemic hypertension and increased level of endothelin-1 (ET-1) are known risk factors (Flammer and Konieczka, 2015) [2]. We focused on the behavior of retinal veins in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). Then, one of the retinal veins became exceptionally constricted and was nearly occluded (Fig. 1), and the chorioretinal blood flow significantly decreased in the retinas of SHRs following the intravenous injection of ET-1. In addition, immunoreactivity to ET-A receptor was higher in SHR retinas than in control (WKY; Wistar Kyoto rat) retinas (Fig. 2). The protein levels of ET-A receptor and HIF-1 were also significantly higher in SHR retinas than in WKY retinas (Fig. 3). We observed vasoactivity of retinal veins; a retinal venous constriction (Kida et al., 2018) [3]. This supports the hypothesis that ET-1 can constrict retinal veins, thus increasing retinal venous pressure, and that ET-1 may even contribute to the pathogenesis of RVO.

Purpose: To report a case of prolonged placement of a lacrimal silicone tube for 20 years, with evaluation of the lacrimal duct using lacrimal micro-endoscopy and inspection of deformation of the lacrimal tube. Observations: This study involved a case of dacryocystitis in which a silicone tube had been placed in the patient 20-years previous and that was treated conservatively. Although granulation tissue formation due to dacryocystitis in the lacrimal duct was observed under lacrimal micro-endoscopy, subjective and objective resolution of symptoms, including granulated tissue formation, was achieved after removal of the silicone tube and conservative medical treatment. Follow-up examinations performed over a 12-month period post treatment revealed no recurrence of epiphora or anatomical obstruction. Inspection of the lacrimal tube using the tension test revealed minimal changes in the tube in situ for 20 years. Conclusions and Importance: The findings in this case suggest both the lacrimal system and the silicone tube are tolerant to prolonged intubation, as long as the tube had been placed properly with careful observation. Our findings may encourage physicians to consider prolonged intubation for select cases of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Keywords: Silicone tube, Lacrimal obstruction, Deformation, Micro-lacrimal endoscopy, Prolonged tube placement, Granulation

Abstract Background To describe a retrospective study of macular retinoschisis that developed long after the onset of retinal artery occlusion (RAO) using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods We describe changes in macular findings and visual acuity (VA) of 29 patients (21 males and 8 females, mean age: 66.1 ± 16.9 years) with RAO (18 branch RAOs [BRAOs] and 11 central RAOs [CRAOs] who visited Osaka Medical College Hospital over an 8-year period based on a medical chart review. Results The mean VA (logMAR) increased from 1.06 ± 1.08 (CRAO: 2.04 ± 0.99; BRAO: 0.37 ± 0.40) at the first visit to 0.71 ± 0.87 (CRAO: 1.46 ± 0.86; BRAO: 0.18 ± 0.30) at the final visit. Macular OCT revealed swelling or hyper-reflectivity of the inner retina in the early phase of RAO and retinal thinning in the late phase. Among the 29 patients, two patients (a patient with BRAO and a patient with CRAO) developed macular retinoschisis about 1 year after RAO onset. The VA of the patient with BRAO was 20/300 at the first visit, and it improved to 20/25 two days after onset following eye massage and anterior chamber paracentesis. However, his VA worsened, declining from 20/25 to 20/50, and retinoschisis occurred 13 months after RAO onset. The patient with CRAO showed macular changes including small cystoids at the first follow-up visit more than 3 weeks after onset and developed retinoschisis 11 months after the first visit. In addition, two patients with BRAO and one patient with CRAO developed macular changes including small cystoids 3 weeks after onset, with the BRAO complicated by retinal vein occlusion. In the CRAO patient, the cystoid macular edema was resolved 1 month after the first visit. Conclusions Macular retinoschisis is unusual, but a possible complication of RAO that can develop long after the onset of the occlusion, potentially resulting in renewed VA deterioration.

Purpose: To report a case of fundus oculi albinoticus diagnosed as Angelman syndrome (AS) via genetic testing. Case Report: This study reports on a 4-year-old boy. Since he had been having respiratory disturbance since birth, he underwent a complete physical examination to investigate the cause. The results indicated that he had various brain congenital abnormalities, such as a thin corpus callosum, as well as hydronephrosis, an atrial septal defect, and skin similar to patients with fundus oculi albinoticus. Examination revealed bilateral fundus oculi albinoticus, mild iridic hypopigmentation, optic atrophy, and poor visual tracking. Genetic testing revealed a deletion in the Prader-Willi syndrome/AS region on chromosome 15, and together with the results of methylation analysis, his condition was diagnosed as AS. Follow-up examinations revealed no change in the fundus oculi albinoticus and optic atrophy, nor did they indicate poor visual tracking. Conclusions: When fundus oculi albinoticus and optic atrophy are observed in patients with multiple malformations, AS should be considered as a differential diagnosis.

Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by abnormal metabolism of misfolded tau proteins and are progressive. Pathological phosphorylation of tau occurs in the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after optic nerve injuries. Cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (Cdk5) causes hyperphosphorylation of tau. To determine the roles played by Cdk5 in retinal degeneration, roscovitine, a Cdk5 inhibitor, was injected intravitreally after optic nerve crush (ONC). The neuroprotective effect of roscovitine was determined by the number of Tuj-1-stained RGCs on day 7. The change in the levels of phosphorylated tau, calpain-1, and cleaved α-fodrin was determined by immunoblots on day 3. The expression of P35/P25, a Cdk5 activator, in the RGCs was determined by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that roscovitine reduced the level of phosphorylated tau by 3.5- to 1.6-fold. Calpain-1 (2.1-fold) and cleaved α-fodrin (1.5-fold) were increased on day 3, suggesting that the calpain signaling pathway was activated. P35/P25 was accumulated in the RGCs that were poorly stained by Tuj-1. Calpain inhibition also reduced the increase in phosphorylated tau. The number of RGCs decreased from 2191 ± 178 (sham) to 1216 ± 122 cells/mm2 on day 7, and roscovitine preserved the level at 1622 ± 130 cells/mm2. We conclude that the calpain-mediated activation of Cdk5 is associated with the pathologic phosphorylation of tau.

Purpose: To report our findings in 2 patients who developed a central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and were chronic users of antipsychotic medications. Case Presentation: Case 1 was a 62-year-old woman who had a sudden reduction of vision in her right eye to 20/2,000. Her fundus showed signs of an impending CRVO with marked macular edema. She had been taking antipsychotic drugs (quetiapine fumarate and risperidone) for about 2 years. She refused anti-VEGF therapy for her macular edema but selected systemic kallidinogenase. Two days later, the macular edema was significantly reduced but the number of cotton wool spots (CWS) was increased. Ten days later, the macular edema was resolved and her BCVA improved to 20/60. The CWS gradually disappeared, and her BCVA improved to 20/20. Case 2 was a 43-year-old man who presented with vision reduction in his right eye of 1 week’s duration. His BCVA was 20/50 and his fundus showed signs of a CRVO-related macular edema with CWS in the peripapillary area. He had been taking sulpiride (DogmatylTM) for depression for 1 year, and his blood test showed an increase in red blood cells and hematocrit. Anti-VEGF therapy was performed, and the macular edema was resolved with vision improving to 20/20. There has been no recurrence to date in both cases. Conclusions: These results indicate that a CRVO can be a complication of chronic use of antipsychotic medications. However, early treatment can lead to good outcomes. Clinicians should question patients who develop a sudden CRVO whether they are using antipsychotic medications.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report the case of a female patient who had a giant cell tumor in the paranasal sinus during childhood, and while undergoing multiple resection surgeries experienced optic atrophy in both eyes. Case Presentation: This study involved a 35-year-old woman who was previously diagnosed with a giant cell tumor of the paranasal sinus bone at age 13. A CT scan revealed a large tumor extending from the sphenoid sinus to the ethmoid sinus. At age 14, a tumor resection was performed in conjunction with radiation therapy. However, after resection and radiation therapy there were repeated recurrences, and additional resections were performed. Ophthalmically, there was marked optical atrophy in both eyes, and Goldmann visual field perimetry revealed that only the arcuate peripheral area remained on the nasal side of the right eye, and that there were dark spots in the paracentral area of the left eye. Conclusions: In this case, a large giant cell tumor occurred in the sphenoid sinus and ethmoid sinus during childhood, and it is thought that optic atrophy was caused by compressive optic neuropathy. The sphenoid sinus and ethmoid sinuses are anatomically close to the optic nerve, and when a tumor grows larger at this site it can easily put pressure on the optic nerve. Therefore, early detection and treatment are important.

It is not common for an isolated visual symptom to be the first indication of an aneurysm compressing the optic nerve. The compression can lead to blindness, and a recovery from the blindness is rare. We report a female with a left painless optic neuropathy caused by an unruptured anterior cerebral artery aneurysm. The patient had a temporal hemianopic visual field defect, which progressed to blindness in the left eye, while the right visual function was not affected. A coil embolization of the aneurysm completely restored her visual acuity to 20/20. These findings suggest that aneurysmal lesions should be ruled out in case of unilateral optic neuropathy with hemianopic visual field defects and progressive visual loss.

Purpose: The aim of this paper was to report 2 patients (3 eyes) with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) who showed marked sheathing of the retinal arterioles that was ultimately attributed to calcification following vitrectomy. Cases: Case 1 involved a 65-year-old female with PDR who underwent bilateral vitrectomy for traction retinal detachment. Postoperatively, bilateral retinal redetachment (reRD) was observed. Sheathing of the retinal arterioles was observed at the same time, yet was not apparent preoperatively. Case 2 involved a 71-year-old female with PDR who underwent vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage. Postoperatively, reRD was observed, and fundus findings showed sheathing of the retinal arterioles. In both patients, silicone oil tamponade and retinopexy were performed at reoperation, but sheathing of the retinal arterioles persisted postoperatively. Fluorescein fundus angiography showed that retinal blood flow was maintained, and no vessel leakage occurred. In addition, no sheathing of the retinal veins was observed. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed a higher intensity for retinal arterioles with sheathing than for normal retinal arterioles. Conclusion: Vessel sheathing in our 2 patients (3 eyes) differed from the sheathing seen in vasculitis. Based on the hyperintensity on OCT, this sheathing may have been due to retinal artery calcification induced by hypoxia and inflammation associated with reRD.

We previously reported on the elevated intravitreal activities of tryptase and chymase in association with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) and idiopathic macular hole (MH). In this present study, we investigated the potential intraocular production of these serine proteases, and measured and compared tryptase and chymase activities in the vitreous body and serum in ERM, MH, proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) patients. In addition, nuclear staining with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and mast-cell staining with toluidine blue were performed on samples of the vitreous core and bursa premacularis (BPM) of MH. We also performed immunostaining on the above two regions of vitreous samples for MH with anti-tryptase antibody, anti-chymase antibody, anti-podoplanin antibody, anti-lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1) antibody, and anti-fibroblast antibody. Moreover, we performed immunostaining with anti-tryptase antibody and anti-chymase antibody on ERMs collected intraoperatively. Tryptase activity in the vitreous body was significantly higher in ERM and MH than in PDR. However, no significant differences were observed in the tryptase activity in the serum among these four diseases. Chymase activity in the vitreous body was significantly higher in MH than in the other three diseases, yet chymase activity in the serum was below detection limit in any of the diseases. Nuclear staining with H&E revealed an abundance of nuclei in the BPM region, but few in the surrounding area. Mast-cell staining with toluidine blue revealed that the BPM showed metachromatic staining. In immunostaining with anti-fibroblasts antibody, anti-tryptase antibody, anti-chymase antibody, anti-podoplanin antibody, and anti-LYVE-1 antibody, the BPM stained more strongly than the vitreous core. Tryptase and chymase-positive cells were also observed in ERM. These findings revealed that the presence of mast cells in the BPM potentially represent the source of these serine proteases. Moreover, the BPM, as a lymphatic tissue, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of macular disease.

Dissociated optic nerve fiber layer (DONFL) appearance is characterized by dimpling of the fundus when observed after vitrectomy with the internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling in macular diseases. However, the cause of DONFL remains largely unknown. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings have indicated that the nerve fiber layer (NFL) and ganglion cells are likely to have been damaged in patients with DONFL appearance. Since DONFL appearance occurs at a certain postoperative period, it is unlikely to be retinal damage directly caused by ILM peeling because apoptosis occurs at a certain period after tissue damage and/or injury. However, it may be due to ILM peeling-induced apoptosis in the retinal tissue. Anoikis is a type of apoptosis that occurs in anchorage-dependent cells upon detachment of those cells from the surrounding extracellular matrix (i.e., the loss of cell anchorage). The anoikis-related proteins βA3/A1 crystallin and E-cadherin are reportedly expressed in retinal ganglion cells. Thus, we theorize that one possible cause of DONFL appearance is ILM peeling-induced anoikis in retinal ganglion cells.

We previously reported that the bursa premacularis (BPM), a peculiar vitreous structure located above the macula, contains numerous cells expressing markers of lymphatic endothelial cells, such as podoplanin and LYVE-1. Herein, we examined the expression of lymphatic markers in the Berger’s space (BS), BPM, and vitreous core (VC). BS, BPM, and VC specimens were selectively collected in macular hole and epiretinal membrane patients during vitrectomy and were then immunostained with antibodies for podoplanin, LYVE-1, and fibrillin-1 and -2. By visualization using triamcinolone acetonide, the BS was recognized as a sac-like structure with a septum located behind the lens as well as BPM. Those tissues adhered to the lens or retina in a circular manner by means of a ligament-like structure. Immunostaining showed intense expression of podoplanin and LYVE-1 in the BS. Both BS and BPM stained strongly positive for fibrillin-1 and -2. The VC was faintly stained with antibodies for those lymph-node markers. Our findings indicate that both BS and BPM possibly belong to the lymphatic system, such as lymph nodes, draining excess fluid and waste products into lymphatic vessels in the dura mater of the optic nerve and the ciliary body, respectively, via intravitreal canals.

Lattice degeneration involves thinning of the retina that occurs over time. Here we performed an immunohistological study of tissue sections of human peripheral retinal lattice degeneration to investigate if retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are involved in the pathogenesis of this condition. In two cases of retinal detachment with a large tear that underwent vitreous surgery, retinal lattice degeneration tissue specimens were collected during surgery. In the obtained specimens, both whole mounts and horizontal section slices were prepared, and immunostaining was then performed with hematoxylin and antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), RPE-specific protein 65 kDa (RPE65), pan-cytokeratin (pan-CK), and CK18. Hematoxylin staining showed no nuclei in the center of the degenerative lesion, thus suggesting the possibility of the occurrence of apoptosis. In the degenerative lesion specimens, GFAP staining was observed in the center, RPE65 staining was observed in the slightly peripheral region, and pan-CK staining was observed in all areas. However, no obvious CK18 staining was observed. In a monkey retina used as the control specimen of a normal healthy retina, no RPE65 or pan-CK staining was observed in the neural retina. Our findings suggest that migration, proliferation, and differentiation of RPE cells might be involved in the repair of retinal lattice degeneration.

Purpose: We performed ophthalmic examinations, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), on a case diagnosed with hydranencephaly. Case Report: This case involved a female infant born at the gestational age of 35 weeks and 4 days, with the birth weight of 2,152 g, who was one of monochorionic diamniotic twins, and the identical twin died in utero at the gestational age of 24 weeks. After that, examination by fetal echo indicated that she had microcephaly and ventriculomegaly. Postnatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of her head indicated microcephaly and significant enlargement of the lateral ventricle on both sides, with no obvious signs of elevated intracranial pressure. The brain parenchyma of both sides of the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and occipital lobe had marked thinning, yet that of the temporal lobe, basal ganglia, thalamus, brain stem, and cerebellum had been maintained. Moreover, no obvious hematoma or neoplastic lesions were observed. Ophthalmic examinations indicated that both of her eyes had slight light reflex, attributed to optic nerve atrophy. Examination by use of a hand-held OCT system indicated a layered structure of the retina and thinning of the ganglion cell layer. Flicker electroretinogram (ERG) examination by use of a hand-held ERG system indicated an almost normal wave. However, no clear visual reaction was observed when she was 10 months old. Conclusion: Our findings in this case of hydranencephaly revealed that even though the outer layer functions of the patient’s retina were maintained, extensive damage to her cerebral cortex resulted in poor visual function.

Microvascular changes are the earliest adverse events in diabetic retinopathy, but recent studies have shown that oxidative stress induced by photoreceptors is associated with the development of the retinopathy. The purpose of this study was to determine the roles played by superoxides formed by photoreceptors under hyperglycemic conditions on autophagy. To accomplish this, we cultured 661 W cells, a transformed murine cone cell line, with 5.5 or 25 mM glucose in the presence or absence of 3 methyl adenine (3MA) or rapamycin. The superoxides were determined by flow cytometry using hydroethidine as a fluorescence probe. The autophagy activity was determined by changes in the expression of LC3B2 and P62 by immunoblotting. The degree of mitophagy was determined by the accumulation of mitochondria and lysosomes. Apoptotic changes of 661 W cells were determined by the caspase 3/7 activities. Our results showed higher levels of P62 and superoxides in cells cultured in 25 mM glucose than in 5.5 mM glucose. Addition of 3MA caused a significant increase of P62, superoxides, and caspase 3/7 activities in the 661 W cells cultured in high glucose but not in low glucose. These findings suggest that autophagy is important for the functioning and survival of 661 W cells under hyperglycemic conditions.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of a selective aquaporin 4 (AQP4) inhibitor, 2-(nicotinamide)-1,3,4-thiadiazole (TGN-020), on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, as well as on the retinal edema in diabetic retina. Methods: Intravitreal injections of bevacizumab, TGN-020, or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were performed on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Retinal sections were immunostained for anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), anti-AQP4, and anti-VEGF. Protein levels of VEGF from collected retinas were determined by Western blot analysis. In addition, retinal vascular leakage of Evans Blue was observed in the flat-mounted retina from the diabetic rats in the presence or absence of TGN-020. Volumetric changes of rat retinal Müller cells (TR-MUL5; transgenic rat Müller cells) and intracellular levels of ROS were determined using flow cytometry analysis of ethidium fluorescence in the presence or absence of TGN-020 or bevacizumab under physiological and high glucose conditions. Results: In the diabetic retina, the immunoreactivity and protein levels of VEGF were suppressed by TGN-020. AQP4 immunoreactivity was higher than in the control retinas and the expressions of AQP4 were co-localized with GFAP. Similarly to VEGF, AQP4 and GFAP were also suppressed by TGN-020. In the Evans Blue assay, TGN-020 decreased leakage in the diabetic retinas. In the cultured Müller cells, the increase in cell volumes and intracellular ROS production under high glucose condition were suppressed by exposure to TGN-020 as much as by exposure to bevacizumab. Conclusion: TGN-020 may have an inhibitory effect on diabetic retinal edema.

We report a rare case of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the lung with cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR). To our knowledge, only two cases of LCNEC with CAR have been reported, one in 1995 and another in 2013. CAR, typically associated with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), is one of the paraneoplastic syndromes with deterioration of visual acuity, visual field constriction, and photophobia. CAR is caused by an autoimmune system reaction against the same antigen in the tumor and retinal photoreceptor cells. To diagnose CAR, genetic retinal dystrophies or any other medical causes of retinopathy should be excluded, but there are no standard diagnostic criteria. Anti-retinal antibodies are known to be positive in CAR patients, and anti-recoverin antibodies are thought to be sensitive and specific to CAR. In our case, anti-recoverin antibodies were not detected by serum tests, but CAR could be diagnosed on the basis of ophthalmological findings including clinical symptoms, electroretinographic findings, and visual field tests. CAR with clinical features of rapid visual disorder should be considered in LCNEC patients as well as in SCLC patients.

The purpose of this study was to compare steroid hormone concentration levels in the vitreous and serum of vitreoretinal disease patients to elucidate the possibility of neurosteroid production in the retina. Serum and vitreous samples were collected from vitrectomy patients, and estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) concentrations were measured using electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay. We measured E2 in epiretinal membrane (ERM, n = 14), macular hole (MH, n = 18), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR, n = 20), and retinal detachment (RD, n = 19) cases, and T in ERM (n = 14), MH (n = 17), PDR (n = 13), and RD (n = 17) cases. No statistically significant age differences existed among the groups. Mean respective E2 concentrations (pg/ml) in the male/female vitreous were ERM: 6.67±4.04/18.82±7.10, MH: 10.3±7.02/17.00±4.8, PDR: 4.2±3.05/15.83±3.46, and RD: 10.00±4.58/16.06±4.57, while those in serum were ERM: 31.67±5.51/5.82±1.08, MH: 21.00±8.89/7.53±3.2, PDR: 29.20±7.07/12.75±10.62, and RD: 24.33±6.51/7.5±4.42. E2 concentrations were significantly higher (P

Takuji Kurimoto1, Shinichirou Oono1, Hidehiro Oku2, Yuichi Tagami1, Ryousuke Kashimoto1, Masashi Takata1, Norio Okamoto1, Tsunehiko Ikeda2, Osamu Mimura11Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan Purpose: The aim of this article is to investigate the effect of transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES) on chorioretinal blood flow in healthy human subjects.Methods: The chorioretinal blood flow of 10 healthy subjects was measured before and after TES by laser speckle flowgraphy and expressed as the square blur rate (SBR). The chorioretinal blood flow was determined before and immediately after TES and 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 24, and 40 h after TES in three different areas: the margin of the optic disc, a point located midway between the optic disc and macula, and the macula area. The SBR of the stimulated eye is expressed relative to the value of the fellow eye. The mean standardized blur ratio was calculated as the ratio of the standardized SBR to the baseline SBR. The changes of intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure (BP), and pulse rate (PR) were determined after each measurement of the SBR. The ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) was calculated from BP and IOP.Results: The mean standardized blur ratio at the optic disc did not change significantly throughout the course of the experiment. However, the mean standardized blur ratio midway between the optic disc and macula and at the macula area were significantly higher after TES than that after sham stimulation at 3 and 24 h (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively). At all times, the mean BP, PR, IOP, and OPP were not significantly different from the prestimulation values.Conclusions: TES increases the chorioretinal blood flow in normal subjects with minimal effects on the systemic blood circulation and the IOP. The increase in chorioretinal blood flow may be one of the beneficial effects that TES has on ischemic retinal diseases.Keywords: transcorneal electrical stimulation, chorioretinal blood flow, laser speckle flowgraphy, healthy human subjects

In the present study, the effects of long-term angiotensin (Ang) II antagonism on the development of cardiac and endothelial disorders were examined in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rats. Blood glucose concentration started to increase markedly in the untreated SDT rats from 20 weeks of age, while the blood glucose concentrations of candesartan cilexetil–treated SDT rats were significantly lower until 30 weeks of age. Cardiac function deteriorated in SDT rats and was accompanied by severe cardiac fibrosis, cardiac hypertrophy, and microstructural pathologic change in cardiomyocytes. Cardiac function was very well preserved in the age-matched Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, but cardiac fibrosis developed with aging. Candesartan cilexetil treatment improved cardiac structural remodeling and cardiac function in SDT rats. Surprisingly, the degree of cardiac fibrosis in candesartan cilexetil–treated SDT rats was less than that of SD rats. Immunohistological staining confirmed that in addition to collagen deposition, fibroblasts and myofibroblasts were the main cellular components in the cardiac fibrotic areas. The diabetic hearts showed positive staining for ACE, Ang II, and AT1 receptors. SDT rats also showed decreased endothelial function, which was improved with candesartan cilexetil treatment. These findings indicate that Ang II is involved in the development of cardiac dysfunction by accelerating cardiac remodeling and cardiomyocyte damage in the presence of hyperglycemia. On the other hand, although the mechanisms responsible for the cardiac fibrosis that occurs under normal conditions may differ greatly from those responsible for cardiac fibrosis with hyperglycemia, Ang II seems to play an important role in both. Keywords:: angiotensin II, intervention, insulin resistance, heart failure, fibrosis

The purpose of this study was to determine the temporal and spatial changes in the expression of AQP4 and AQP9 in the optic nerve after it is crushed. The left optic nerves of rats were either crushed (crushed group) or sham operated (sham group), and they were excised before, and at 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14 days later. Four optic nerves were pooled for each time point in both groups. The expression of AQP4 and AQP9 was determined by western blot analyses. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the spatial expression of AQP4, AQP9, and GFAP in the optic nerve. Optic nerve edema was determined by measuring the water content in the optic nerve. The barrier function of the optic nerve vessels was determined by the extravasated Evans blue dye on days 7 and 14. The results showed that the expression of AQP4 was increased on day 1 but the level was significantly lower than that in the sham group on days 4 and 7 (P

Neuroinflammation is involved in the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after optic nerve injury. The purpose of this study was to determine whether systemic simvastatin can suppress neuroinflammation in the optic nerve and rescue RGCs after the optic nerve is crushed. Simvastatin or its vehicle was given through an osmotic minipump beginning one week prior to the crushing. Immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR were used to determine the degree of neuroinflammation on day 3 after the crushing. The density of RGCs was determined in Tuj-1 stained retinal flat mounts on day 7. The effect of simvastain on the TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation was determined in cultured optic nerve astrocytes. On day 3, CD68-positive cells, most likely microglia/macrophages, were accumulated at the crushed site. Phosphorylated NF-κB was detected in some astrocytes at the border of the lesion where the immunoreactivity to MCP-1 was intensified. There was an increase in the mRNA levels of the CD68 (11.4-fold), MCP-1 (22.6-fold), ET-1 (2.3-fold), GFAP (1.6-fold), TNF-α (7.0-fold), and iNOS (14.8-fold) genes on day 3. Systemic simvastatin significantly reduced these changes. The mean ± SD number of RGCs was 1816.3±232.6/mm(2) (n = 6) in the sham controls which was significantly reduced to 831.4±202.5/mm(2) (n = 9) on day 7 after the optic nerve was crushed. This reduction was significantly suppressed to 1169.2±201.3/mm(2) (P = 0.01, Scheffe; n = 9) after systemic simvastatin. Simvastatin (1.0 µM) significantly reduced the TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation in cultured optic nerve astrocytes. We conclude that systemic simvastatin can reduce the death of RGCs induced by crushing the optic nerve possibly by suppressing astroglial NF-κB activation.