From theory to therapy: a bibliometric and visual study of stem cell advancements in age-related macular degeneration.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Human pluripotent stem cells, including embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, offer groundbreaking therapeutic potential for degenerative diseases and cellular repair. Despite their significance, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis in this field, particularly in relation to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is yet to be conducted. This study aims to map the foundational and emerging areas in stem cell and AMD research through bibliometric analysis. METHODS: This study analyzed articles and reviews on stem cells and AMD from 2000 to 2022, sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection. We used VOSviewer and CiteSpace for analysis and visualization of data pertaining to countries, institutions, authors, journals, references and key words. Statistical analyses were conducted using R language and Microsoft Excel 365. RESULTS: In total, 539 publications were included, indicating an increase in global literature on stem cells and AMD from 2000 to 2022. The USA was the leading contributor, with 239 papers and the highest H-index, also the USA had the highest average citation rate per article (59.82). Notably, 50% of the top 10 institutions were from the USA, with the University of California system being the most productive. Key authors included Masayo Takahashi, Michiko Mandai, Dennis Clegg, Pete J. Coffey, Boris Stanzel, and Budd A. Tucker. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science published the majority of relevant papers (n = 27). Key words like "clinical trial," "stem cell therapy," "retinal organoid," and "retinal progenitor cells" were predominant. CONCLUSIONS: Research on stem cells and AMD has grown significantly, highlighting the need for increased global cooperation. Current research prioritizes the relationship between "ipsc," "induced pluripotent stem cell," "cell culture," and "human embryonic stem cell." As stem cell culture and safety have advanced, focus has shifted to prognosis and complications post-transplantation, signifying the movement of stem cell research from labs to clinical settings.

Aflibercept combined with triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of diabetic macular edema: optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography.

AIM: To analyze the relationship between optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) imaging in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) who are treated with a combination of aflibercept and triamcinolone acetonide (TA). METHODS: A total of 76 eyes newly diagnosed DME were included in this study. They were randomly assigned to receive either aflibercept or a combination of aflibercept and TA. Injections once a month for a total of three injections. Central macular thickness (CMT), number of hyperreflective foci (HRF), height of subretinal fluid (SRF), and area of foveal avascular zone (FAZ) were evaluated using OCT and OCTA at baseline and after each monthly treatment. RESULTS: Both groups showed improvement in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and reduction in macular edema after treatment, and the difference in BCVA between the two groups was statistically significant after each treatment (P<0.05). The difference in CMT between the two groups was statistically significant after the first two injections (P<0.01), but not after the third injection (P=0.875). The number of HRF (1mo: 7.41±8.25 vs 10.86±7.22, P=0.027; 2mo: 5.33±6.13 vs 9.12±8.61, P=0.034; 3mo: 3.58±3.00 vs 6.37±5.97, P=0.007) and height of SRF (1mo: 82.39±39.12 vs 105.77±42.26 µm, P=0.011; 2mo: 36.84±10.02 vs 83.59±37.78 µm, P<0.01; 3mo: 11.57±3.29 vs 45.43±12.60 µm, P<0.01) in combined group were statistically significant less than aflibercept group after each injection, while the area of FAZ showed no significant change before and after treatment in both groups. CONCLUSION: The combination therapy of aflibercept and TA shows more significant effects on DME eyes with decreased HRF and SRF. However, both aflibercept and combination therapy show no significant change in the area of FAZ.

Targeting ZIP8 mediated ferroptosis as a novel strategy to protect against the retinal pigment epithelial degeneration.

The degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays an important role in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we identified that ZIP8, a metal-ion transporter, plays a crucial role in the degeneration of RPE cells mediated by ferroptosis. ZIP8 was found to be upregulated in patients with AMD through transcriptome analysis. Upregulated ZIP8 was also observed in both oxidative-stressed RPE cells and AMD mouse model. Importantly, knockdown of ZIP8 significantly inhibited ferroptosis in RPE cells induced by sodium iodate-induced oxidative stress. Blocking ZIP8 with specific antibodies reversed RPE degeneration and restored retinal function, improving visual loss in a mouse model of NaIO3-induced. Interestingly, the modification of the N-glycosylation sites N40, N72 and N88, but not N273, was essential for the intracellular iron accumulation mediated by ZIP8, which further led to increased lipid peroxidation and RPE death. These findings highlight the critical role of ZIP8 in RPE ferroptosis and provide a potential target for the treatment of diseases associated with retinal degeneration, including AMD.

Bibliometric and visualization analysis of global research trends on immunosenescence (1970-2021).

BACKGROUND: Immunosenescence, the aging of the immune system, leads to a decline in the body's adaptability to the environment and plays an important role in various diseases. Immunosenescence has been widely studied in recent years. However, to date, no relevant bibliometric analyses have been conducted. This study aimed to analyze the foundation and frontiers of immunosenescence research through bibliometric analysis. METHODS: Articles and reviews on immunosenescence from 1970 to 2021 were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. Countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords were analyzed and visualized using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. The R language and Microsoft Excel 365 were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: In total, 3763 publications were included in the study. The global literature on immunosenescence research has increased from 1970 to 2021. The United States was the most productive country with 1409 papers and the highest H-index. Italy had the highest average number of citations per article (58.50). Among the top 10 institutions, 50 % were in the United States. The University of California was the most productive institution, with 159 articles. Kroemer G, Franceschi C, Goronzy JJ, Solana R, and Fulop T were among the top 10 most productive and co-cited authors. Experimental Gerontology (n = 170) published the most papers on immunosenescence. The analysis of keywords found that current research focuses on "inflammaging", "gut microbiota", "cellular senescence", and "COVID-19". CONCLUSIONS: Immunosenescence research has increased over the years, and future cooperation and interaction between countries and institutions must be expanded. The connection between inflammaging, gut microbiota, age-related diseases, and immunosenescence is a current research priority. Individualized treatment of immunosenescence, reducing its negative effects, and promoting healthy longevity will become an emerging research direction.

Bibliometric and visual analyses of trends in the field of T cell exhaustion research: Findings from 2000 to 2022.

BACKGROUND: T cell exhaustion refers to a state wherein T cells become less functional as a result of their prolonged exposure to cognate antigens. A wealth of T cell exhaustion-focused research has been conducted in recent decades, transforming the current understanding of this biologically relevant process. However, there have not been any comprehensive bibliometric analyses to date focused on clarifying the T cell exhaustion-related research landscape. Here, a bibliometric analysis was thus conducted with the goal of better elucidating the current state of knowledge and emerging research hotspots in this field. METHODS: The Web of Science Core Collection was searched for articles and reviews related to T cell exhaustion, with the CiteSpace and VOSviewer programs then being employed to analyze the countries, institutions, authors, references, and keywords associated with studies in this research space. RESULTS: In total, 2676 studies were incorporated in this analysis, highlighting progressive annual increases in the number of T cell exhaustion-focused publications over the study period. These publications were affiliated with 3117 institutions in 85 countries, with the USA and China being the largest contributors to the field. Of the 18,032 authors associated with these publications, E. John Wherry exhibited the highest publication count and the greatest citation frequency. Keyword analyses indicated that immunotherapy, T cell exhaustion, and PD-1 are the dominant foci for T cell exhaustion-related research. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the importance of collaborations among institutions and nations in order to further propel novel studies of T cell exhaustion. Efforts to unravel the signal transduction and transcriptional mechanisms underlying the onset of T cell exhaustion were also identified as an emerging hotspot in this field. Ultimately, these results support the pivotal status of T cell exhaustion research as a key direction for immunotherapeutic research and development efforts in the coming years.

Bibliometric analysis of global research trends in adeno-associated virus vector for gene therapy (1991-2022).

Background: Gene therapy involves introducing and editing foreign genes in the body to treat and prevent genetic diseases. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector has become a widely used tool in gene therapy due to its high safety and transfection efficiency. Methods: This study employs bibliometric analysis to explore the foundation and current state of AAV vector application in gene therapy research. A total of 6,069 publications from 1991 to 2022 were analyzed, retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) within the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) of Clarivate Analytics. Institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords were analyzed and visualized by using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. The R language and Microsoft Excel 365 were used for statistical analyses. Results: The global literature on AAV vector and gene therapy exhibited consistent growth, with the United States leading in productivity, contributing 3,868 papers and obtaining the highest H-index. Noteworthy authors like Wilson JM, Samulski RJ, Hauswirth WW, and Mingozzi F were among the top 10 most productive and co-cited authors. The journal "Human Gene Therapy" published the most papers (n = 485) on AAV vector and gene therapy. Current research focuses on "gene editing," "gene structure," "CRISPR," and "AAV gene therapy for specific hereditary diseases." Conclusion: The application of AAV vector in gene therapy has shown continuous growth, fostering international cooperation among countries and institutions. The intersection of gene editing, gene structure, CRISPR, and AAV gene therapy for specific hereditary diseases and AAV vector represents a prominent and prioritized focus in contemporary gene therapy research. This study provides valuable insights into the trends and characteristics of AAV gene therapy research, facilitating further advancements in the field.

Morphological and functional changes in the macular area in diabetic macular edema after a single intravitreal injection of aflibercept.

AIM: To evaluate the changes in macular morphology and function after a single intravitreal injection of aflibercept in diabetic macular edema (DME) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and MP-3 microperimetry. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients (42 eyes) diagnosed with DME were treated with intravitreal injection of aflibercept. The changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, vessel density of superficial retinal capillary plexus (SVD), vessel density of deep retinal capillary plexus (DVD), mean light sensitivity (MLS), 2° fixation rate (P1), 4° fixation rate (P2), and other indicators 1mo after treatment were compared; of these, BCVA was converted into logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), and the correlation among the factors was analyzed. RESULTS: After treatment, logMAR BCVA was 0.47±0.24, which was significantly better than that before treatment (0.63±0.28, P<0.001). The CRT was 359.21±107.87 µm after treatment, which was significantly lower than before treatment (474.10±138.20 µm, P<0.001). The FAZ area, SVD, and DVD were not significantly changed after treatment compared with the baseline. MLS was 22.16±4.20 dB after treatment, which was significantly higher than before treatment (19.63±4.23 dB, P<0.001). P2 significantly increased after treatment than before treatment (P=0.007). P1 had no significant change after treatment than before treatment (P=0.086). CONCLUSION: A single intravitreal injection of aflibercept effectively reduces macular edema and improves retinal sensitivity, fixation stability, and visual acuity, possibly without causing significant changes in the retinal vascular condition in a short time.