Retinal microangiopathy in a mouse model of inducible mural cell loss.

Diabetes can lead to vision loss because of progressive degeneration of the neurovascular unit in the retina, a condition known as diabetic retinopathy. In its early stages, the pathology is characterized by microangiopathies, including microaneurysms, microhemorrhages, and nerve layer infarcts known as cotton-wool spots. Analyses of postmortem human retinal tissue and retinas from animal models indicate that degeneration of the pericytes, which constitute the outer layer of capillaries, is an early event in diabetic retinopathy; however, the relative contribution of specific cellular components to the pathobiology of diabetic retinopathy remains to be defined. We investigated the phenotypic consequences of pericyte death on retinal microvascular integrity by using nondiabetic mice conditionally expressing a diphtheria toxin receptor in mural cells. Five days after administering diphtheria toxin in these adult mice, changes were observed in the retinal vasculature that were similar to those observed in diabetes, including microaneurysms and increased vascular permeability, suggesting that pericyte cell loss is sufficient to trigger retinal microvascular degeneration. Therapies aimed at preventing or delaying pericyte dropout may avoid or attenuate the retinal microangiopathy associated with diabetes.

From pathobiology to the targeting of pericytes for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

Pericytes, the mural cells that constitute the capillaries along with endothelial cells, have been associated with the pathobiology of diabetic retinopathy; however, therapeutic implications of this association remain largely unexplored. Pericytes appear to be highly susceptible to the metabolic challenges associated with a diabetic environment, and there is substantial evidence that their loss may contribute to microvascular instability leading to the formation of microaneurysms, microhemorrhages, acellular capillaries, and capillary nonperfusion. Since pericytes are strategically located at the interface between the vascular and neural components of the retina, they offer extraordinary opportunities for therapeutic interventions in diabetic retinopathy. Moreover, the availability of novel imaging methodologies now allows for the in vivo visualization of pericytes, enabling a new generation of clinical trials that use pericyte tracking as clinical endpoints. The recognition of multiple signaling mechanisms involved in pericyte development and survival should allow for a renewed interest in pericytes as a therapeutic target for diabetic retinopathy.

Crystal structure of di-chlorido-(4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetra-aza-bicyclo-[6.6.2]hexa-deca-ne)iron(III) hexa-fluorido-phosphate.

The title compound, [FeCl2(C14H30N4)]PF6, contains Fe(3+) coordinated by the four nitro-gen atoms of an ethyl-ene cross-bridged cyclam macrocycle and two cis chloride ligands in a distorted octa-hedral environment. In contrast to other similar compounds this is a monomer. Inter-molecular C-H⋯Cl inter-actions exist in the structure between the complex ions. Comparison with the mononuclear Fe(2+) complex of the same ligand shows that the smaller Fe(3+) ion is more fully engulfed by the cavity of the bicyclic ligand. Comparison with the µ-oxido dinuclear complex of an unsubstituted ligand of the same size demonstrates that the methyl groups of 4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetra-aza-bicyclo-[6.6.2]hexa-decane prevent dimerization upon oxidation.