Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids-based delivery of MicroRNA-22 inhibits pathological neovascularization and vaso-obliteration by regulating the Wnt pathway.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects and molecular mechanisms of tetrahedral framework nucleic acids-microRNA22 (tFNAs-miR22) on inhibiting pathological retinal neovascularization (RNV) and restoring physiological retinal vessels. A novel DNA nanocomplex (tFNAs-miR22) was synthesised by modifying microRNA-22 (miR22) through attachment onto tetrahedral frame nucleic acids (tFNAs), which possess diverse biological functions. Cell proliferation, wound healing, and tube formation were employed for in vitro assays to investigate the angiogenic function of cells. Oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model was utilised to examine the effects of reducing pathological neovascularization (RNV) and inhibiting vascular occlusion in vivo. In vitro, tFNAs-miR22 demonstrated the ability to penetrate endothelial cells and effectively suppress cell proliferation, tube formation, and migration in a hypoxic environment. In vivo, tFNAs-miR22 exhibited promising results in reducing RNV and promoting the restoration of normal retinal blood vessels in OIR model through modulation of the Wnt pathway. This study provided a theoretical basis for the further understanding of RNV, and highlighted the innovative and potential of tFNAs-miR22 as a therapeutic option for ischemic retinal diseases.

HIGH MYOPIA IS COMMON IN PATIENTS WITH X-LINKED RETINOPATHIES: Myopic Maculopathy Analysis.

PURPOSE: High myopia can occur as a single or syndromic condition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the refractive error and myopic maculopathy in patients with X-linked retinopathies. METHODS: Whole exome sequencing, Sanger sequencing, and comprehensive ocular examinations were performed in patients with X-linked retinopathies. RESULTS: A total of 17 patients were recruited, including six with CACNA1F, seven with RPGR, three with NYX, and one with OPN1MW mutations. The diagnoses were congenital stationary night blindness (6), cone-rod dystrophy (4), retinitis pigmentosa (4), achromatopsia (1), Leber congenital amaurosis (1), and myopia (1). Myopia was present in 88.2% patients, and 64.7% patients had high myopia. Gene analysis showed that high myopia was present in 80% patients with CACNA1F, 100% patients with NYX, and 57.1% patients with RPGR mutations. In the ATN classification, 64.7% of the patients were A1T0N0 and 35.3% were A0T0N0. The refractive errors progressed over time, even in patients with congenital stationary night blindness. Two females with heterozygous de novo RPGR mutations presented with retinitis pigmentosa or cone rod dystrophy combined with high myopia. CONCLUSION: High myopia is common in patients with X-linked retinopathies, and myopic maculopathy was only mild atrophy without traction and neovascularization.

MiR-210-3p enhances intermittent hypoxia-induced tumor progression via inhibition of E2F3.

PURPOSE: Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is related to tumorigenesis and progression. Although micro-ribonucleic acid-210-3p (miR-210-3p) is correlated with hypoxia-induced tumor development, its role in the relationship between IH and tumor function remains poorly understood. The present work focused on elucidating the molecular mechanism through which miR-210-3p drives tumor progression under IH. METHODS: MiR-210-3p levels were quantified within tumor samples from patients with lung adenocarcinoma who had or did not have OSA. Correlations between miR-210-3p and polysomnographic variables were analyzed. For in vitro experiments, miR-210-3p was inhibited or overexpressed via transfection under IH conditions. Cell viability, growth, invasion and migration assays were carried out. For in vivo modeling of IH using mouse xenografts, a miR-210-3p antagomir was intratumorally injected, tumor biological behaviors were evaluated, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), immunohistochemistry and western blot were carried out for detecting miR-210-3p and E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) expression. RESULTS: For patients with lung adenocarcinoma and OSA, high miR-210-3p levels showed positive relation to polysomnographic variables, such as oxygen desaturation index, apnea-hypopnea index, and proportion of total sleep time with oxygen saturation in arterial blood < 90%. IH enhanced tumor viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion, downregulated E2F3 expression, and increased miR-210-3-p levels. miR-210-3p overexpression induced similar changes. These changes were reversed by miR-210-3p inhibition in vitro or miR-210-3p antagomir through intratumoral injection in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: IH-induced tumor development is driven through miR-210-3p by E2F3 suppression. MiR-210-3p represents a potential therapeutic target among patients with concomitant cancer and OSA.

Pattern of choroidal thickness in early-onset high myopia.

Purpose: To explore the etiology and choroidal thickness (ChT) pattern in children with early-onset high myopia (eoHM). Methods: Sixty children with eoHM and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in this study between January 2019 and December 2021. All children underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations including swept-source optical coherence tomography. ChT was measured in the subfoveal region and at 1000 µm and 2,500 µm nasal, temporal, superior, and inferior to the fovea. Results: Overall, 120 eyes of 60 children with eoHM were examined (mean spherical equivalent, -8.88 ± 3.05 D; mean axial length, 26.07 ± 1.59 mm). Simple high myopia (SHM), familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), and Stickler syndrome (STL) were the most frequent etiologies of eoHM and were included in further ChT analysis. Adjusted the effect of SE, multivariate regression analysis showed that children with SHM had thinnest ChT at N2500 and I2500 among the subgroups (p = 0.039, p = 0.013). FEVR group showed thinner ChT at T2500 (p = 0.023), while STL patients exhibited thin ChT at all locations. Conclusion: This study revealed that SHM, STL and FEVR was the most frequent etiology, and showed a distinctive pattern of ChT. Asymmetric nasal ChT thinning is a distinctive biomarker for SHM, asymmetric temporal ChT thinning might serve as a biomarker for FEVR, and symmetric diffuse thinning is more common in STL. These ChT patterns may provide a convenient, fast, and noninvasive strategy to differentiate the potential etiology of eoHM.

Five novel dysfunctional variants in the TSPAN12 gene in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy.

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) is an inheritable vitreoretinal disease characterized by incomplete retinal vascular development, which often leads to multiple retinal complications and causes severe vision loss in children. We reported the TSPAN12 variants' frequency in a cohort of FEVR and five novel TSPAN12 variants and related clinical features in six Chinese families. Seven hundred thirty-four families' genetic in-house data were reviewed. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed in all probands; Sanger sequencing was conducted in the family members. Five novel variants from six families were noted, and clinical data were collected. Luciferase assays were applied to test the activity of the Norrin/ß-catenin signal caused by the mutant TSPAN12 genes. The frequency of TSPAN12 variants in FEVR is 8.79% (50/569). Five novel variants in TSPAN12 were identified in six families, including two missense variants, c.476G > A(p.Cys159Tyr) and c.81T > G(p.Ser27Arg), two frameshift variants, c.628_629insA(p.Met210Asnfs*42) and c.251delG(p.Gly84Glufs*3) and one nonsense, c.352G > T(p.Glu118*). Low vision, high myopia, nystagmus, and leukocoria are the common symptom at the first presentation. All variants were also predicted as pathogenic in silico. Moreover, the luciferase assay demonstrated that all variants caused severely compromised Norrin/ß-catenin signaling activity. In conclusion, the frequency of TSPAN12 variants in FEVR was 8.79% in our cohort. Five novel variants of TSPAN12 were identified. Moreover, we demonstrated the dysfunction of mutant variants via the downregulation of Norrin/ß-catenin signaling. These findings expanded the genetic and clinical spectrum of FEVR with TSPAN12 variants.

ULTRA-WIDEFIELD OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY IN MILD FAMILIAL EXUDATIVE VITREORETINOPATHY.

PURPOSE: To investigate ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography angiography (UWF-OCTA) to detect and evaluate mild familial exudative vitreoretinopathy and compare the detective ratio of UWF-OCTA with ultra-widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography. METHODS: The patients with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy were included in this study. UWF-OCTA, using a 24- × 20-mm montage, was performed for all patients. All images were independently tested for the presence of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy-associated lesions. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS V.24.0. RESULTS: Forty-six eyes of 26 participants were included in the study. Ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography angiography was found to be greatly superior to ultra-widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscopy in detecting peripheral retinal vascular abnormality ( P < 0.001) and peripheral retinal avascular zone ( P < 0.001). The detection rates of peripheral retinal vascular abnormality, peripheral retinal avascular zone, retinal neovascularization, macular ectopia, and temporal midperipheral vitreoretinal interface abnormality were comparable with ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography images ( P > 0.05). Furthermore, vitreoretinal traction (17/46, 37%) and small foveal avascular zone (17/46, 37%) were detected effectively on UWF-OCTA. CONCLUSION: Ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography angiography is a reliable noninvasive tool to detect familial exudative vitreoretinopathy lesions, especially in mild patients or asymptomatic family members. The unique manifestation of UWF-OCTA offers an alternative to ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography for the screening and diagnosis of FEVR.

Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids inhibit pathological neovascularization and vaso-obliteration in ischaemic retinopathy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway.

This study aimed to explore the effect and the molecular mechanism of tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs), a novel self-assembled nanomaterial with excellent biocompatibility and superior endocytosis ability, in inhibition of pathological retinal neovascularization (RNV) and more importantly, in amelioration of vaso-obliteration (VO) in ischaemic retinopathy. tFNAs were synthesized from four single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs). Cell proliferation, wound healing and tube formation assays were performed to explore cellular angiogenic functions in vitro. The effects of tFNAs on reducing angiogenesis and inhibiting VO were explored by oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model in vivo. In vitro, tFNAs were capable to enter endothelial cells (ECs), inhibit cell proliferation, tube formation and migration under hypoxic conditions. In vivo, tFNAs successfully reduce RNV and inhibit VO in OIR model via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/S6K pathway, while vascular endothelial growth factor fusion protein, Aflibercept, could reduce RNV but not inhibit VO. This study provides a theoretical basis for the further understanding of RNV and suggests that tFNAs might be a novel promising candidate for the treatment of blind-causing RNV.

Ocular findings and genetic test in Alström syndrome in childhood.

This study aimed to investigate the mutation spectrums and ocular features of Alström syndrome (AS) patients. Six AS patients from five unrelated families were included. Ocular and systemic examinations were performed in all subjects. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed in the probands, and Sanger sequencing was performed for mutation validation and segregation analysis. Among the six patients, the first symptoms included nystagmus, poor fixation, and photophobia. Five patients had high hyperopia, four of whom (80%) were initially diagnosed with amblyopia before referral with prescribed corrective lenses and amblyopia treatment, but no improvement was obtained. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed progressive damage to the photoreceptor layer, including blurred ellipsoid zone (EZ) and lack of interdigitation zone (IZ) within the macula, and thorough loss of photoreceptor layer in the peripheral retina. Electroretinograms (ERG) demonstrated severely diminished cone and rod responses. WES identified biallelic variants of ALMS1 in all the six patients, including two novels, c.3892C > T (p.Gln1298*) and c.2888_2897del (p.Ser963Thrfs*15) and five knowns, c.10819C > T (p.Arg3607Trp), c.2090C > A (p.Ser697*), c.4891C > T (p.Gln1631*), c.10825C > T (p.Arg3069*) and c.6430C > T (Arg2146*). In conclusion, this study expanded the ocular features and genotypic spectrum of AS. High hyperopia is a significant and common feature of AS. OCT and ERG are essential accessory techniques for the diagnosis of AS. If a patient had high hyperopia with a noneffective response to amblyopic treatment, the diagnosis of AS should be suspected, and detailed ocular examination, systemic evaluation, and genetic testing recommended.

Generation of a X-linked juvenile retinoschisis patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell line ZOCi004-A.

X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS), caused by the mutation of RS1 gene, is one of the most common causes of macular degeneration for male adolescents. The mutations and clinical manifestations of the disease are diverse. Neither the relationship between the genotypes and phenotypes, nor the radical treatment like gene therapy has been found by now. Retrospective studies have shown that carbonic anhydrase inhibitors can help reduce cysts. However, the specifically pharmacological mechanism remains unknown. Here, we culture induced pluripotent stem cells by drawing peripheral blood from a patient with XLRS, which are supposed to facilitate related researches.

Oral Fluorescein Angiography with Ultra-Wide-Field Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy in Pediatric Patients Precis: Oral Fluorescein Angiography in Children.

Aims: To investigate the success rate of oral fluorescein angiography (oral FA) in children with ultrawide scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) system and whether it can provide images of sufficient quality compared with intravenous FA (IVFA). Methods: In this comparative case series study, a series of 40 consecutive pediatric patients of the age of 3−18 with retinal vascular diseases, in whom FA was needed for the diagnosis or treatment, were enrolled in this study. IVFA and oral FA were performed within one week and images were obtained with the SLO system. The image quality was scored blindly and compared based on: (I) visualization of the branch retinal vessel, (II) the foveal avascular zone (FAZ), and (III) clinically important findings, such as the presence of microaneurysms, neovascularization, leakage, or significant nonperfusion. All these were scored using a three-point scale. Results: In preschoolers (three to six years), all 19 children complete oral FA (100%), while only 7 (36.84%) complete IVFA (p < 0.0001). With the SLO system, the branch retinal vessels were well visualized both in oral and IV FA (all images were two scores). The visualization of FAZ was similar between oral and IV FA (p = 0.8972). The clinically important findings were well visualized in both groups (p > 0.9999). The overall image quality was similar between the two groups (p = 0.2500). Conclusion: Oral FA is more acceptable to preschoolers than IVFA owing to the needle-free procedure. With the SLO system, oral FA provided high-quality angiograms similar to IVFA. Oral FA is an effective alternative to IVFA and may be considered the first option for FA in pediatric patients, especially in preschoolers.

Use of low molecular weight heparin and hemoglobin fall in COVID-19 patients: A STROBE-compliant study.

In patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), anticoagulation was suggested as a mitigating strategy. However, little research has been conducted on the adverse consequences of anticoagulant medication. This study aimed to investigate the adverse effect of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) on hemoglobin fall in COVID-19 treatment. The electronic medical records of COVID-19 patients with pneumonia were collected (including clinical characteristics, vaccination status, complete blood count, coagulation profile, inflammatory cytokines, serum biochemical indicators, and computerized tomography imaging score). Whether they received LMWH, patients were divided into the LMWH group and the control group. Count data were represented as frequency distribution, and a 2-tailed test was used to compare the 2 groups. Spearman rank correlation was used to evaluate the interrelation between changes in hemoglobin and LMWH. The confounding factors were excluded by logistic regression analysis. A total of 179 COVID-19 pneumonia patients were enrolled (81 in the LMWH group and 98 in the control group). The change in hemoglobin was -6.0g/L (IQR -10.8 to 1.0) in the LMWH group and -2.0g/L (IQR -7.0 to 4.0) in the control group (P < .001, between-group difference, -5.0 g/L; 95% confidence interval, -7.0 to -3.0, calculated with the use of the Mann-Whitney U test and the Hodges-Lehmann estimate of confidence intervals for pseudo-medians). The results of multivariate regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, LMWH use was not associated with a decrease in hemoglobin (P > .05). In nonsevere COVID-19 patients with pneumonia, the preventive use of LMWH did not lower hemoglobin.