Expression of the Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Marker GRP78 in the Normal Retina and Retinal Degeneration Induced by Blue LED Stimuli in Mice

Retinal degeneration is a leading cause of blindness. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response that affects cell survival and death and GRP78 forms a representative protective response. We aimed to determine the exact localization of GRP78 in an animal model of light-induced retinal degeneration. Dark-adapted mice were exposed to blue light-emitting diodes and retinas were obtained at 24 h and 72 h after exposure. In the normal retina, we found that GRP78 was rarely detected in the photoreceptor cells while it was expressed in the perinuclear space of the cell bodies in the inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers. After injury, the expression of GRP78 in the outer nuclear and inner plexiform layers increased in a time-dependent manner. However, an increased GRP78 expression was not observed in damaged photoreceptor cells in the outer nuclear layer. GRP78 was located in the perinuclear space and ER lumen of glial cells and the ER developed in glial cells during retinal degeneration. These findings suggest that GRP78 and the ER response are important for glial cell activation in the retina during photoreceptor degeneration.

Akumulasi Fibrin dalam Anterior Chamber Pada Kucing Penderita Tripanosomiasis dan Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

Tripanomiasis merupakan penyakit yang disebabkan oleh Tripanosoma sp, protozoa hemoflagellata dari kelas Zoomatigophora dan famili Tripanosomatidae. Tripanosomiasis banyak dijumpai di daerah tropis dan menyerang berbagai hewan domestik seperti kuda, sapi, kerbau, onta, anjing, kucing dan tikus. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) dikenal sebagai feline AIDS adalah spesies virus dalam genus Lentivirus, menyebabkan penurunan sistem imun pada kucing dimana tubuh tidak dapat mengatasi serangan dari berbagai sumber penyakit lain sehingga muncul infeksi tambahan. Umumnya kucing tidak menimbulkan gejala klinis infeksi FIV meskipun telah berlangsung beberapa tahun. Seekor kucing domestik jantan, 3 tahun didiagnosis Tripanosomiasis dan positif FIV. Kedua mata terlihat berwarna keputihan, berawal dari mata kiri, berukuran kecil yang berkembang secara progresif selama 2 minggu, diikuti penurunan nafsu makan serta kondisi badan yang semakin kurus. Kucing berasal dari kucing jalanan, dan gemar memakan tikus maupun burung, serta belum dilakukan vaksinasi. Hasil pemeriksaan klinis menunjukkan mukosa anemik, dehidrasi, oedema di daerah submandibular hingga bahu, BCS 4/9, dan uveitis anterior. Hasil pemeriksaan hematologi dan kimia darah menunjukkan anemia normositik-hipokromik, trombositophenia, normal leukosit total dengan peningkatan relatif monosit, nilai SGPT dan SGOT yang sangat tinggi, peningkatan creatinin dan penurunan total kolesterol. Hasil pemeriksaan rapid test menunjukkan positif antibodi FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), negatif Feline Leukemia Virus, serta negatif toksoplasma. Pemeriksaan apus darah menunjukkan mild anemia tanpa polikromasia, dan ditemukan flagellata Trypanosoma sp. Akumulasi fibrin di dalam anterior chamber yang bersifat progresif-bilateral disertai dengan aqueous flare dan normal retina merupakan gambaran anterior uveitis sebagai gejala klinis yang menciri dari Tripanosomiasis pada kucing dan infeksi FIV.

The methylation level of TFAP2A is a potential diagnostic biomarker for retinoblastoma: an analytical validation study

Tumor-derived circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has demonstrated its excellent potential for cancer diagnosis by DNA methylome; therefore, this study aimed to identify the retinoblastoma (RB) specific methylated CpG loci as the RB diagnostic biomarkers and design a methylation specific assay to detect these biomarker from aqueous humor of RB patients. Through a genome-wide methylation profiling of tissue samples from patients with RB, normal retina and other retinal diseases, we shortlisted two CpG loci were only methylated in RB but not in normal retina or other retinal diseases. Both of these two CpG loci were located in the genome of TFAP2A. Through the screening, a primer and probe set for the two CpG loci were tested in fully methylated standards and RB tissues with a significant differentiation of RB. Our results of this assay tested in aqueous humor from RB revealed an accuracy of 92.7% for RB diagnosis. These results suggested our assay targeting the TFAP2A ctDNA methylation can be utilized for RB diagnosis and cancer monitoring.

Synthesis and evaluation of protein-based biopolymer in production of silver nanoparticles as bioactive compound versus carbohydrates-based biopolymers

This overall process deals with evaluating the performance of silver nanoparticles, synthesized from sodium caseinate (SC) as green biological active agent, in comparison with widely produced from carboxymethyl cellulose, other carbohydrates (oxidized nanocellulose fibres (OC) and starch (St)). The TGA, FTIR and TEM, as well as its antimicrobial activities toward pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in addition to the yeast strain Candida albicans NRRL Y-477 were examined. In addition, with regard to their anti-tumour activity, the evaluation was studied via many cancer cell lines against RPE1 (normal retina cell line). The results revealed that the SC–Ag(I) and CMC–Ag(I) complexes were formed in six- and five-membered chelate rings, respectively, as nanoparticles, while linear chelation structure was formed in case of OC–Ag(I) and St–Ag(I) complexes. The complexation of SC with Ag(I) ions was recommended as promising stable and antimicrobial agent, with lower free Ag(I) ions and particle size than other Ag-complexes. Moreover, it provided anti-tumour activity of most tested cell lines ( in vitro ), with the following sequence HCT116 > PC3 > HePG 2 > MCF-7 > A549 with IC 50 and IC 90 values of 25.8 and 54.73 µg ml −1 , 45.1 and 66.7 µg ml −1 , 64.3 and 110.7 µgml −1 , 71.4 and 114.8 µgml −1 and 80.1 and 127.7 µgml −1 , respectively. The promising effect of SC–Ag complex was also clear from its selective index versus RPE1 (normal retina cell line).

OCT Angiography and En Face OCT Reflectance Aid in Monitoring Subclinical Inflammation in Serpiginous Choroidopathy

Introduction. We present a case of serpiginous choroidopathy (SC) with novel OCTA and en face OCT reflectance findings which help identify subclinical disease progression. Case Presentation. En face OCT reflectance images demonstrated outer retinal tubules (ORT) at the serpiginous lesion margins of affected and unaffected retina on multimodal imaging. OCTA findings demonstrate variable dropout of choriocapillaris in “normal” retina beyond lesion borders which was not visible on standard imaging and which demonstrated a clear transition zone beyond the ORT. Discussion. This is the first report of choriocapillaris atrophy identified on OCTA not identified on traditional multimodal imaging in serpiginous choroidopathy. Damage to vasculature only visible with OCTA may help characterize the distribution of inflammation, aiding in monitoring of suppression not illustrated by traditional imaging and which may threaten the central macula. ORT in SC suggest death and reorganization of outer segments from dysfunction of the choriocapillaris and RPE, as well as serve to demarcate the area of chronic or old inflammation, supporting the hypothesis that the choriocapillaris is the primary site of inflammation in SC. Based on these findings, we recommend OCTA on all patients with serpiginous choroidopathy to monitor underlying state of inflammation and help determine immunosuppressive threshold.

Acquired choroidal osteoma

Choroidal osteoma is a choristomatous lesion postulated to be congenital in nature. Described herein is the case of a 16-year- old female presenting with a peripapillary lesion diagnosed as choroidal osteoma on multimodal imaging. Routine fundus photography 18 months before presentation demonstrated a normal retina and choroid without evidence of the lesion. Overall, this report provides evidence that choroidal osteoma may be acquired and not always congenital in origin.

Retinopatía de la prematuridad y su evolución en niños sobrevivientes de bajo peso al nacer egresados del Servicio de Neonatología del Hospital Regional Docente de las Mercedes de Chiclayo durante 2012-2013

Objetivo: Describir la evolución de retinopatía de la prematuridad (ROP) en recién nacidos con bajo peso al nacer egresados del Servicio de Neonatología del Hospital Regional Docente de las Mercedes durante los años 2012-2013. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, transversal y retrospectivo que se incluyeron 118 recién nacidos pretérmino (RNPT) e excluyó a 25 sobrevivientes por ser referidos a otras instituciones, padecer de malformaciones congénitas o tener su ficha clínica incompleta. Se registró su evolución con respecto de la ocurrencia de ROP en los siguientes seis controles posterior a su nacimiento. Resultados: De los 118 RN con bajo peso al nacer, al final del período de estudio el 50.8% (60) evolucionaron en hacia la regresión espontánea con diagnóstico previo de ROP y en 16,9% (20) a estadios que necesitaron tratamiento con laserterapia, el restante 32,2% (38) tuvo buenos resultados con fondo de ojo normal (retina madura) previo a un diagnóstico de retina inmadura. Se encontró diferencia significativa en el promedio del peso al nacer (p˂0,001, análisis de varianza) en los tres grupos estudiados. No se evidenció diferencias significativas entre la evolución de los RN por sexo. Conclusiones: Se encontró una frecuencia de 42% de ROP en los RNPT evaluados. Una asociación entre peso del RN y la necesidad de requerir laserterapia. En los RN de sexo masculino aprox. el 55% se ven curados durante el tercer control mientras que el sexo femenino lo hicieron en un 45 %.

Review on Retinal Gliosis Illustrated with a Series of Massive Glioses and Focal Nodular Gliosis Cases in Regard to Potential Pitfalls of Ocular Reactive Tumor-like Lesions of this Type

This paper presents a review on retinal gliosis illustrated by series of three cases of patients (a 39-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman with massive retinal gliosis (MRG) and a 51-year-old man with truly focal nodular gliosis of retina) with intraocular tumor-like masses and loss of vision, who recently suffered from painful inflammation of eyeball and who classically had a history of remote ocular trauma, onset of blindness early in lifetime or gradual but progressive loss of sight. The diagnosis of this pathological entity is given for the lesions that are composed of GFAP strongly positive, elongated, fusiform cells consistent with fibrillary astrocytes. As illustrated in cases from our pathological practice, PAS gave positive patchy disseminated reaction in form of cellular densely purplish granules in minority of cells representing glycogen storing. This feature could be consistent with PAS-positive Müller cells that also constitute retinal gliosis as one of cellular components of normal retina that is induced to reactive proliferation. Thus, the paper presents histological background and differential diagnosis of the entity.