Vision depends on accurate signal conduction from the retina to the brain through the optic nerve,an important part of the central nervous system that consists of bundles of axons originating from retinal ganglion cel...Vision depends on accurate signal conduction from the retina to the brain through the optic nerve,an important part of the central nervous system that consists of bundles of axons originating from retinal ganglion cells.The mammalian optic nerve,an important part of the central nervous system,cannot regenerate once it is injured,leading to permanent vision loss.To date,there is no clinical treatment that can regenerate the optic nerve and restore vision.Our previous study found that the mobile zinc(Zn^(2+))level increased rapidly after optic nerve injury in the retina,specifically in the vesicles of the inner plexiform layer.Furthermore,chelating Zn^(2+)significantly promoted axonal regeneration with a long-term effect.In this study,we conditionally knocked out zinc transporter 3(ZnT3)in amacrine cells or retinal ganglion cells to construct two transgenic mouse lines(VGAT^(Cre)ZnT3^(fl/fl)and VGLUT2^(Cre)ZnT3^(fl/fl),respectively).We obtained direct evidence that the rapidly increased mobile Zn^(2+)in response to injury was from amacrine cells.We also found that selective deletion of ZnT3 in amacrine cells promoted retinal ganglion cell survival and axonal regeneration after optic nerve crush injury,improved retinal ganglion cell function,and promoted vision recovery.Sequencing analysis of reginal ganglion cells revealed that inhibiting the release of presynaptic Zn^(2+)affected the transcription of key genes related to the survival of retinal ganglion cells in postsynaptic neurons,regulated the synaptic connection between amacrine cells and retinal ganglion cells,and affected the fate of retinal ganglion cells.These results suggest that amacrine cells release Zn^(2+)to trigger transcriptomic changes related to neuronal growth and survival in reginal ganglion cells,thereby influencing the synaptic plasticity of retinal networks.These results make the theory of zinc-dependent retinal ganglion cell death more accurate and complete and provide new insights into the complex interactions between retinal cell networks.展开更多
Axonal regeneration in the central nervous system is an energy-intensive process.In contrast to mammals,adult zebrafish can functionally recover from neuronal injury.This raises the question of how zebrafish can cope ...Axonal regeneration in the central nervous system is an energy-intensive process.In contrast to mammals,adult zebrafish can functionally recover from neuronal injury.This raises the question of how zebrafish can cope with this high energy demand.We previously showed that in adult zebrafish,subjected to an optic nerve crush,an antagonistic axon-dendrite interplay exists wherein the retraction of retinal ganglion cell dendrites is a prerequisite for effective axonal repair.We postulate a‘dendrites for regeneration’paradigm that might be linked to intraneuronal mitochondrial reshuffling,as ganglion cells likely have insufficient resources to maintain dendrites and restore axons simultaneously.Here,we characterized both mitochondrial distribution and mitochondrial dynamics within the different ganglion cell compartments(dendrites,somas,and axons)during the regenerative process.Optic nerve crush resulted in a reduction of mitochondria in the dendrites during dendritic retraction,whereafter enlarged mitochondria appeared in the optic nerve/tract during axonal regrowth.Upon dendritic regrowth in the retina,mitochondrial density inside the retinal dendrites returned to baseline levels.Moreover,a transient increase in mitochondrial fission and biogenesis was observed in retinal ganglion cell somas after optic nerve damage.Taken together,these findings suggest that during optic nerve injury-induced regeneration,mitochondria shift from the dendrites to the axons and back again and that temporary changes in mitochondrial dynamics support axonal and dendritic regrowth after optic nerve crush.展开更多
Ras homolog enriched in brain(Rheb) is a small GTPase that activates mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1).Previous studies have shown that constitutively active Rheb can enhance the regeneration of sensory ...Ras homolog enriched in brain(Rheb) is a small GTPase that activates mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1).Previous studies have shown that constitutively active Rheb can enhance the regeneration of sensory axons after spinal cord injury by activating downstream effectors of mTOR.S6K1 and4E-BP1 are important downstream effectors of mTORC1.In this study,we investigated the role of Rheb/mTOR and its downstream effectors S6K1 and 4E-BP1in the protection of retinal ganglion cells.We transfected an optic nerve crush mouse model with adeno-associated viral 2-mediated constitutively active Rheb and observed the effects on retinal ganglion cell survival and axon regeneration.We found that overexpression of constitutively active Rheb promoted survival of retinal ganglion cells in the acute(14 days) and chronic(21 and 42 days) stages of injury.We also found that either co-expression of the dominant-negative S6K1mutant or the constitutively active 4E-BP1 mutant together with constitutively active Rheb markedly inhibited axon regeneration of retinal ganglion cells.This suggests that mTORC1-mediated S6K1 activation and 4E-BP1 inhibition were necessary components for constitutively active Rheb-induced axon regeneration.However,only S6K1 activation,but not 4E-BP1 knockdown,induced axon regeneration when applied alone.Furthermore,S6K1 activation promoted the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days post-injury,whereas 4E-BP1 knockdown unexpectedly slightly decreased the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days postinjury.Ove rexpression of constitutively active 4E-BP1 increased the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days post-injury.Likewise,co-expressing constitutively active Rheb and constitutively active 4E-BP1 markedly increased the survival of retinal ganglion cells compared with overexpression of constitutively active Rheb alone at 14 days post-injury.These findings indicate that functional 4E-BP1 and S6K1 are neuroprotective and that 4E-BP1 may exert protective effects through a pathway at least partially independent of Rhe b/mTOR.Together,our results show that constitutively active Rheb promotes the survival of retinal ganglion cells and axon regeneration through modulating S6K1 and 4E-BP1 activity.Phosphorylated S6K1 and 4E-BP1 promote axon regeneration but play an antagonistic role in the survival of retinal ganglion cells.展开更多
A new scheme based on SOA-MZI for all-optical 2R regeneration is proposed. The characteristics of gain and switching window of this device are investigated in detail. Numerical simulation results indicate that the non...A new scheme based on SOA-MZI for all-optical 2R regeneration is proposed. The characteristics of gain and switching window of this device are investigated in detail. Numerical simulation results indicate that the nonlinear gain compression, the time delay between the input optical signal and the width of the optical pulse are essential parameters for a good performance of all-optical 2R regeneration.展开更多
Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) is a serine/threonine kinase and one of the major downstream effectors of the small GTPase RhoA. The Rho/ROCK pathway is closely related to the pathogenesis of several central nervous syst...Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) is a serine/threonine kinase and one of the major downstream effectors of the small GTPase RhoA. The Rho/ROCK pathway is closely related to the pathogenesis of several central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and involved in many aspects of neuronal functions including neurite outgrowth and retraction. In the adult CNS, the damaged neuron regeneration is very difficult due to the presence of myelin-associated axon growth inhibitors such as Nogo, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein (Omgp), etc. The effects of these axon growth inhibitors are reversed by blocking the Rho/ROCK pathway 47 vitro, and the inhibition of Rho/ROCK pathway can promote axon regeneration and functional recovery in the injured CNS in viva In addition, the therapeutic effects of the Rho/ROCK inhibitors have also been demonstrated in some animal models and the Rho/ROCK pathway becomes an attractive target for the development of drugs for treating CNS disorders. In this review, we summarized on the effect of the Rho and the downstream factor ROCK in neural regeneration, and the potential therapeutic effect of Rho/ROCK inhibitors in the survival and axonal regeneration of retinal ganglion cell was also discussed.展开更多
The lack of axonal regeneration is the major cause of vision loss after optic nerve injury in adult mammals. Activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway has been shown to enhance the intrinsic growth capacity of ne...The lack of axonal regeneration is the major cause of vision loss after optic nerve injury in adult mammals. Activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway has been shown to enhance the intrinsic growth capacity of neurons and to facilitate axonal regeneration in the central nervous system after injury. The deletion of the mTOR negative regulator phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) enhances regeneration of adult corticospinal neurons and ganglion cells. In the present study, we used a tyrosine-mutated (Y444F) AAV2 vector to efficiently express a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) for silencing PTEN expression in retinal ganglion cells. We evaluated cell survival and axonal regeneration in a rat model of optic nerve axotomy. The rats received an intravitreal injection of wildtype AAV2 or Y444F mutant AAV2 (both carrying shRNA to PTEN) 4 weeks before optic nerve axotomy. Compared with the wildtype AAV2 vector, the Y444F mutant AAV2 vector enhanced retinal ganglia cell survival and stimulated axonal regeneration to a greater extent 6 weeks after axotomy. Moreover,post-axotomy injection of the Y444F AAV2 vector expressing the shRNA to PTEN rescued ~19% of retinal ganglion cells and induced axons to regenerate near to the optic chiasm. Taken together, our results demonstrate that PTEN knockdown with the Y444F AAV2 vector promotes retinal ganglion cell survival and stimulates long-distance axonal regeneration after optic nerve axotomy. Therefore, the Y444F AAV2 vector might be a promising gene therapy tool for treating optic nerve injury.展开更多
Axon regeneration and remyelination of the damaged region is the most common repair strategy for spinal cord injury.However,achieving good outcome remains difficult.Our previous study showed that porcine decellularize...Axon regeneration and remyelination of the damaged region is the most common repair strategy for spinal cord injury.However,achieving good outcome remains difficult.Our previous study showed that porcine decellularized optic nerve better mimics the extracellular matrix of the embryonic porcine optic nerve and promotes the directional growth of dorsal root ganglion neurites.However,it has not been reported whether this material promotes axonal regeneration in vivo.In the present study,a porcine decellularized optic nerve was seeded with neurotrophin-3-overexpressing Schwann cells.This functional scaffold promoted the directional growth and remyelination of regenerating axons.In vitro,the porcine decellularized optic nerve contained many straight,longitudinal channels with a uniform distribution,and microscopic pores were present in the channel wall.The spatial micro topological structure and extracellular matrix were conducive to the adhesion,survival and migration of neural stem cells.The scaffold promoted the directional growth of dorsal root ganglion neurites,and showed strong potential for myelin regeneration.Furthermore,we transplanted the porcine decellularized optic nerve containing neurotrophin-3-overexpressing Schwann cells in a rat model of T10 spinal cord defect in vivo.Four weeks later,the regenerating axons grew straight,the myelin sheath in the injured/transplanted area recovered its structure,and simultaneously,the number of inflammatory cells and the expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans were reduced.Together,these findings suggest that porcine decellularized optic nerve loaded with Schwann cells overexpressing neurotrophin-3 promotes the directional growth of regenerating spinal cord axons as well as myelin regeneration.All procedures involving animals were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Sun Yat-sen University(approval No.SYSU-IACUC-2019-B034)on February 28,2019.展开更多
Optic nerve regeneration is an important area of research. It can be used to treat patients suffering from optic neuropathy and provides insights into the treatment of numerous neurodegenerative diseases. There are ma...Optic nerve regeneration is an important area of research. It can be used to treat patients suffering from optic neuropathy and provides insights into the treatment of numerous neurodegenerative diseases. There are many hurdles impeding optic regeneration in mammals. The mammalian central nervous system is non-permissive to regeneration and intrinsically lacks the capacity for axonal regrowth. Any axonal injury also triggers a vicious cycle of apoptosis. Understanding these hurdles provides us with a rough framework to appreciate the essential steps to bring about optic nerve regeneration: enhancing neuronal survival, axon regeneration, remyelination and establishing functional synapses to the original neuronal targets. In this review article, we will go through current potential treatments for optic nerve regeneration, which includes neurotrophic factor provision, inflammatory stimulation, growth inhibition suppression, intracellular signaling modification and modeling of bridging substrates.展开更多
Axonal projections are specialized neuronal compartments and the longest parts of neurons.Axonal degeneration is a common pathological feature in many neurodegenerative disorders,such as Parkinson’s disease,amyotroph...Axonal projections are specialized neuronal compartments and the longest parts of neurons.Axonal degeneration is a common pathological feature in many neurodegenerative disorders,such as Parkinson’s disease,amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,glaucoma,as well as in traumatic lesions of the central nervous system(CNS),such as spinal cord injury.展开更多
Matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs)are members of the metzincin superfamily named after the zinc ion and the conserved methionine residue at the active site.In addition to their role in extracellular matrix(ECM)remode...Matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs)are members of the metzincin superfamily named after the zinc ion and the conserved methionine residue at the active site.In addition to their role in extracellular matrix(ECM)remodeling,these proteinases(in)activate many signaling molecules such as growth factors.展开更多
AIM:To explore the effects of αA-crystallin in astrocyte gliosis after optic nerve crush(ONC) and the mechanism of α-crystallin in neuroprotection and axon regeneration.METHODS:ONC was established on the Sprague...AIM:To explore the effects of αA-crystallin in astrocyte gliosis after optic nerve crush(ONC) and the mechanism of α-crystallin in neuroprotection and axon regeneration.METHODS:ONC was established on the SpragueDawley rat model and αA-crystallin(10 -4 g/L,4 μL) was intravitreously injected into the rat model.Flash-visual evoked potential(F-VEP) was examined 14 d after ONC,and the glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) levels in the retina and crush site were analyzed 1,3,5,7 and 14 d after ONC by immunohistochemistry(IHC) and Western blot respectively.The levels of beta Tubulin(TUJ1),growth-associated membrane phosphoprotein-43(GAP-43),chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans(CSPGs) and neurocan were also determined by IHC 14 d after ONC.RESULTS:GFAP level in the retina and the optic nerve significantly increased 1d after ONC,and reached the peak level 7d post-ONC.Injection of αA-crystallin significantly decreased GFAP level in both the retina and the crush site 3d after ONC,and induced astrocytes architecture remodeling at the crush site.Quantification of retinal ganglion cell(RGC) axons indicated αAcrystallin markedly promoted axon regeneration in ONC rats and enhanced the regenerated axons penetrated into the glial scar.CSPGs and neurocan expression also decreased 14 d after αA-crystallin injection.The amplitude(N1-P1) and latency(P1) of F-VEP were also restored.CONCLUSION:Our results suggest α-crystallin promotes the axon regeneration of RGCs and suppresses the activation of astrocytes.展开更多
Optic neuropathies or optic nerve diseases are a frequent cause of permanent vision loss that can occur after inflammation,ischemia,infection,tumors,trauma and/or an elevated pressure inside the eye(also called intra...Optic neuropathies or optic nerve diseases are a frequent cause of permanent vision loss that can occur after inflammation,ischemia,infection,tumors,trauma and/or an elevated pressure inside the eye(also called intraocular pressure or IOP).展开更多
Glaucoma is a common and complex neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs)and axons.Currently,there is no effective method to address the cause of RGCs degeneration.Ho...Glaucoma is a common and complex neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs)and axons.Currently,there is no effective method to address the cause of RGCs degeneration.However,studies on neuroprotective strategies for optic neuropathy have increased in recent years.Cell replacement and neuroprotection are major strategies for treating glaucoma and optic neuropathy.Regenerative medicine research into the repair of optic nerve damage using stem cells has Received considerable attention.Stem cells possess the potential for multidirectional differentiation abilities and are capable of producing RGCfriendly microenvironments through paracrine effects.This article reviews a thorough researches of recent advances and approaches in stem cell repair of optic nerve injury,raising the controversies and unresolved issues surrounding the future of stem cells.展开更多
In this study, we established a rat model of optic nerve crush to explore the effects of erythropoietin on retinal ganglion cell axonal regeneration. At 15 days after injury in erythropoietin treated rats, retinal gan...In this study, we established a rat model of optic nerve crush to explore the effects of erythropoietin on retinal ganglion cell axonal regeneration. At 15 days after injury in erythropoietin treated rats, retinal ganglion cell densities in regions corresponding to the 1/6, 3/6 and 5/6 ratios of the retinal radius were significantly increased. In addition, the number of growth associated protein-43 positive axons was significantly increased at different distances (50, 250 and 500 pm) from the crush site after erythropoietin treatment. Erythropoietin significantly increased growth associated protein-43 protein levels in the retina after crush injury, as determined by westem blot and immunofluorescence analysis. These results demonstrate that erythropoietin protects injured retinal ganglion cells and promotes axonal regeneration.展开更多
Phase and amplitude regeneration are necessary for degraded differential phase-shift keying communication sys- tems. This paper proposes a regenerator based on semiconductor optical amplifier for differential phase-sh...Phase and amplitude regeneration are necessary for degraded differential phase-shift keying communication sys- tems. This paper proposes a regenerator based on semiconductor optical amplifier for differential phase-shift keying signals. The key regeneration mechanism is theoretically analysed. The effectiveness of semiconductor optical amplifier based regenerator is demonstrated by comparing the bit error rate and eye diagrams before and after regeneration for 40-Cbit/s differential phase-shift keying 1080-km transmission systems. The results show that regeneration effects are very well. Bit error rate is tess than 10-12 with the regenerator.展开更多
Real time phase regeneration is necessary for degraded phase modulation format optical communication systems. A regenerator based on the discrimitive gain effect of a semiconductor optical amplifier was proposed in re...Real time phase regeneration is necessary for degraded phase modulation format optical communication systems. A regenerator based on the discrimitive gain effect of a semiconductor optical amplifier was proposed in recent years. In this paper, for this type of regenerator, its optimal working condition is found by solving the dynamic equations which describe the variance of the optical field and carrier density in the semiconductor optical amplifier by the finite difference method. The results show that the optimal improvement of signal Q factor can reach more than 2.2 dB.展开更多
Molecular mechanisms of the Kruppel-like family of transcription factors (KLFs) have been studied more in proliferating cells than in post-mitotic cells such as neurons. We recently found that KLFs regulate intrinsi...Molecular mechanisms of the Kruppel-like family of transcription factors (KLFs) have been studied more in proliferating cells than in post-mitotic cells such as neurons. We recently found that KLFs regulate intrinsic axon growth ability in central nervous system (CNS) neurons in- cluding retinal ganglion cells, and hippocampal and cortical neurons. With at least 15 of 17 KLF family members expressed in neurons and at least 5 structurally unique subfamilies, it is import- ant to determine how this complex family functions in neurons to regulate the intricate genetic programs of axon growth and regeneration. By characterizing the molecular mechanisms of the KLF family in the nervous system, including binding partners and gene targets, and comparing them to defined mechanisms defined outside the nervous system, we may better understand how KLFs regulate neurite growth and axon regeneration.展开更多
Glaucoma and other optic neuropathies result in optic nerve degeneration and the loss of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs)through complex signaling pathways.Although the mechanisms that regulate RGC development remain un...Glaucoma and other optic neuropathies result in optic nerve degeneration and the loss of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs)through complex signaling pathways.Although the mechanisms that regulate RGC development remain unclear,uncovering novel developmental pathways may support new strategies to regenerate the optic nerve or replace RGCs.Here we review recent studies that provide strong evidence that the Sry-related high-mobility-group C(SoxC)subfamily of transcription factors(TFs)are necessary and sufficient for axon guidance and RGC fate specification.These findings also uncover novel SoxC-dependent mechanisms that serve as master regulators during important steps of RGC development.For example,we review work showing that SoxC TFs regulate RGC axon guidance and direction through the optic chiasm towards their appropriate targets in the brain.We also review work demonstrating that Sox11 subcellular localization is,in part,controlled through small ubiquitin-like post-translational modifier(SUMO)and suggest compensatory cross-talk between Sox4 and Sox11.Furthermore,Sox4 overexpression is shown to positively drive RGC differentiation in human induced pluripotent stem cells(hi PSCs).Finally,we discuss how these findings may contribute to the advancement of regenerative and cell-based therapies to treat glaucoma and other optic nerve neuropathies.展开更多
Direct exposure to intensive visible light can lead to solar retinopathy, including macular injury. The signs and symptoms include central scotoma, metamorphopsia, and decreased vision. However, there have been few st...Direct exposure to intensive visible light can lead to solar retinopathy, including macular injury. The signs and symptoms include central scotoma, metamorphopsia, and decreased vision. However, there have been few studies examining retinal injury due to intensive light stimulation at the cellular level. Neural network arrangements and gene expression patterns in zebrafish photoreceptors are similar to those observed in humans, and photoreceptor injury in zebrafish can induce stem cell-based cellular regeneration. Therefore, the zebrafish retina is considered a useful model for studying photoreceptor injury in humans. In the current study, the central retinal photoreceptors of zebrafish were selectively ablated by stimulation with high-intensity light. Retinal injury, cell proliferation and regeneration of cones and rods were assessed at 1, 3 and 7 days post lesion with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Additionally, a light/dark box test was used to assess zebrafish behavior. The results revealed that photoreceptors were regenerated by 7 days after the light-induced injury. However, the regenerated cells showed a disrupted arrangement at the lesion site. During the injury-regeneration process, the zebrafish exhibited reduced locomotor capacity, weakened phototaxis and increased movement angular velocity. These behaviors matched the morphological changes of retinal injury and regeneration in a number of ways. This study demonstrates that the zebrafish retina has a robust capacity for regeneration. Visual impairment and stress responses following high-intensity light stimulation appear to contribute to the alteration of behaviors.展开更多
基金the National Key R&D Project of China,No.2020YFA0112701(to YZ)the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82171057(to YZ),81870657(to YL)+1 种基金Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou of China,No.202206080005(to YZ)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China,No.2022A1515012168(to YL)。
文摘Vision depends on accurate signal conduction from the retina to the brain through the optic nerve,an important part of the central nervous system that consists of bundles of axons originating from retinal ganglion cells.The mammalian optic nerve,an important part of the central nervous system,cannot regenerate once it is injured,leading to permanent vision loss.To date,there is no clinical treatment that can regenerate the optic nerve and restore vision.Our previous study found that the mobile zinc(Zn^(2+))level increased rapidly after optic nerve injury in the retina,specifically in the vesicles of the inner plexiform layer.Furthermore,chelating Zn^(2+)significantly promoted axonal regeneration with a long-term effect.In this study,we conditionally knocked out zinc transporter 3(ZnT3)in amacrine cells or retinal ganglion cells to construct two transgenic mouse lines(VGAT^(Cre)ZnT3^(fl/fl)and VGLUT2^(Cre)ZnT3^(fl/fl),respectively).We obtained direct evidence that the rapidly increased mobile Zn^(2+)in response to injury was from amacrine cells.We also found that selective deletion of ZnT3 in amacrine cells promoted retinal ganglion cell survival and axonal regeneration after optic nerve crush injury,improved retinal ganglion cell function,and promoted vision recovery.Sequencing analysis of reginal ganglion cells revealed that inhibiting the release of presynaptic Zn^(2+)affected the transcription of key genes related to the survival of retinal ganglion cells in postsynaptic neurons,regulated the synaptic connection between amacrine cells and retinal ganglion cells,and affected the fate of retinal ganglion cells.These results suggest that amacrine cells release Zn^(2+)to trigger transcriptomic changes related to neuronal growth and survival in reginal ganglion cells,thereby influencing the synaptic plasticity of retinal networks.These results make the theory of zinc-dependent retinal ganglion cell death more accurate and complete and provide new insights into the complex interactions between retinal cell networks.
基金financially supported by the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Research Council (C14/18/053)the research foundation Flanders (FWO) (G082221N)+1 种基金a personal L’Oréal/UNESCO (For Women in Science) fellowshipa personal FWO fellowship
文摘Axonal regeneration in the central nervous system is an energy-intensive process.In contrast to mammals,adult zebrafish can functionally recover from neuronal injury.This raises the question of how zebrafish can cope with this high energy demand.We previously showed that in adult zebrafish,subjected to an optic nerve crush,an antagonistic axon-dendrite interplay exists wherein the retraction of retinal ganglion cell dendrites is a prerequisite for effective axonal repair.We postulate a‘dendrites for regeneration’paradigm that might be linked to intraneuronal mitochondrial reshuffling,as ganglion cells likely have insufficient resources to maintain dendrites and restore axons simultaneously.Here,we characterized both mitochondrial distribution and mitochondrial dynamics within the different ganglion cell compartments(dendrites,somas,and axons)during the regenerative process.Optic nerve crush resulted in a reduction of mitochondria in the dendrites during dendritic retraction,whereafter enlarged mitochondria appeared in the optic nerve/tract during axonal regrowth.Upon dendritic regrowth in the retina,mitochondrial density inside the retinal dendrites returned to baseline levels.Moreover,a transient increase in mitochondrial fission and biogenesis was observed in retinal ganglion cell somas after optic nerve damage.Taken together,these findings suggest that during optic nerve injury-induced regeneration,mitochondria shift from the dendrites to the axons and back again and that temporary changes in mitochondrial dynamics support axonal and dendritic regrowth after optic nerve crush.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82070967,81770930the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,No.2020jj4788 (all to BJ)。
文摘Ras homolog enriched in brain(Rheb) is a small GTPase that activates mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1).Previous studies have shown that constitutively active Rheb can enhance the regeneration of sensory axons after spinal cord injury by activating downstream effectors of mTOR.S6K1 and4E-BP1 are important downstream effectors of mTORC1.In this study,we investigated the role of Rheb/mTOR and its downstream effectors S6K1 and 4E-BP1in the protection of retinal ganglion cells.We transfected an optic nerve crush mouse model with adeno-associated viral 2-mediated constitutively active Rheb and observed the effects on retinal ganglion cell survival and axon regeneration.We found that overexpression of constitutively active Rheb promoted survival of retinal ganglion cells in the acute(14 days) and chronic(21 and 42 days) stages of injury.We also found that either co-expression of the dominant-negative S6K1mutant or the constitutively active 4E-BP1 mutant together with constitutively active Rheb markedly inhibited axon regeneration of retinal ganglion cells.This suggests that mTORC1-mediated S6K1 activation and 4E-BP1 inhibition were necessary components for constitutively active Rheb-induced axon regeneration.However,only S6K1 activation,but not 4E-BP1 knockdown,induced axon regeneration when applied alone.Furthermore,S6K1 activation promoted the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days post-injury,whereas 4E-BP1 knockdown unexpectedly slightly decreased the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days postinjury.Ove rexpression of constitutively active 4E-BP1 increased the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days post-injury.Likewise,co-expressing constitutively active Rheb and constitutively active 4E-BP1 markedly increased the survival of retinal ganglion cells compared with overexpression of constitutively active Rheb alone at 14 days post-injury.These findings indicate that functional 4E-BP1 and S6K1 are neuroprotective and that 4E-BP1 may exert protective effects through a pathway at least partially independent of Rhe b/mTOR.Together,our results show that constitutively active Rheb promotes the survival of retinal ganglion cells and axon regeneration through modulating S6K1 and 4E-BP1 activity.Phosphorylated S6K1 and 4E-BP1 promote axon regeneration but play an antagonistic role in the survival of retinal ganglion cells.
文摘A new scheme based on SOA-MZI for all-optical 2R regeneration is proposed. The characteristics of gain and switching window of this device are investigated in detail. Numerical simulation results indicate that the nonlinear gain compression, the time delay between the input optical signal and the width of the optical pulse are essential parameters for a good performance of all-optical 2R regeneration.
基金Supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China (No.81070728)Shanghai "Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan" Basic Research Key Project,China (No.11JC1407700 and 11 JC1407701)+1 种基金Shanghai Nature Science Foundation, China (No.08ZR1413900)Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project, China(No.S30205)
文摘Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) is a serine/threonine kinase and one of the major downstream effectors of the small GTPase RhoA. The Rho/ROCK pathway is closely related to the pathogenesis of several central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and involved in many aspects of neuronal functions including neurite outgrowth and retraction. In the adult CNS, the damaged neuron regeneration is very difficult due to the presence of myelin-associated axon growth inhibitors such as Nogo, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein (Omgp), etc. The effects of these axon growth inhibitors are reversed by blocking the Rho/ROCK pathway 47 vitro, and the inhibition of Rho/ROCK pathway can promote axon regeneration and functional recovery in the injured CNS in viva In addition, the therapeutic effects of the Rho/ROCK inhibitors have also been demonstrated in some animal models and the Rho/ROCK pathway becomes an attractive target for the development of drugs for treating CNS disorders. In this review, we summarized on the effect of the Rho and the downstream factor ROCK in neural regeneration, and the potential therapeutic effect of Rho/ROCK inhibitors in the survival and axonal regeneration of retinal ganglion cell was also discussed.
基金supported by the Research Foundation of Jiangsu Provincial Commission of Health and Family Planning of China,No.H201653the Research Foundation of Changshu Science and Technology Bureau of China,No.CS201616
文摘The lack of axonal regeneration is the major cause of vision loss after optic nerve injury in adult mammals. Activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway has been shown to enhance the intrinsic growth capacity of neurons and to facilitate axonal regeneration in the central nervous system after injury. The deletion of the mTOR negative regulator phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) enhances regeneration of adult corticospinal neurons and ganglion cells. In the present study, we used a tyrosine-mutated (Y444F) AAV2 vector to efficiently express a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) for silencing PTEN expression in retinal ganglion cells. We evaluated cell survival and axonal regeneration in a rat model of optic nerve axotomy. The rats received an intravitreal injection of wildtype AAV2 or Y444F mutant AAV2 (both carrying shRNA to PTEN) 4 weeks before optic nerve axotomy. Compared with the wildtype AAV2 vector, the Y444F mutant AAV2 vector enhanced retinal ganglia cell survival and stimulated axonal regeneration to a greater extent 6 weeks after axotomy. Moreover,post-axotomy injection of the Y444F AAV2 vector expressing the shRNA to PTEN rescued ~19% of retinal ganglion cells and induced axons to regenerate near to the optic chiasm. Taken together, our results demonstrate that PTEN knockdown with the Y444F AAV2 vector promotes retinal ganglion cell survival and stimulates long-distance axonal regeneration after optic nerve axotomy. Therefore, the Y444F AAV2 vector might be a promising gene therapy tool for treating optic nerve injury.
基金supported by grants from the National Key R&D Program of China,No.2017YFA0104704(to BQL)the Young Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program(YESS)by China Association for Science and Technology(CAST),No.2018QNRC001(to BQL)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China,No.18ykpy38(to BQL)the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.81971157(to BQL),81891003(to YSZ).
文摘Axon regeneration and remyelination of the damaged region is the most common repair strategy for spinal cord injury.However,achieving good outcome remains difficult.Our previous study showed that porcine decellularized optic nerve better mimics the extracellular matrix of the embryonic porcine optic nerve and promotes the directional growth of dorsal root ganglion neurites.However,it has not been reported whether this material promotes axonal regeneration in vivo.In the present study,a porcine decellularized optic nerve was seeded with neurotrophin-3-overexpressing Schwann cells.This functional scaffold promoted the directional growth and remyelination of regenerating axons.In vitro,the porcine decellularized optic nerve contained many straight,longitudinal channels with a uniform distribution,and microscopic pores were present in the channel wall.The spatial micro topological structure and extracellular matrix were conducive to the adhesion,survival and migration of neural stem cells.The scaffold promoted the directional growth of dorsal root ganglion neurites,and showed strong potential for myelin regeneration.Furthermore,we transplanted the porcine decellularized optic nerve containing neurotrophin-3-overexpressing Schwann cells in a rat model of T10 spinal cord defect in vivo.Four weeks later,the regenerating axons grew straight,the myelin sheath in the injured/transplanted area recovered its structure,and simultaneously,the number of inflammatory cells and the expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans were reduced.Together,these findings suggest that porcine decellularized optic nerve loaded with Schwann cells overexpressing neurotrophin-3 promotes the directional growth of regenerating spinal cord axons as well as myelin regeneration.All procedures involving animals were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Sun Yat-sen University(approval No.SYSU-IACUC-2019-B034)on February 28,2019.
基金supported by National Program on Key Basic Research Project of China(973 Program2011CB707501)+1 种基金Funds of Leading Talents of Guangdong(2013)Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities(B14036)
文摘Optic nerve regeneration is an important area of research. It can be used to treat patients suffering from optic neuropathy and provides insights into the treatment of numerous neurodegenerative diseases. There are many hurdles impeding optic regeneration in mammals. The mammalian central nervous system is non-permissive to regeneration and intrinsically lacks the capacity for axonal regrowth. Any axonal injury also triggers a vicious cycle of apoptosis. Understanding these hurdles provides us with a rough framework to appreciate the essential steps to bring about optic nerve regeneration: enhancing neuronal survival, axon regeneration, remyelination and establishing functional synapses to the original neuronal targets. In this review article, we will go through current potential treatments for optic nerve regeneration, which includes neurotrophic factor provision, inflammatory stimulation, growth inhibition suppression, intracellular signaling modification and modeling of bridging substrates.
基金funded by a fellow of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel(CAPES),Brazil to VTRa funding from the DFG-Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain(CNMPB) to PL
文摘Axonal projections are specialized neuronal compartments and the longest parts of neurons.Axonal degeneration is a common pathological feature in many neurodegenerative disorders,such as Parkinson’s disease,amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,glaucoma,as well as in traumatic lesions of the central nervous system(CNS),such as spinal cord injury.
基金supported by the Hercules Foundation(AKUL/09/038&AKUL/13/09)national grants from the Research Council of KU Leuven(BOF-OT/14/064)+1 种基金the Research Foundation Flanders(FWO G0B2315N)the Flemish Institute for the promotion of scientific research(IWT)
文摘Matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs)are members of the metzincin superfamily named after the zinc ion and the conserved methionine residue at the active site.In addition to their role in extracellular matrix(ECM)remodeling,these proteinases(in)activate many signaling molecules such as growth factors.
基金Supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China(No.81270996)
文摘AIM:To explore the effects of αA-crystallin in astrocyte gliosis after optic nerve crush(ONC) and the mechanism of α-crystallin in neuroprotection and axon regeneration.METHODS:ONC was established on the SpragueDawley rat model and αA-crystallin(10 -4 g/L,4 μL) was intravitreously injected into the rat model.Flash-visual evoked potential(F-VEP) was examined 14 d after ONC,and the glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) levels in the retina and crush site were analyzed 1,3,5,7 and 14 d after ONC by immunohistochemistry(IHC) and Western blot respectively.The levels of beta Tubulin(TUJ1),growth-associated membrane phosphoprotein-43(GAP-43),chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans(CSPGs) and neurocan were also determined by IHC 14 d after ONC.RESULTS:GFAP level in the retina and the optic nerve significantly increased 1d after ONC,and reached the peak level 7d post-ONC.Injection of αA-crystallin significantly decreased GFAP level in both the retina and the crush site 3d after ONC,and induced astrocytes architecture remodeling at the crush site.Quantification of retinal ganglion cell(RGC) axons indicated αAcrystallin markedly promoted axon regeneration in ONC rats and enhanced the regenerated axons penetrated into the glial scar.CSPGs and neurocan expression also decreased 14 d after αA-crystallin injection.The amplitude(N1-P1) and latency(P1) of F-VEP were also restored.CONCLUSION:Our results suggest α-crystallin promotes the axon regeneration of RGCs and suppresses the activation of astrocytes.
基金financially supported by the Hercules Grant[AKUL/09/038]national Grants from the Research Council of KU Leuven[KU Leuven BOF-OT/10/033]the Flemish Institute for the promotion of scientific research(IWT and FWO)
文摘Optic neuropathies or optic nerve diseases are a frequent cause of permanent vision loss that can occur after inflammation,ischemia,infection,tumors,trauma and/or an elevated pressure inside the eye(also called intraocular pressure or IOP).
基金Supported by Science&Technology Department of Sichuan Province(No.2021YFS0214).
文摘Glaucoma is a common and complex neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs)and axons.Currently,there is no effective method to address the cause of RGCs degeneration.However,studies on neuroprotective strategies for optic neuropathy have increased in recent years.Cell replacement and neuroprotection are major strategies for treating glaucoma and optic neuropathy.Regenerative medicine research into the repair of optic nerve damage using stem cells has Received considerable attention.Stem cells possess the potential for multidirectional differentiation abilities and are capable of producing RGCfriendly microenvironments through paracrine effects.This article reviews a thorough researches of recent advances and approaches in stem cell repair of optic nerve injury,raising the controversies and unresolved issues surrounding the future of stem cells.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81070728
文摘In this study, we established a rat model of optic nerve crush to explore the effects of erythropoietin on retinal ganglion cell axonal regeneration. At 15 days after injury in erythropoietin treated rats, retinal ganglion cell densities in regions corresponding to the 1/6, 3/6 and 5/6 ratios of the retinal radius were significantly increased. In addition, the number of growth associated protein-43 positive axons was significantly increased at different distances (50, 250 and 500 pm) from the crush site after erythropoietin treatment. Erythropoietin significantly increased growth associated protein-43 protein levels in the retina after crush injury, as determined by westem blot and immunofluorescence analysis. These results demonstrate that erythropoietin protects injured retinal ganglion cells and promotes axonal regeneration.
基金supported by the Scientific Fund for Chinese Universities (Grant No. BUPT 2009RC0413)the National "863" High Technology Projects (Grant No. 2009AA01Z224)
文摘Phase and amplitude regeneration are necessary for degraded differential phase-shift keying communication sys- tems. This paper proposes a regenerator based on semiconductor optical amplifier for differential phase-shift keying signals. The key regeneration mechanism is theoretically analysed. The effectiveness of semiconductor optical amplifier based regenerator is demonstrated by comparing the bit error rate and eye diagrams before and after regeneration for 40-Cbit/s differential phase-shift keying 1080-km transmission systems. The results show that regeneration effects are very well. Bit error rate is tess than 10-12 with the regenerator.
基金Project supported by the Scientific Fund for Chinese Universities (Grant No. BUPT 2011RC009)
文摘Real time phase regeneration is necessary for degraded phase modulation format optical communication systems. A regenerator based on the discrimitive gain effect of a semiconductor optical amplifier was proposed in recent years. In this paper, for this type of regenerator, its optimal working condition is found by solving the dynamic equations which describe the variance of the optical field and carrier density in the semiconductor optical amplifier by the finite difference method. The results show that the optimal improvement of signal Q factor can reach more than 2.2 dB.
基金the National Eye Institute(EY022129 to JLGP30-EY022589 to UCSD)+1 种基金the DOD(W81XWH-12-1-0254 to JLG)an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness,Inc
文摘Molecular mechanisms of the Kruppel-like family of transcription factors (KLFs) have been studied more in proliferating cells than in post-mitotic cells such as neurons. We recently found that KLFs regulate intrinsic axon growth ability in central nervous system (CNS) neurons in- cluding retinal ganglion cells, and hippocampal and cortical neurons. With at least 15 of 17 KLF family members expressed in neurons and at least 5 structurally unique subfamilies, it is import- ant to determine how this complex family functions in neurons to regulate the intricate genetic programs of axon growth and regeneration. By characterizing the molecular mechanisms of the KLF family in the nervous system, including binding partners and gene targets, and comparing them to defined mechanisms defined outside the nervous system, we may better understand how KLFs regulate neurite growth and axon regeneration.
文摘Glaucoma and other optic neuropathies result in optic nerve degeneration and the loss of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs)through complex signaling pathways.Although the mechanisms that regulate RGC development remain unclear,uncovering novel developmental pathways may support new strategies to regenerate the optic nerve or replace RGCs.Here we review recent studies that provide strong evidence that the Sry-related high-mobility-group C(SoxC)subfamily of transcription factors(TFs)are necessary and sufficient for axon guidance and RGC fate specification.These findings also uncover novel SoxC-dependent mechanisms that serve as master regulators during important steps of RGC development.For example,we review work showing that SoxC TFs regulate RGC axon guidance and direction through the optic chiasm towards their appropriate targets in the brain.We also review work demonstrating that Sox11 subcellular localization is,in part,controlled through small ubiquitin-like post-translational modifier(SUMO)and suggest compensatory cross-talk between Sox4 and Sox11.Furthermore,Sox4 overexpression is shown to positively drive RGC differentiation in human induced pluripotent stem cells(hi PSCs).Finally,we discuss how these findings may contribute to the advancement of regenerative and cell-based therapies to treat glaucoma and other optic nerve neuropathies.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81301080,81671179the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities in China,No.63161215the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin of China,No.15JCYBJC24400,15JCQNJC10900
文摘Direct exposure to intensive visible light can lead to solar retinopathy, including macular injury. The signs and symptoms include central scotoma, metamorphopsia, and decreased vision. However, there have been few studies examining retinal injury due to intensive light stimulation at the cellular level. Neural network arrangements and gene expression patterns in zebrafish photoreceptors are similar to those observed in humans, and photoreceptor injury in zebrafish can induce stem cell-based cellular regeneration. Therefore, the zebrafish retina is considered a useful model for studying photoreceptor injury in humans. In the current study, the central retinal photoreceptors of zebrafish were selectively ablated by stimulation with high-intensity light. Retinal injury, cell proliferation and regeneration of cones and rods were assessed at 1, 3 and 7 days post lesion with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Additionally, a light/dark box test was used to assess zebrafish behavior. The results revealed that photoreceptors were regenerated by 7 days after the light-induced injury. However, the regenerated cells showed a disrupted arrangement at the lesion site. During the injury-regeneration process, the zebrafish exhibited reduced locomotor capacity, weakened phototaxis and increased movement angular velocity. These behaviors matched the morphological changes of retinal injury and regeneration in a number of ways. This study demonstrates that the zebrafish retina has a robust capacity for regeneration. Visual impairment and stress responses following high-intensity light stimulation appear to contribute to the alteration of behaviors.