AAV-mediated and pharmacological induction of Hsp70 expression stimulates survival of retinal ganglion cells following axonal injury.

We evaluated the effect of AAV2- and 17-AAG (17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin)-mediated upregulation of Hsp70 expression on the survival of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) injured by optic nerve crush (ONC). AAV2-Hsp70 expression in the retina was primarily observed in the ganglion cell layer. Approximately 75% of all transfected cells were RGCs. RGC survival in AAV2-Hsp70-injected animals was increased by an average of 110% 2 weeks after the axonal injury compared with the control. The increase in cell numbers was not even across the retinas with a maximum effect of approximately 306% observed in the inferior quadrant. 17-AAG-mediated induction of Hsp70 expression has been associated with cell protection in various models of neurodegenerative diseases. We show here that a single intravitreal injection of 17-AAG (0.2 ug ul(-1)) results in an increased survival of ONC-injured RGCs by approximately 49% compared with the vehicle-treated animals. Expression of Hsp70 in retinas of 17-AAG-treated animals was upregulated approximately by twofold compared with control animals. Our data support the idea that the upregulation of Hsp70 has a beneficial effect on the survival of injured RGCs, and the induction of this protein could be viewed as a potential neuroprotective strategy for optic neuropathies

A retinal code for motion along the gravitational and body axes

Self-motion triggers complementary visual and vestibular reflexes supporting image-stabilization and balance. Translation through space produces one global pattern of retinal image motion (optic flow), rotation another. We examined the direction preferences of direction-sensitive ganglion cells (DSGCs) in flattened mouse retinas in vitro. Here we show that for each subtype of DSGC, direction preference varies topographically so as to align with specific translatory optic flow fields, creating a neural ensemble tuned for a specific direction of motion through space. Four cardinal translatory directions are represented, aligned with two axes of high adaptive relevance: the body and gravitational axes. One subtype maximizes its output when the mouse advances, others when it retreats, rises or falls. Two classes of DSGCs, namely, ON-DSGCs and ON-OFF-DSGCs, share the same spatial geometry but weight the four channels differently. Each subtype ensemble is also tuned for rotation. The relative activation of DSGC channels uniquely encodes every translation and rotation. Although retinal and vestibular systems both encode translatory and rotatory self-motion, their coordinate systems differ

Quantitative proteomic analysis reveals temporal regulation of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 in the rat retina after partial optic nerve transection

This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.202205 bcfcMetadata onlyOthersResearch to Prevent Blindness; Henry G. Leong Endowed Professorship in Elderly Vision Health; Centre for Eye and Vision Research; Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation CommissionPublishe

Quantitative profiling of regional protein expression in rat retina after partial optic nerve transection using fluorescence difference two-dimensional gel electrophoresis

201910 bcmaVersion of RecordPublishe

Regional and temporal patterns of retinal α-crystallins expression during secondary retinal ganglion cell degeneration.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.202205 bcfcMetadata onlyRGCOthersNIH/NEI Grant; Research to Prevent Blindness; General Research Funds; Henry G Leong Endowed Professorship Fund; PolyU Internal Grants; PolyUSeed FundPublishe

Differential retinal protein expression in primary and secondary retinal ganglion cell degeneration identified by integrated SWATH and target-based proteomics

202109 bcvcVersion of RecordPublishe

Regional and temporal patterns of retinal α-crystallines expression during secondary retinal ganglion cell degeneration

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2016 Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, USA, 1-5 May 20162015-2016 > Academic research: refereed > Refereed conference paper201812_a bcmaNot applicabl