Contradictory data have been presented regarding the implication of the NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in the Western world. Recognizing that antibody specificity may explain this discrepancy and in line with recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines requiring authentication of key biological resources, the specificity of anti-NLRP3 antibodies was assessed to elucidate whether non-immune RPE cells express NLRP3. Using validated resources, NLRP3 was not detected in human primary or human established RPE cell lines under multiple inflammasome-priming conditions, including purported NLRP3 stimuli in RPE such as DICER1 deletion and Alu RNA transfection. Furthermore, NLRP3 was below detection limits in ex vivo macular RPE from AMD patients, as well as in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived RPE from patients with overactive NLRP3 syndrome (Chronic infantile neurologic cutaneous and articulate, CINCA syndrome). Evidence presented in this study provides new data regarding the interpretation of published results reporting NLRP3 expression and upregulation in RPE and addresses the role that this inflammasome plays in AMD pathogenesis.

Verteporfin (VP) was first used in Photodynamic therapy, where a non-thermal laser light (689 nm) in the presence of oxygen activates the drug to produce highly reactive oxygen radicals, resulting in local cell and tissue damage. However, it has also been shown that Verteporfin can have non-photoactivated effects such as interference with the YAP-TEAD complex of the HIPPO pathway, resulting in growth inhibition of several neoplasias. More recently, it was proposed that, another non-light mediated effect of VP is the formation of cross-linked oligomers and high molecular weight protein complexes (HMWC) that are hypothesized to interfere with autophagy and cell growth. Here, in a series of experiments, using human uveal melanoma cells (MEL 270), human embryonic kidney cells (HEK) and breast cancer cells (MCF7) we showed that Verteporfin-induced HMWC require the presence of light. Furthermore, we showed that the mechanism of this cross-linking, which involves both singlet oxygen and radical generation, can occur very efficiently even after lysis of the cells, if the lysate is not protected from ambient light. This work offers a better understanding regarding VP’s mechanisms of action and suggests caution when one studies the non-light mediated actions of this drug.

The early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are characterized by the accumulation of basal laminar deposits (BLamDs). The mechanism for BLamDs accumulating between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and its basal lamina remains elusive. Here we examined the role in AMD of lysosome-associated membrane protein-2 (LAMP2), a glycoprotein that plays a critical role in lysosomal biogenesis and maturation of autophagosomes/phagosomes. LAMP2 was preferentially expressed by RPE cells, and its expression declined with age. Deletion of the Lamp2 gene in mice resulted in age-dependent autofluorescence abnormalities of the fundus, thickening of Bruch’s membrane, and the formation of BLamDs, resembling histopathological changes occurring in AMD. Moreover, LAMP2-deficient mice developed molecular signatures similar to those found in human AMD—namely, the accumulation of APOE, APOA1, clusterin, and vitronectin—adjacent to BLamDs. In contrast, collagen 4, laminin, and fibronectin, which are extracellular matrix proteins constituting RPE basal lamina and Bruch’s membrane were reduced in Lamp2 knockout (KO) mice. Mechanistically, retarded phagocytic degradation of photoreceptor outer segments compromised lysosomal degradation and increased exocytosis in LAMP2-deficient RPE cells. The accumulation of BLamDs observed in LAMP2-deficient mice was eventually followed by loss of the RPE and photoreceptors. Finally, we observed loss of LAMP2 expression along with ultramicroscopic features of abnormal phagocytosis and exocytosis in eyes from AMD patients but not from control individuals. Taken together, these results indicate an important role for LAMP2 in RPE function in health and disease, suggesting that LAMP2 reduction may contribute to the formation of BLamDs in AMD.

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii secretes proteins from specialized organelles, the rhoptries, and dense granules, which are involved in the modulation of host cell processes. Dense granule protein GRA15 activates the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, which plays an important role in cell death, innate immunity, and inflammation. Exactly how GRA15 activates the NF-κB pathway is unknown. Here we show that GRA15 interacts with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs), which are adaptor proteins functioning upstream of the NF-κB transcription factor. We identified several TRAF binding sites in the GRA15 amino acid sequence and showed that these are involved in NF-κB activation. Furthermore, a TRAF2 knockout cell line has impaired GRA15-mediated NF-κB activation. Thus, we determined the mechanism for GRA15-dependent NF-κB activation. IMPORTANCE The parasite Toxoplasma can cause birth defects and severe disease in immunosuppressed patients. Strain differences in pathogenicity exist, and these differences are due to polymorphic effector proteins that Toxoplasma secretes into the host cell to coopt host cell functions. The effector protein GRA15 of some Toxoplasma strains activates the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, which plays an important role in cell death, innate immunity, and inflammation. We show that GRA15 interacts with TNF receptor-associated factors (TRAFs), which are adaptor proteins functioning upstream of the NF-κB transcription factor. Deletion of TRAF-binding sites in GRA15 greatly reduces its ability to activate the NF-κB pathway, and TRAF2 knockout cells have impaired GRA15-mediated NF-κB activation. Thus, we determined the mechanism for GRA15-dependent NF-κB activation.

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Presented at the 19th International Conference on Chelation, London, UK, 13-16 November 2009 Preliminary spectrophotometric and potentiometric studies have shown that hydroxycarbamide or hydroxyurea (HU) can interact with copper(II) [Cu(II)], iron(II) [Fe(II)] and Fe(III) ions and form complexes, for example, a ratio of 1 HU:1 metal at pH 5. The affinity for Cu (log β1 = 3.1) and Fe (log β1 = 5) by HU is much lower than that of the Fe and Cu chelating drug deferiprone (L1), which is used for the treatment of iron overload. It is anticipated that under certain conditions of high concentrations of these metal ions such as in transfusional iron overload, the therapeutic, pharmacological and toxicological properties of HU could be affected. It is also suggested that excess chelatable and labile forms of Fe or Cu ions, such as non transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) or intracellular low molecular weight labile iron, are among the main factors that may cause variations in the therapeutic response to HU in cancer, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia intermedia and other groups of patients. Further studies are needed to clarify the interaction mechanisms of HU with metal ions in vitro, in vivo and in clinical conditions.

Citation: Braun PX, Mehta N, Gendelman I, et al. Global analysis of macular choriocapillaris perfusion in dry agerelated macular degeneration using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2019;60:4985-4990. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.19-27861 PURPOSE. Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) was used to investigate if the clinical stage of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) was correlated with global and regional macular choriocapillaris (CC) perfusion. METHODS.In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, 6 3 6-mm SS-OCTA images from eyes with early, intermediate, and advanced dry AMD (56 eyes, 41 patients) were analyzed using algorithms described in the literature to assess regional flow deficit percentage (FD%) and average flow deficit size. Regions were defined by concentric areas centered on the fovea: a 1mm-diameter area, 3-mm-diameter ring, 5-mm-diameter area, 5-mm-diameter ring, and 6 3 6mm whole image. Data were modeled using the generalized estimating equations approach.RESULTS. The relationship between age and CC FD% and average flow deficit size was statistically significant (P 0.05) in all regions of analysis by linear modeling. The relationship between dry AMD stage and FD% was statistically significant by linear modeling in the 5-mm ring, and between dry AMD stage and average flow deficit size in the 3-mm ring, 5-mm area, 5mm ring, and 6 3 6-mm whole image.CONCLUSIONS. Linear modeling suggests a statistically significant relationship between dry AMD stage and CC perfusion, most prominent in the more peripheral regions of the macula.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether YAP/TAZ activation in uveal melanoma (UM) and the susceptibility of melanoma cell lines to YAP/TAZ inhibition by verteporfin (VP) is related to the tumor's genetic background. Methods Characteristics of 144 patients with enucleated UM were analyzed together with mRNA expression levels of YAP/TAZ-related genes (80 patients from the The Cancer Genome Atlas [TCGA] project and 64 patients from Leiden, The Netherlands). VP was administered to cell lines 92.1, OMM1, Mel270, XMP46, and MM28 (UM), CRMM1 and CRMM2 (conjunctival melanoma), and OCM3 (cutaneous melanoma). Viability, growth speed, and expression of YAP1-related proteins were assessed. Results In TCGA data, high expression of YAP1 and WWTR1 correlated with the presence of monosomy 3 ( P = 0.009 and P < 0.001, respectively) and BAP1-loss ( P = 0.003 and P = 0.001, respectively) in the primary UM; metastasis development correlated with higher expression of YAP1 ( P = 0.05) and WWTR1 ( P = 0.003). In Leiden data, downstream transcription factor TEAD4 was increased in cases with M3/BAP1-loss ( P = 0.002 and P = 0.006) and related to metastasis ( P = 0.004). UM cell lines 92.1, OMM1, and Mel270 ( GNAQ/11- mutation, BAP1-positive) and the fast-growing cell line OCM3 ( BRAF- mutation) showed decreased proliferation after exposure to VP. Two slow-growing UM cell lines XMP46 and MM28 ( GNAQ/11 -mutation, BAP1-negative) were not sensitive to VP, and neither were the two conjunctival melanoma cell lines ( BRAF/NRAS- mutation). Conclusions High risk UM showed an increased expression of YAP/TAZ-related genes. Although most UM cell lines responded in vitro to VP, BAP1-negative and conjunctival melanoma cell lines did not. Not only the mutational background, but also cell growth rate is an important predictor of response to YAP/TAZ inhibition by VP.