Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common and highly heterogeneous form of hereditary retinal degeneration. This study was to identify mutations in the 60 genes that were known to be associated with RP in 157 unrelated Chinese families with RP. Genomic DNA from probands was initially analyzed by whole exome sequencing. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm potential candidate variants affecting the encoded residues in the 60 genes, including heterozygous variants from genes that are related to autosomal dominant RP, homozygous or compound heterozygous variants from genes that are related to autosomal recessive RP, and hemizygous variants from genes that are related to X-linked RP. Synonymous and intronic variants were also examined to confirm whether they could affect splicing. A total of 244 candidate variants were detected by exome sequencing. Sanger sequencing confirmed 240 variants out of the 244 candidates. Informatics and segregation analyses suggested 110 potential pathogenic mutations in 28 out of the 60 genes involving 79 of the 157 (50%) families, including 31 (39%, 31/79) families with heterozygous mutations in autosomal dominant genes, 37 (47%, 37/79) families with homozygous (9) or compound heterozygous (28) mutations in autosomal recessive genes, and 11 (14%, 11/79) families with hemizygous mutations in X-linked genes. Of the 110 identified variants, 74 (67%) were novel. The genetic defects in approximately half of the 157 studies families were detected by exome sequencing. A comprehensive analysis of the 60 known genes not only expanded the mutation spectrum and frequency of the 60 genes in Chinese patients with RP, but also provided an overview of the molecular etiology of RP in Chinese patients. The analysis of the known genes also supplied the foundation and clues for discovering novel causative RP genes.

Adropin, a secretory signal peptide, has shown beneficial effects on improving glucose homeostasis and dyslipidemia. However, whether this peptide affects nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has remained unclear. In this study, the serum adropin levels, liver injury and oxidative stress were measured in diet-induced NASH mice. Adropin knock-out mice and palmitate treated primary hepatic cells were used to investigate the influence of adropin on liver injury. Our results show that serum adropin levels were decreased and negatively correlated with liver injury in NASH mice. Knockout of adropin significantly exacerbated hepatic steatosis, inflammatory responses and fibrosis in mice after either methionine-choline deficient diet (MCD) or western diet (WD) feeding. And the treatment with adropin bioactive peptides ameliorated NASH progression in mice. Adropin alleviated hepatocyte injury by upregulating the expression of Gclc, Gclm, and Gpx1 in a manner dependent on Nrf2 transcriptional activity and by increasing the glutathione (GSH) levels. And adropin significantly increased CBP expression and promoted its binding with Nrf2, which enhanced Nrf2 transcriptional activity. Furthermore, AAV8-mediated overexpression of hepatic Nrf2 expression functionally restored the liver injury induced by adropin-deficiency MCD-fed mice. These findings provide evidence that adropin activates Nrf2 signaling and plays a protective role in liver injury of NASH and therefore might represent a novel target for the prevention and treatment of NASH.

Whole-exome sequencing detected mutations in the 19 known LCA genes in approximately half of Chinese families with LCA. These results, together with our previous results, demonstrate the spectrum and frequency of mutations of the 19 genes responsible for LCA in Han Chinese individuals. Whole-exome sequencing is an efficient method for detecting mutations in highly heterogeneous hereditary diseases. Chinese Abstract.

Acute acquired concomitant esotropia (AACE) is a rare, distinct subtype of esotropia. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe the clinical characteristics and discuss the classification and etiology of AACE.Charts from 47 patients with AACE referred to our institute between October 2010 and November 2014 were reviewed. All participants underwent a complete medical history, ophthalmologic and orthoptic examinations, and brain and orbital imaging.Mean age at onset was 26.6 ± 12.2 years. Of the 18 cases with deviations ≤ 20 PD, 16 presented with diplopia at distance and fusion at near vision at the onset of deviation; differences between distance and near deviations were < 8 PD; all cases except one were treated with prism and diplopia resolved. Of the 29 cases with deviations > 20 PD, 5 were mild hypermetropic with age at onset between 5 and 19 years, 16 were myopic, and 8 were emmetropic with age at onset > 12 years; 24 were surgically treated and 5 cases remained under observation; all 24 cases achieved normal retinal correspondence or fusion or stereopsis on postoperative day 1 in synoptophore; in 23 cases diplopia or visual confusion resolved postoperatively. Of the 47 cases, brain and orbital imaging in 2 cases revealed a tumor in the cerebellopontine angle and 1 case involved spinocerebellar ataxia as revealed by genetic testing.AACE in this study was characterized by a sudden onset of concomitant nonaccommodative esotropia with diplopia or visual confusion at 5 years of age or older and the potential for normal binocular vision. We suggest that AACE can be divided into 2 subgroups consisting of patients with relatively small versus large angle deviations. Coexisting or underlying neurological diseases were infrequent in AACE.