In adult mice, monocular enucleation (ME) results in an immediate deactivation of the contralateral medial monocular visual cortex. An early restricted reactivation by open eye potentiation is followed by a late overt cross-modal reactivation by whiskers (Van Brussel et al., 2011). In adolescence (P45), extensive recovery of cortical activity after ME fails as a result of suppression or functional immaturity of the cross-modal mechanisms (Nys et al., 2014). Here, we show that dark exposure before ME in adulthood also prevents the late cross-modal reactivation component, thereby converting the outcome of long-term ME into a more P45-like response. Because dark exposure affects GABAergic synaptic transmission in binocular V1 and the plastic immunity observed at P45 is reminiscent of the refractory period for inhibitory plasticity reported by Huang et al. (2010), we molecularly examined whether GABAergic inhibition also regulates ME-induced cross-modal plasticity. Comparison of the adaptation of the medial monocular and binocular cortices to long-term ME or dark exposure or a combinatorial deprivation revealed striking differences. In the medial monocular cortex, cortical inhibition via the GABA A receptor ␣1 subunit restricts cross-modal plasticity in P45 mice but is relaxed in adults to allow the whisker-mediated reactivation. In line, in vivo pharmacological activation of ␣1 subunit-containing GABA A receptors in adult ME mice specifically reduces the cross-modal aspect of reactivation. Together with region-specific changes in glutamate acid decarboxylase (GAD) and vesicular GABA transporter expression, these findings put intracortical inhibition forward as an important regulator of the age-, experience-, and cortical region-dependent cross-modal response to unilateral visual deprivation.

Plasma kallikrein, a member of the kallikrein-kinin system, catalyzes the release of the bioactive peptide bradykinin, which induces inflammation, vasodilation, vessel permeability, and pain. Preclinical evidence implicates the activity of plasma kallikrein in diabetic retinopathy, which is a leading cause of visual loss in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus. Employing a technology based on phage-display combined with chemical cyclization, we have identified highly selective bicyclic peptide inhibitors with nano- and picomolar potencies toward plasma kallikrein. Stability in biological matrices was either intrinsic to the peptide or engineered via the introduction of non-natural amino acids and nonpeptidic bonds. The peptides prevented bradykinin release in vitro, and in vivo efficacy was demonstrated in both a rat paw edema model and in rodent models of diabetes-induced retinal permeability. With a highly extended half-life of ∼40 h in rabbit eyes following intravitreal administration, the bicyclic peptides are promising novel agents for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.

No abstract

Single-cell RNA sequencing characterizes molecular pathways underlying inflammatory, metabolic, oxidative stress-mediated changes in Akimba model of diabetic retinopathy and identifies distinct functional subtypes of inflammatory & macroglial cells @Oxurion @LambrechtsDlab 2 ABSTRACT AIM: Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes and a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness. Despite recent advances, our understanding of its pathophysiology remains incomplete. The aim of this study was to provide deeper insight into the complex network of molecular and cellular changes that underlie diabetic retinopathy by systematically mapping the transcriptional changes that occur in the different cellular compartments of the degenerating diabetic mouse retina. METHODS: Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on retinal tissue from 12-week-old wild-type and Akimba (Ins2 Akita xVEGF +/-) mice, which are known to replicate features of clinical diabetic retinopathy. This resulted into transcriptome data for 9474 retinal cells, which could be annotated to 8 distinct retinal cell types. Using STRING analysis, we studied differentially expressed gene networks in neuronal, glial and immune cell compartments to create a comprehensive view on the pathological changes that occur in the Akimba retina. Using subclustering analysis, we further characterized macroglial and inflammatory cell subpopulations. Prominent findings were confirmed on protein level using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and ELISA. RESULTS: At 12 weeks, the Akimba retina was found to display degeneration of rod photoreceptors and presence of inflammatory cells, identified by subclustering analysis as monocyte, macrophage and microglial populations. Analysis of differential expressed genes in the rod, cone, bipolar cell and macroglial compartments indicated changes in cell metabolism and ribosomal gene expression, gliosis, activation of immune system pathways and redox and metal ion dyshomeostasis. Experiments on protein level supported a metabolic shift from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation (GAPDH), activation of microglia/macrophages (Isolectin-B4), metal ion and oxidative stress response (metallothionein and heme oxygenase-1) and reactive macroglia (GFAP and S100) in the Akimba retina, as compared to wild-type mice. Our single-cell approach also indicates macroglial subpopulations with distinct fibrotic, inflammatory and gliotic profiles. CONCLUSION: Our study identifies molecular pathways underlying inflammatory, metabolic and oxidative stress-mediated changes in the Akimba mouse model of diabetic retinopathy and distinguishes distinct functional subtypes of inflammatory and macroglial cells.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are Zn(2+)-dependent endopeptidases considered to be essential for normal brain development and neuroplasticity by modulating extracellular matrix proteins, receptors, adhesion molecules, growth factors and cytoskeletal proteins. Specifically, MMP-3 has recently been implicated in synaptic plasticity, hippocampus-dependent learning and neuronal development and migration in the cerebellum. However, the function(s) of this enzyme in the neocortex is understudied. Therefore, we explored the phenotypical characteristics of the neuronal architecture and the capacity for experience-dependent cortical plasticity in the visual cortex of adult MMP-3-deficient (MMP-3(-/-)) mice. Golgi-Cox stainings revealed a significant reduction in apical dendritic length and an increased number of apical obliques for layer V pyramidal neurons in the visual cortex of adult MMP-3(-/-) mice compared to wild-type (WT) animals. In addition, a significant upregulation of both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated neurofilament protein (NF)-high, phosphorylated NF-medium, NF-low and α-internexin was detected in the visual cortex of MMP-3(-/-) mice. To assess the effect of MMP-3 deficiency on cortical plasticity, we monocularly enucleated adult MMP-3(-/-) mice and analyzed the reactivation of the contralateral visual cortex 7 weeks post-enucleation. In contrast to previous results in C57Bl/6J adult mice, activity remained confined to the binocular zone and did not expand into the monocular regions indicative for an aberrant open-eye potentiation. Permanent hypoactivity in the monocular cortex lateral and medial to V1 also indicated a lack of cross-modal plasticity. These observations demonstrate that genetic inactivation of MMP-3 has profound effects on the structural integrity and plasticity response of the visual cortex of adult mice.