Association between long-term exposure to air pollution and diabetic retinopathy: Evidence from the Fujian Eye Study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy (DR), one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), is a major contributor of vision impairment and blindness worldwide. Studies have shown that air pollution exposure is adversely associated with DM. However, evidence is scarce regarding how air pollution exposure affects DR. This study aimed to investigate the association between ambient air pollution exposure and DR risk. METHODS: The study population was based on the Fujian Eye Study (FJES), an ophthalmologic, epidemiologic survey investigating the eye health condition of residents in Fujian Province from 2018 to 2019. Daily average concentrations of ambient air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and O3) were acquired from a high-resolution air quality dataset in China from 2013 to 2018. We used a logistic regression model to examine the associations between DR risk and long-term air pollution at various exposure windows. RESULTS: A total of 2405 out of the 8211 participants were diagnosed with diabetes, among whom 183 had DR. Ambient air pollution, especially particulate matter (i.e., PM2.5 and PM10) and NO2 were positively associated with DR prevalence among all the study subjects. Ambient SO2 and O3 concentrations were not associated with DR prevalence. PM2.5 and NO2 seemed to be borderline significantly associated with increased prevalence of DR in subjects with DM, especially under the model adjusted for sex, age, BMI, SBP, and DBP. CONCLUSIONS: These findings showed that long-term exposure to ambient particulate matter and NO2 was associated with a high DR risk in Fujian province, where ambient air pollution is relatively low.

Effects of Apelin on the fibrosis of retinal tissues and Müller cells in diabetes retinopathy through the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway.

Retinal fibrosis was a key characteristic of diabetes retinopathy (DR). Apelin was found to be a candidate for tissue fibrosis. Nevertheless, the role of Apelin in the Müller cells in DR remains unclear. This study identified the function and mechanism of Apelin in Müller cells and the fibrosis of retinal tissue. Western blot was carried out to detect the Apelin, GFAP, Collagen I, α-SMA, JAK2 and STAT3 protein levels. Masson staining was performed to display the histopathological changes in retinal tissue of diabetic mellitus (DM) rats. The immunofluorescence staining was conducted to evaluate the Apelin levels in the retinal tissue. The levels of GFAP, Collagen I and α-SMA in the retinal tissue of DM rats was visualised by the immunohistochemistry staining. The results showed that Apelin, GFAP, Collagen I andα-SMA expression was prominently elevated in the retinal tissue of DM rats and high glucose (HG)-exposed Müller cells. The results of Masson staining showed that the epiretinal fibrotic membrane was observed in DM rats. Apelin knockdown declined the GFAP, Collagen I andα-SMA levels. Besides, the protein levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 were elevated in the HG-treated Müller cells, while Apelin knockdown declined them. FLLL32 treatment neutralised the role of Apelin. In conclusion, Apelin facilitated the fibrogenic activity of Müller cells through activating the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway, and thus inducing the retinal fibrosis in DR.

Benzene, 1,2,4-Trimethoxy-5-(2-Methyl-1-Propen-1-yl) Attenuates D-galactose/AlCl3-induced Cognitive Impairment by Inhibiting Inflammation, Apoptosis, and improving Expression of Memory-Related Proteins.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by decreased learning ability and memory deficits. Our previous findings suggested that benzene, 1,2,4-trimethoxy-5-(2-methyl-1-propen-1-yl) (BTY) can ameliorate the dysfunction of GABAergic inhibitory neurons associated with neurological diseases. On this basis, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of BTY on AD and explored the underlying mechanism. This study included in vitro and in vivo experiments. BTY could maintain cell morphology, improve cell survival rate, reduce cell damage, and inhibit cell apoptosis in vitro experiments. Further, BTY has good pharmacological activity in vivo experiments, of which behavioral experiments showed that BTY could improve AD-like mice's learning and memory abilities. Besides, histopathological experiments indicated that BTY could maintain the morphology and function of neurons, reduce amyloid ß-protein 42 (Aß42) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) accumulation, and decrease the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Finally, western blot experiments showed that BTY could inhibit the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and promote the expression of memory-related proteins. In conclusion, this study indicated that BTY may be a promising drug candidate for AD.

Neuroprotection of boropinol-B in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis.

Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. The activation of gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptors can attenuate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CI/RI). Boropinol-B, originally isolated from Boronia pinnata Sm. (Rutaceae), has been proved the ability to activate GABAA receptors synergistically. However, whether boropinol-B has neuroprotection in CI/RI remains unknown. Here we reported the neuroprotective effect of boropinol-B on CI/RI and its underlying mechanism, focusing on inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis. The oxygen and glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) cell model showed that boropinol-B could improve cell viability, mitigate cell injury, and inhibit apoptosis. In rats, the transient ischemic model was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 h followed by reperfusion. Our results indicated that boropinol-B improved neurological scores, reduced cerebral infarction and neuronal necrosis of rats 24 h after ischemia, and prolonged median survival time after continuous administration for 14 days. Furthermore, we found that boropinol-B inhibited the over-activation of microglia and astrocytes, reduced the release of pro-inflammatory factors, and down-regulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinases-3/9, thus alleviating cerebral edema and blood-brain barrier dysfunction. Also, it suppressed apoptosis by increasing Bcl-2 expression and decreasing the expression of Bax, Active Caspase-3, and Cytochrome C. In conclusion, boropinol-B demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties that contributed to the neuroprotective effect against CI/RI, suggesting that it may be an up-and-coming drug candidate to treat ischemic stroke.

Visual acuity of urban and rural adults in a coastal province of southern China: the Fujian Eye Study.

AIM: To evaluate the vision status and sociodemographic associations of visual acuity (VA) in an urban and rural population in a coastal province of southern China. METHODS: The Fujian Eye Study, a population-based cross-sectional study, was performed from May 2018 to October 2019. Totally 10 044 participants over 50 years old from all nine cities in Fujian Province were enrolled, and underwent a questionnaire and a series of standard physical and ocular examinations. VA was measured by E Standard Logarithmic Visual Acuity Chart (GB 11533-1989). Data was double entered with EpiData v3.1 for data collation and Stata/SE statistical software v15.1 was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Totally 8211 (81.8%) participants were finally included and were divided into urban populations (4678 subjects), rural populations (n=3533), coastal residents (n=6434), and inland residents (1777 subjects); 4836 participants were female. The mean age was 64.39±8.87y (median 64y; range 50-98y). The mean presenting VA was 0.61±0.30 (0.23±0.27 logMAR), and the mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.82±0.28 (0.08±0.19 logMAR). In the multiple regression analysis, BCVA was significantly correlated with several socioeconomic and biologic factors, including age (P<0.001), education level (P<0.001), income (P=0.005), rural residency (P<0.001), inland residency (P=0.001) and refractive error (P<0.001), while sex (P=0.194) was independent with BCVA. CONCLUSION: Accessible services and eye health policies targeting the elderly, people with high myopia and people living in rural or inland areas are needed.

Uncorrected near vision acuity and associated factors in a coastal province in southern China: the Fujian eye cross sectional study.

Background: Near vision (NV) is essential to visual quality of individuals, and could be affected by different factors and changed gradually with the development of society. An update estimates is needed. Our study aims to investigate the age-trends in and sociodemographic characteristics associated with uncorrected near vision acuity (UNVA) in people ≥50 years in southern China. Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional survey on the eye health status of residents in both inland and coastal areas of Fujian Province, southern China was performed by Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University. People aged ≥50 years (10,044 subjects) in Fujian province were recruited according to the cluster sampling design by Fujian eye cross sectional study (FJES) group. The contents of the questionnaire survey included age, gender, education, occupation and other socioeconomic status. UNVA and slit lamp examination were performed for the participants in the field survey. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to compare the mean among groups of normally distributed parameters of UNVA and the chi-square (χ2) test was used to compare the proportion. Results: Among the baseline participants, 8,211 (81.8%) attended follow-up examinations. The sample had a mean age of 64.4 years [standard deviation (SD) =8.9], and 4,836 of the participants were female (58.9%). The average UNVA values for males and females were 0.29±0.18 and 0.28±0.17, respectively (P=0.000). UNVA gradually decreased with age and plateaued between 65 and 80 years old. There were significant differences in the mean values of UNVA associated with different occupations (P=0.000). UNVA was significantly different among people with different education levels (P=0.000). The average UNVA in people in coastal areas was 0.28, while that in people in inland areas was 0.29 (P=0.006). People in urban areas appeared to have better UNVA on average (0.29) than those in rural areas (0.27; P=0.000). Conclusions: After age 50, NV was reduced gradually. Age, gender, education, occupation, income and geographical factors may affect the NV performance of adults, which should be taken into account to achieve a good management of vision quality.

The Fujian eye cross sectional study: objectives, design, and general characteristics.

PURPOSE: To describe the objective and design of the Fujian Eye Study and to introduce the general characteristics and vision condition of this study. METHODS: The Fujian Eye Study (FJES) is a population-based cross-sectional survey on the public eye health status of residents over 50 years old in the entire Fujian Province of Southern China, which contains both urban and rural areas and coastal and inland regions. 10,044 participants were enrolled using a two-stage cluster sampling design and underwent a questionnaire and a series of standard examinations both physical and ocular. The main subgroups of data collection included age, sex, region, refractive error, education background, income, eating habits, smartphone usage in the dark, complaints of eye discomfort, history of chronic diseases, consumption of tobacco, alcohol, or tea. RESULTS: 8211 (81.8%) participants were finally included and were divided into urban populations (4678 subjects) and rural populations (3533 subjects) and coastal residents (6434 subjects) and inland residents (1777 subjects); 4836 participants were female. The mean age was 64.39 (SD 8.87) years (median 64 years; range 50-98 years). 227 (3.33%) had vision impairment (VI), 195 (2.87%) had low vision and 14 (0.21%) were blind. The mean presenting near visual acuity (PNVA) was 0.28 (0.17), the mean presenting distance visual acuity (PDVA) was 0.61 (0.30), and the mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.82 (0.28). CONCLUSIONS: The FJES collected detailed questionnaire information and overall ocular and physical examinations, which provide the opportunity to identify risk factors and images of VI and eye diseases and to evaluate their associations with chronic diseases and basic personal information.

The correlation between near vision and smartphone use among ageing populations.

BACKGROUND: This population-based, cross-sectional study aimed to assess the correlation between near vision and smartphone usage among people aged ≥50 years in China. METHODS: This study was performed on the ocular health status of residents in Fujian Province, Southeast China. People aged ≥50 years were recruited. The main contents of the survey for the residents included socioeconomic status, uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), refractive state, as well as a questionnaire about smartphone usage and visual quality. RESULTS: Smartphone adoption accounted for 67.7% (4,702 individuals) of the total population, which decreased with age in the elderly. Smartphone owners had a higher average UNVA of 0.31±0.18 than non-smartphone owners (0.23±0.14), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Individuals who used smartphones for a long time usually had better UNVA (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.144, P<0.001). The rates of complaints of distance vision loss, near vision loss, ocular surface discomfort in smartphone users were significantly higher than that of non-users (P<0.001). Also, smartphone adoption and visual quality differed between urban and rural respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Smartphone adoption and usage time in the elderly significantly decreased with age and UNVA, and the performance of visual impairment was not consistent in urban and rural areas.

Neuroprotective Effect of Alpha-asarone on the Rats Model of Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Stroke via Ameliorating Glial Activation and Autophagy.

Alpha-asarone, a major active component isolated from Acorus gramineus, can affect brain functions and behaviors by multiple mechanisms. However, the effect of alpha-asarone on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CIR) stroke has not been reported. The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of alpha-asarone and the involved mechanisms against CIR stroke. Rats were subjected to middle cerebral occlusion (MCAO) for 2 h. Then the drug or drug-free vehicle was intravenously injected to corresponding groups. After reperfusion for 24 h, the infarct volume was evaluated by Triphenyl Tetrazolium Chloride (TTC) staining. The neurofunctional recovery and post-stroke epilepsy were evaluated. Nissl and Hematoxylin-Eosin (H&E) staining were used for histological observation. We investigated the protective mechanism of alpha-asarone against the stroke. The results showed that alpha-asarone exhibited a desirable neuroprotective effect, manifested as reducing infarct volume and post-stroke epilepsy and improving neurological function. Histological and flow cytometry analysis revealed that alpha-asarone treatment alleviated cell injury and apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, alpha-asarone decreased GFAP, Iba-1, and LC3II/LC3I expression and increased the expression of p62. These results suggested that alpha-asarone attenuated the CIR stroke injury via ameliorating glial activation and autophagy.

Intraocular pressure of adults in a coastal province in southern China: the Fujian cross-sectional eye study.

BACKGROUND: Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide. Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) is widely recognized as the most important modifiable risk factor for the development of glaucoma. In order to arouse people's attention to glaucoma, this study set out to describe IOP and its related factors in adults living in urban and rural areas of Fujian, a coastal province in southern China. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study (the Fujian Eye Study) was conducted from May 2018 to October 2019. The study enrolled 10,044 residents of Fujian aged 50 years and over to participate in a questionnaire and a series of physical and ocular examinations, such as height, weight, heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), visual acuity (VA), IOP, slit lamp and fundus examinations. Participants were divided into subgroups by age, sex, region, refraction, and other characteristics. IOP was measured with the handheld iCare rebound tonometer. RESULTS: A total of 8,211 individuals were included, of whom 8,153 underwent IOP examination. The mean IOP was 13.88±3.46 mmHg (median, 14 mmHg; range, 5-57 mmHg). Multiple regression analysis revealed that IOP was associated with age, sex, refraction, SBP, living in an inland area, smartphone use in the dark, and a history of chronic diseases. However, IOP was statistically independent of living in an urban or rural area, body mass index, DBP, tobacco use, alcohol use, and tea consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Additional vision-related policies targeting younger women, people with high SBP, myopia, and chronic diseases, and those living in inland areas are needed in future.

ube3d, a New Gene Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Induces Functional Changes in Both In Vivo and In Vitro Studies.

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by the formation of choroidal neovascularization, which is responsible for more than 80% of cases of severe vision loss. Ubiquitin protein ligase E3D (UBE3D) gene missense has been proven to be associated with neovascular AMD in the East Asian population based on our previous study. In vivo, we explored the role of ube3d in eye development and the mechanisms underlying the development of neovascular AMD in a zebrafish model. In vitro, we investigated the function and mechanism of ube3d in oxidative damage in human retinal pigment epithelium (hRPE) cells. The ube3d gene was knocked down in zebrafish in our experiments, and rescue of ube3d morphants was also performed. We observed the zebrafish model at the molecular level and functional and morphological changes in vivo. Lentivirus-based gene transfer technology was used to overexpress/knockdown ube3d expression in hRPE cells in vitro. hRPE oxidative damage was induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-TBH). Cell proliferation and migration were assessed. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were used to measure the expression levels of UBE3D and CyclinB1. Abnormal eye development was found in zebrafish in this study, including small eyes, delayed retinal development, delayed retrograde melanosome transport, and reduced dark-induced hyper-locomotor activity under light-off conditions. In addition, increased angiogenesis was observed in ube3d morphants. A negative correlation between UBE3D and CyclinB1 was observed. Low UBE3D expression can promote oxidative damage and inflammatory reactions. UBE3D and autophagy have a synergetic effect on anti-oxidative damage. These findings indicate that ube3d may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AMD by affecting retinal development, oxidative damage, and autophagy.

Retraction Note to: A comparison of risk factors for age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Chinese patients.

The article "A comparison of risk factors for age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Chinese patients" has been retracted.

Protective effects of autophagy against blue light-induced retinal degeneration in aged mice.

The aim of this study was to explore the role of autophagy in response to blue light damage in aged mice and in human retinal pigmented epithelium (hRPE) cells. Blue light damage to the retina was induced in 10-month-old (10 mo) C57 mice and hRPE cells. Flash electroretinography was used to assess retinal function. Retinal structure changes were observed by electron microscopy. Western blot was conducted to determine the expression levels of the following proteins: cleaved caspase-3, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases, protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), autophagy marker light chain 3 (LC3), P62, and Beclin-1. On day 1 after light damage to the 10 mo mice, retinal function was changed. The latent periods of a-wave and b-wave were delayed, and amplitude was reduced. The electron microscopy results revealed mitochondria damage in the retinal pigmented epithelium and a disorganized photoreceptor outer segment (OS). PERK, LC3, and Beclin-1 were upregulated, whereas P62 was not. On day 5 after the blue light damage, restoration of electroretinography and OS was observed. PERK, LC3, and Beclin-1 were downregulated, whereas P62 was not. Protein changes in vitro were consistent with in vivo. The present study provided structural and functional evidence that autophagy plays an important role in the response to blue lightinduced retinal damage.

Clinical and Mutation Analysis of Patients with Best Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy or Autosomal Recessive Bestrophinopathy in Chinese Population.

Mutations in the gene BEST1 usually cause bestrophinopathies, such as the rare progressive diseases Best vitelliform macular dystrophy (BVMD) and autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy (ARB). This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with BVMD or ARB carrying BEST1 mutations. A total of 12 probands including 9 patients with a clinical diagnosis of BVMD and 3 patients with a clinical diagnosis of ARB were recruited for genetics analysis. All patients underwent detailed ophthalmic examination. All coding exons of the BEST1 gene were screened by PCR-based DNA sequencing. Programs of PolyPhen-2, SIFT, and MutationTaster were used to analyze the potential pathogenicity of the mutations in BEST1. In the 9 unrelated patients with BVMD, one heterozygous BEST1 mutation was revealed in 8 patients and two compound heterozygous mutations in 1 patient. In the 3 unrelated patients with ARB, two compound heterozygous mutations were revealed in 2 patients and three compound heterozygous mutations in 1 patient. Molecular analyses identified a total of 15 mutations, including 3 novel mutations (c.424A>G p.S142G, c.436G>A p.A146T, and c.155T>C p.L52P). Antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs were given to two affected eyes, especially those also exhibiting choroidal neovascularization (CNV), and no serious adverse events occurred. Our study indicates that there is wide genotypic and phenotypic variability in patients with BVMD or ARB in China. The screening of BEST1 gene is significant for the precise diagnosis of BVMD and ARB.

A comparison of risk factors for age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Chinese patients.

PURPOSE: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) are important vision-threatening diseases worldwide. For effective treatment, the risk factors for the diseases merit investigation. This study aimed to compare the risk factors for nAMD vs. PCV in Chinese patients. METHODS: A total of 946 participants were recruited in this case-control study, including 281 patients with nAMD, 306 patients with PCV, and 359 controls. All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations. Information on risk factors were collected by questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the difference in risk factors between nAMD and PCV. In a subgroup of subjects, serum lipid data were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS: Risk factors for nAMD included older age (OR 1.03, P = 0.001), male gender (OR 1.55, P = 0.020), asthma (OR 2.50, P = 0.028), smoking (OR 1.92, P = 0.001), and family history (OR 6.82, P = 0.001), while smoking (OR 1.67, P = 0.013) was the only risk factor for PCV. Compared to patients with PCV, patients with nAMD were more likely to be older and suffer from hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, rheumatism, and tumor. Interestingly, higher levels of high-density lipoprotein were positively associated with PCV in the subgroup analysis (OR 7.74, P = 0.011). Besides, results were quite different between the combination of patients with nAMD and PCV and patients with nAMD or PCV alone. CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors for nAMD and PCV is varying with the exception of smoking. Our findings suggest that different strategies might be applied in the clinical management and scientific research on nAMD and PCV.

Recurrence of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Zone II Stage 3+ after Ranibizumab Treatment: A Retrospective Study.

Objective. To determine the prevalence and risk factors for the recurrence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in Zone II Stage 3+ after ranibizumab treatment. Methods. This was a retrospective, nonrandomized, noncontrolled study that excluded Zone I and aggressive posterior ROP (APROP) cases. Infants who developed Zone II Stage 3 ROP with plus disease and underwent initial intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (IVR) were recruited. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the outcome after initial ranibizumab treatment: recurrence of ROP or favorable outcome. Data was collected and analyzed by SPSS 16.0. Results. Forty-two patients were included, and 80 eyes with Zone II Stage 3+ were subjected to IVR treatment. Eleven of 42 patients (26.2%, 18 eyes) had a recurrence of ROP after the initial treatment. On univariate analysis, preretinal hemorrhage before treatment was significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.000). Multivariate analysis found that preretinal hemorrhage before treatment was the only factor associated with the recurrence of ROP in our study (P = 0.004). Conclusions. The recurrence rate of ROP in Zone II Stage 3+ after initial ranibizumab treatment was notable and preretinal hemorrhage before treatment was associated with the recurrence of ROP in our study.

Genetic analysis and clinical features of X-linked retinoschisis in Chinese patients.

Many mutations in the retinoschisis (RS1) gene have been identified, but there are limited clinical data relating to the different genotypes. This study investigated the genotype, clinical phenotype and therapies for X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) patients in China to evaluate the effects of gene mutations and therapies on the prognosis of the disease. Thirty patients were recruited in the study. Genetic examination identified 8 novel RS1 gene mutations. Twenty-four patients were identified as missense mutation, which was the most common gene mutation in XLRS patients. Amino acids 102 and 209 were the most common mutation areas, accounting for a total 35.7% of all patients. Mutations affecting amino acid 102 were associated with poor results on the flash electroretinogram (ERG). Sixteen patients had various complications. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs were given to four patients with hemorrhage or other complications, and serious adverse events did not occur. Our outcome demonstrates that missense mutation was the leading cause of XLRS and more than half of the patients with this missense had various complications. Anti-VEGF drugs may be an effective and safe way to prevent deterioration of XLRS with certain complications. There is wide genotypic and phenotypic variability in Chinese patients with XLRS.

X-Linked Retinoschisis in Juveniles: Follow-Up by Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose. To explore the structural progression of X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS) in patients by using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Design. Retrospective, observational study. Methods. Patients who were diagnosed with XLRS by genetic testing underwent comprehensive ophthalmological examinations from December 2014 to October 2016. Each eye was measured by SD-OCT using the same clinical protocol. A correlation between best-corrected visual acuity (VA) and SD-OCT measurements was observed. Results. Six patients demonstrated retinoschisis (12 eyes) and typical foveal cyst-like cavities (10 eyes) on SD-OCT images with a mean logMAR VA of 0.48. The median age was 7.5 years at the initial visit. Their foveal retinal thickness (516.9 µm) and choroid thickness (351.4 µm) decreased at a rate of 38.1 and 7.5 µm, respectively, at the 10.5-month follow-up visit; however, there were no significant differences (P = 0.622 and P = 0.406, resp.). There was no significant correlation between VA, the foveal retinal thickness, and subfoveal choroid thickness. Conclusions. SD-OCT images for XLRS patients during the juvenile period revealed no significant changes in the fundus structure, including the foveal retinal thickness and choroid thickness within one-year follow-up. There was a lack of correlation between VA, foveal retinal thickness, and subfoveal choroid thickness.

Small Interfering RNA Targeted to ASPP2 Promotes Progression of Experimental Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy.

Background. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is vital in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) development. Apoptosis-stimulating proteins of p53 (ASPP2) have recently been reported to participate in EMT. However, the role of ASPP2 in PVR pathogenesis has not been identified. Methods. Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the expression of ASPP2 in epiretinal membranes of PVR patients. ARPE-19 cells were transfected with ASPP2-siRNA, followed with measurement of cell cytotoxicity, proliferation, and migration ability. EMT markers and related inflammatory and fibrosis cytokines were measured by western blot or flow cytometry. Additionally, PVR rat models were induced by intravitreal injection of ARPE-19 cells transfected with ASPP2-siRNA and evaluated accordingly. Results. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed less intense expression of ASPP2 in PVR membranes. ASPP2 knockdown facilitated the proliferation and migration of RPE cells and enhanced the expression of mesenchymal markers such as alpha smooth muscle actin, fibronectin, and ZEB1. Meanwhile, ASPP2-siRNA increased EMT-related and inflammatory cytokines, including TGF-ß, CTGF, VEGF, TNF-α, and interleukins. PVR severities were more pronounced in the rat models with ASPP2-siRNA treatment. Conclusions. ASPP2 knockdown promoted EMT of ARPE-19 cells in vitro and exacerbated the progression of experimental PVR in vivo, possibly via inflammatory and fibrosis cytokines.