Experimental eye research最新文献

{"title":"Truncating mutations in BBS10 and BBS12 impair proteostasis and ciliary architecture in Bardet-Biedl Syndrome","authors":"Xiaohui Liu ,&nbsp;Shun Yao ,&nbsp;Xiuxiu Jin ,&nbsp;Guangming Liu ,&nbsp;Qingge Guo ,&nbsp;Xueru Zhao ,&nbsp;Bo Lei","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110626","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110626","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) is a rare autosomal recessive ciliopathy characterized by genetic heterogeneity. Despite significant progress in understanding the BBSome-coding genes associated with ciliopathies, the pathogenesis linked to mutations in chaperonin-coding genes (<em>BBS6</em>, <em>BBS10,</em> and <em>BBS12</em>) remains poorly defined. This study aims to confirm the genetic diagnosis of BBS and elucidate the pathological mechanisms in causative genes of <em>BBS10</em> and <em>BBS12</em>. Clinical evaluations were performed on BBS patients, followed by targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify disease-causing variants. Pathogenicity was assessed using computational prediction tools. Mutant <em>BBS10</em> and <em>BBS12</em> constructs were transfected into HEK293T cells for protein stability (Western blot) and interaction analyses (co-immunoprecipitation). Ciliogenesis was evaluated in hTERT-RPE1 cell model via immunofluorescence. The results identified novel compound heterozygous mutants in <em>BBS10</em> (c. 1391G &gt; C, c.2056 G &gt; A) and <em>BBS12</em> (c.590-591del AT, c.2102 C &gt; G) in probands from two families. These mutations correlated with the classical BBS features: obesity, polydactyly, and retinal dystrophy. Ophthalmic examinations revealed bone spicule-like deposits, macular outer nuclear layer thinning, and photoreceptor loss in the retina. Comparative analysis across species revealed that these mutations occurred at conserved residues. Structural predictions indicated truncation at the protein's C-terminus. Transfection studies in HEK293T and hTERT-RPE1 cells showed that although the mutant protein localized to primary cilia similar to their wild-type counterparts, their stability was compromised, leading to accelerated degradation through ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Our findings showed that C-terminal deletions in chaperonin-like BBS proteins significantly impaired their function, particularly affecting protein-protein interactions with each other and with the core BBSome subcomplex protein BBS7. The identified novel compound heterozygous mutations in <em>BBS10</em> and <em>BBS12</em> significantly affected ciliary length and protein-protein interactions critical for BBSome assembly, contributing to the manifestation of BBS symptoms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110626"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145008123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel protein encoded by hsa_circ_0068626 contributes to age-related cataract via the p62/Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway-mediated ferroptosis","authors":"Yuxin Chen ,&nbsp;Huajian Li ,&nbsp;Lei Wu ,&nbsp;Xi Zou ,&nbsp;Yue Zhang ,&nbsp;Rongrong Huang ,&nbsp;Yong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110601","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110601","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates whether circular RNAs (circRNAs) modulate ferroptosis in lens epithelial cells (LECs) during age-related cataract (ARC) pathogenesis via novel encoded proteins. Initial circRNA-sequencing identified hsa_circ_0068626 (circTFRC) as significantly upregulated in ARC, predominantly localized to the cytoplasm through nuclear-cytoplasmic fractionation and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Functional assays revealed that circTFRC depletion impaired LECs proliferation and viability, while overexpression exacerbated ferroptosis, evidenced by elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Fe²⁺ level via fluorescence probes and flow cytometry. Mechanistically, circTFRC harbored an open reading frame (ORF) and internal ribosome entry site (IRES), enabling translation of the circTFRC-236aa protein, confirmed by polysome profiling and custom antibody detection. Western blot analyses demonstrated that circTFRC-236aa activated the p62/Keap1/Nrf2 axis, correlating with GPX4 suppression and ferroptosis. Transmission electron microscopy further visualized mitochondrial morphological abnormalities consistent with ferroptotic stress. Collectively, these findings establish circTFRC as a pro-ferroptotic regulator in ARC, where its encoded circTFRC-236aa drives pathological progression via p62/Keap1/Nrf2 pathway activation, offering a novel therapeutic target for mitigating ARC-associated LECs damage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110601"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Targeted metabolomics reveals dysregulated tryptophan metabolism in retinitis pigmentosa","authors":"Yijie Yang,&nbsp;Xue Han,&nbsp;Jiawei Shen,&nbsp;Zhaoqi Zhu,&nbsp;Peirong Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110624","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110624","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinal degenerative disease characterized by progressive retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction and photoreceptor apoptosis, yet its pathogenesis remains unclear and no cure exists. Emerging evidence implicates the role of tryptophan metabolism in neuroinflammatory processes, prompting our investigation of serum tryptophan metabolites in RP patients versus healthy controls. Through targeted metabolomic profiling and clinical characterization, including age of onset, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and retinal thickness, we identified significant alterations in RP patients: marked decreases in cinnabarinic acid, xanthurenic acid, quinolinic acid and indole-3-carboxaldehyde (all p &lt; 0.01), alongside elevated 5-Hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA, p &lt; 0.001). These disturbances correlated strongly with retinal thickness changes and were more pronounced in late-onset RP compared to early-onset. Our findings reveal tryptophan metabolic dysregulation as a potential feature of RP progression, providing both potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for RP.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110624"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145000054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The influence of macular pigment on the fine spatial resolution of light of varying wavelengths","authors":"Yaw Buabeng ,&nbsp;Billy R. Hammond","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110625","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110625","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Macular pigments (MP), composed of lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin, accumulate in the human fovea and selectively absorb short-wavelength light, potentially influencing spatial vision. This study investigated the relationship between macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and fine spatial resolution across different wavelengths under conditions subject to light scatter. Sixty healthy participants (mean age = 22.7 years) underwent MPOD assessment using heterochromatic flicker photometry and performed a two-point resolution task utilizing a custom optical system with monochromatic and broadband light sources. A significant (p&lt;0.05) negative correlation between MPOD and two-point resolution thresholds at shorter wavelengths but not at longer wavelengths suggesting MP enhances spatial resolution specifically for absorbed wavelengths. Quartile analysis, for example, demonstrated that individuals with higher MPOD exhibited 31-38% better spatial resolution at 420-540 nm compared to those with lower MPOD. These findings support the hypothesis that MP selectively mitigates light scatter effects and improves visual function even in low-light conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110625"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145000008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ocular bacterial microbiome analysis by next-generation sequencing in patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Sjögren's disease: associations with dry eye indices","authors":"Luciana Frizon ,&nbsp;Talita Trevizani Rocchetti ,&nbsp;André Frizon ,&nbsp;Rafael Jorge Alves de Alcântara ,&nbsp;Ana Luisa Hofling-Lima ,&nbsp;Cintia S de Paiva ,&nbsp;José Álvaro Pereira Gomes","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110622","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110622","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ocular surface microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining immune homeostasis, and its disruption may contribute to mucosal inflammation and autoimmunity. This pilot exploratory study investigated and compared the ocular surface bacterial microbiome in patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), Sjögren's disease (SjD), and healthy controls using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and correlated these findings with dry eye parameters. Conjunctival swabs were collected from sixteen individuals: ten with SJS, three with SjD, and three healthy controls. Dry eye parameters were employed to evaluate the dry eye disease. Microbiome profiles were determined by the NGS of the 16S V3-V4 region and analyzed using the SILVA database. The microbiome exhibited notable differences at the genus level among the SJS group. Specifically, the abundance of <em>Staphylococcus</em> was significantly lower in the SJS group compared to both the SjD and healthy controls (p = 0.04). In contrast, increased levels of <em>Streptococcus</em> and <em>Corynebacterium</em> were associated with higher scores on the Dry Eye Disease of Dry Eye Workshop (DED DEWS score) (p = 0.003) and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score (p = 0.01), respectively. Conversely, elevated levels of <em>Cutibacterium</em> and <em>Pseudomonas</em> were associated with more severe dry eye, as evidenced by lower Schirmer I test results (p = 0.003) and tear break-up time (TBUT) values (p = 0.05). In contrast, the ocular microbiome of SjD patients was similar to that of healthy controls. In conclusion, patients with SJS exhibited distinct changes in the ocular microbiota, with specific bacterial genera associated with dry eye severity, suggesting a potential role for microbial alterations in the ocular surface inflammation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110622"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145000024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Safety of a novel dual-chamber vial for corneal preservation","authors":"Joana Karanxha ,&nbsp;Jack Cipolla ,&nbsp;Diego A. Ojeda ,&nbsp;Sarp Orgul ,&nbsp;Katrina N. Llanes ,&nbsp;Angela Gomez ,&nbsp;William Buras ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Fout ,&nbsp;Charissa H. Tan ,&nbsp;Sander R. Dubovy ,&nbsp;Alfonso L. Sabater","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110614","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110614","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Our group developed a novel dual-chamber corneal storage vial (DCV) comprised of two compartments that become isolated by the corneal button and prevent epithelial and endothelial interaction. We hypothesize that the DCV results in similar levels of corneal swelling and corneal endothelial cell (EC) death compared to the standard vial (SCV) and is safe for corneal storage.</div><div>To assess corneal thickness and EC density, human cornea pairs (N = 18) were recovered by the Florida Lions Eye Bank, with one cornea from each pair stored in the SCV and the other in the DCV. All cornea pairs were preserved in Optisol-GS media and stored at 2–8 °C for 2 weeks. Corneal thickness and EC density were evaluated on days 1, 7, and 14. Annexin V levels were measured in the corneal tissue (N = 12) to assess for cytotoxicity and apoptosis on day 14. Histological evaluation was performed on 3 additional cornea pairs on day 14. Three additional cornea pairs were collected to assess markers of endothelial cell death (casp3 and BID; N = 3) and endothelial cell function (<em>ATP1A1</em>, <em>AQP1</em>, and <em>SLC4A4</em>) were measured using RT-qPCR on 7 days (N = 3 for <em>ATP1A1</em>, <em>AQP1</em> and N = 2 for <em>SLC4A4)</em>.</div><div>Preliminary results revealed no significant differences in central corneal thickness at all time points between corneal button stored in the SCV compared to the DCV (p = 0.648, p = 0.295, p = 0.180). There was no significant difference in EC density between chambers at all time points (p = 0.451, p = 0.573, p = 0.666). After 14 days of storage in the DCV and SCV, histopathology slides demonstrated no difference in stromal swelling or endothelial cell loss upon examination under light microscopy. No differences were found in markers of endothelial cell death and function.</div><div>Given that the DCV demonstrates no difference in central corneal thickness, endothelial cell loss, or stromal swelling on histopathological examination during a two-week period, the DCV is a safe and viable alternative for corneal button storage. The DCV provides an alternative platform for human corneal storage for transplantation and allows the use of customized media in each compartment. The DCV can serve as a platform for future ex-vivo research, including the exploration and development of customized preservation solutions, such as the selective use of anti-fungal additives and other targeted interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110614"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144947681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sialoglycoconjugate profiling of human choroid, retinal pigment epithelium, and basal laminar deposits","authors":"Emma M. Navratil ,&nbsp;Piper A. Wenzel ,&nbsp;Miles J. Flamme-Wiese ,&nbsp;Jack E.B. Miller ,&nbsp;Luke A. Wiley ,&nbsp;Edwin M. Stone ,&nbsp;Budd A. Tucker ,&nbsp;Robert F. Mullins","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110618","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110618","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of central vision loss in the elderly. Early hallmarks of the disease include basal laminar deposit beneath the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choriocapillaris degeneration. We utilized sialic acid binding lectins <em>Sambucus nigra</em>/Elderberry Bark Lectin (EBL) and <em>Maackia amurensis</em> lectin II (MAL-II), to assess the localization of ɑ-2,6 and ɑ-2,3 sialic acids, respectively, in human macular retina, RPE, basal laminar deposits, and choroid. Photoreceptor carbohydrate epitopes differ based on retinal topography, with MAL-II recognizing foveal (but not extrafoveal) cones. Both MAL-II and EBL react with apical RPE, and both bind basal laminar deposits. In the choroid, MAL-II predominantly labels the choriocapillaris endothelium, while EBL also shows robust labeling of Bruch's membrane and extracellular domains surrounding the microvasculature (intercapillary pillars). EBL labeling overlaps with the distribution of complement factor H to a greater extent than MAL-II. After treatment with neuraminidase to remove terminal sialic acids, a battery of lectins was applied to sections of choroids. Lectins that recognize β-galactose, N-acetyllactosamine, galactose (β-1,3) N-acetylgalactosamine, and ɑ- or β-N-acetylgalactosamine showed increased reactivity, indicating the presence of abundant sialoglycans in basal laminar deposits. This study provides insight into the location and partial identities of sialoglycoconjugates in the human choroid, with possible implications for understanding the pathogenesis of macular degeneration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110618"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144922212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An in vitro pre-screening model to evaluate the corneal anti-inflammatory effect of human blood-derived products and amniotic membrane extracts incorporated into gelatine-based hydrogels","authors":"Cristina Romo-Valera ,&nbsp;Jaime Etxebarria ,&nbsp;Vanesa Freire ,&nbsp;Juan Durán de la Colina ,&nbsp;Jon Arluzea ,&nbsp;Noelia Andollo","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110617","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110617","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The objective of this study was to develop a reliable, cost-effective, and rapid <em>in vitro</em> model employing real-time PCR to assess inflammatory responses in hydrogel-based systems, and to comparatively evaluate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of human serum (HS), serum derived from plasma rich in growth factors (sPRGF), and human amniotic membrane extracts (HAMe) incorporated into gelatin-based hydrogels. An <em>in vitro</em> model of corneal inflammation was established by quantifying IL-1β expression via qPCR in TNFα-stimulated SV-40 immortalised human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. Hydrogels functionalised with HS, sPRGF, or HAMe sourced from proximal, medial, distal, or pooled amniotic regions were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory potential. <em>In vivo</em> validation was conducted in a rabbit anterior stromal keratectomy model, assessing epithelial wound closure and clinical signs of irritation following application of unmodified hydrogels or hydrogels functionalised with autologous serum (AS) or HAMe. <em>In vitro</em>, hydrogels incorporating HS, followed by sPRGF and pooled HAMe, significantly attenuated IL-1β expression, whereas unmodified hydrogels exacerbated the inflammatory response; region-specific HAMe hydrogels demonstrated inconsistent effects. <em>In vivo</em>, AS-functionalised hydrogels facilitated complete re-epithelialisation by day 7 and achieved the lowest irritation scores, indicating both therapeutic efficacy and high tolerability. All hydrogel formulations were found to be biocompatible throughout the study period. These findings underscore the significant anti-inflammatory and regenerative potential of gelatin-based hydrogels functionalised with blood-derived products and support their development as bioactive platforms for ocular surface therapy. Furthermore, the <em>in vitro</em> model provides a robust preclinical screening tool, contributing to the refinement and reduction of animal use in biomedical research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110617"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144926062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The utility of artificial intelligence in characterization and detecting causes of macular edema: A spectral-domain OCT-based algorithm study","authors":"Amal Alzu'bi ,&nbsp;Sondos Momany ,&nbsp;Abdelwahab Aleshawi ,&nbsp;Mais Tashtoush ,&nbsp;Rami Al-Dwairi","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110619","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110619","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Macular Edema (ME), a prevalent cause of vision loss, can arise from various retinal conditions, most notably diabetic macular edema (DME) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Accurate and timely differentiation among these causes is necessary for appropriate treatment; however, it remains a diagnostic challenge. This research addresses the gap in automated ME classification by developing and evaluating a deep learning framework capable of distinguishing between DME, AMD, and normal retinal conditions using optical coherence tomography (OCT) images.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective dataset comprising 1040 OCT images from King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) was used in conjunction with a public dataset for benchmarking. The dataset was divided into annotated and non-annotated images, with preprocessing, augmentation, and simulated segmentation applied to improve the model performance. We benchmarked and evaluated three pretrained convolutional neural networks—ResNet152, InceptionV3, and MobileNetV2.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the models, InceptionV3 and ResNet152 achieved the highest accuracies (95 %–98 %) across both datasets. MobileNetV2, on the other hand, showed moderate accuracy on the KAUH dataset (89 %) but exhibited strong performance on the public dataset (97 %). Explainable AI (XAI) techniques, specifically Grad-CAM, were applied to visualize the model predictions, and the outcomes were manually validated against annotated data to assess interpretability.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The findings support the integration of a robust CNN architecture and XAI techniques to enhance diagnostic precision and aid clinical decision-making in ophthalmology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110619"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144926054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experimental investigation of retinal injury following endocryocoagulation in a rabbit model","authors":"Yongmei Wang ,&nbsp;Juan Xie ,&nbsp;Xin Chang ,&nbsp;Jia Hou ,&nbsp;Junjun Hou ,&nbsp;Junming Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110613","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exer.2025.110613","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of varying endocryocoagulation parameters on retinal function and histological integrity in a rabbit model and to assess the feasibility of intraocular foreign body (IOFB) removal using a 20G cryoprobe. Twenty-seven adult New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (n = 9 per group). Endocryocoagulation was administered with a 20G cryoprobe under different conditions: Group An underwent vitreous cavity freezing for 5 s; Group B underwent retinal surface freezing for 5 s; and Group C underwent vitreous cavity freezing for 10 s. Flash electroretinography (F-ERG) was conducted preoperatively and at 1, 2, and 3 weeks postoperatively. Hematoxylin and eosin staining for light microscopy (LM) was performed at 1 and 3 weeks postoperatively, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was conducted at 3 weeks. F-ERG measurements indicated significant differences among the three groups in the latency (Group A vs. B: p = 0.011; Group A vs. C: p = 0.008) and amplitude (Group A vs. B: p = 0.007) of the dark-adapted b-wave, and the total amplitude of dark-adapted OPs (Group A vs. B: p = 0.001; Group A vs. C: p = 0.002). No significant differences were observed in the latency or amplitude of the dark-adapted a-wave (p &gt; 0.05). Comparison of preoperative and 1-week postoperative F-ERG results indicated significant changes in the latency and amplitude of both a- and b-waves, as well as in the total amplitude of OPs (p &lt; 0.05, <em>p</em>(a) = 0.007, <em>p</em>(b) = 0.022, <em>p</em>(ops) = 0.000). LM findings at 1 week postoperatively demonstrated full-thickness retinal damage in Group B, moderate damage in Group A, and red-stained exudates in the vitreous body in Group C. By 3 weeks, varying degrees of recovery were noted across all groups, with Group A exhibiting near-complete restoration of normal retinal architecture. TEM analysis at 3 weeks demonstrated the least ultrastructural damage in Group A, followed by Group C, while Group B presented with the most severe damage.The extent of retinal injury resulting from endocryocoagulation was associated with the freezing duration and site of application. Short-duration cryocoagulation targeting the vitreous cavity exerted minimal impact on visual function. The use of a 20G intraocular cryoprobe for IOFB removal was supported as a feasible approach.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12177,"journal":{"name":"Experimental eye research","volume":"260 ","pages":"Article 110613"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144948111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}