{"title":"Potential Role of NUR77 in the Aging Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Age-Related Macular Degeneration.","authors":"Tanu Parmar, Vipul Parmar, Goldis Malek","doi":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_27","DOIUrl":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_27","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The underlying mechanisms associated with age-related changes in the morphology and function of retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells are poorly understood. The aging RPE progresses through several structural changes including loss of melanin granules, accumulation of lipofuscin, and cytoskeletal changes, among others. Extracellular to it, there is also thickening of Bruch's membrane and changes in the integrity of the choroid. Recent studies have revealed that aging also affects the metabolic ecosystem of the RPE. Aged mitochondria exhibit decreased rates of oxidative phosphorylation, increased reactive oxygen species generation, and increased number of mitochondrial mutations relative to baseline. These changes are also found in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a late-onset vision-impairing disease, in which the RPE is particularly vulnerable. The orphan nuclear receptor NR4A1/NUR77 is an early response gene and regulator of various cellular processes during development, aging, and disease. Previously we observed decreased levels of Nur77/NUR77 in both mouse and human RPE as a function of age. Current knowledge of the function of this receptor in the RPE is limited. Herein, we discuss the putative roles of NUR77 in the RPE during aging and disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":"1468 ","pages":"165-169"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143389822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Valeria Hasenmajer, Nicolò Francesco D'Addario, Ilaria Bonaventura, Valentina Sada, Christopher Nardi, Emmanuele Angelo Jannini, Gabriella D'Ettorre, Claudio Mastroianni, Daniele Gianfrilli
{"title":"Breaking Down Bone Disease in People Living with HIV: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment.","authors":"Valeria Hasenmajer, Nicolò Francesco D'Addario, Ilaria Bonaventura, Valentina Sada, Christopher Nardi, Emmanuele Angelo Jannini, Gabriella D'Ettorre, Claudio Mastroianni, Daniele Gianfrilli","doi":"10.1007/5584_2024_831","DOIUrl":"10.1007/5584_2024_831","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bone health in people living with HIV (PLWH) has emerged as a significant concern in the era of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). While ART has transformed HIV infection into a chronic condition, it has also unmasked long-term health complications, including an increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures. This review aims to elucidate the multifactorial mechanisms contributing to bone health deterioration in PLWH, such as direct viral effects, immune activation, and ART-induced bone metabolism changes. We examine the current evidence on bone mineral density (BMD) reductions and the heightened fracture risk in this population. Furthermore, we evaluate diagnostic and management strategies, including radiological and non-radiological evaluations, vitamin D optimization, bisphosphonates, and other emerging treatments, to provide a comprehensive overview of effective interventions. By synthesizing the latest research, this review seeks to enhance the understanding of bone health issues in PLWH and guide clinicians in implementing strategies to mitigate these risks, ultimately improving patient outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":" ","pages":"87-110"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142817028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hormone Signaling in Breast Development and Cancer.","authors":"Andrea Agnoletto, Cathrin Brisken","doi":"10.1007/978-3-031-70875-6_15","DOIUrl":"10.1007/978-3-031-70875-6_15","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hormones control normal breast development and function. They also impinge on breast cancer (BC) development and disease progression in direct and indirect ways. The major ovarian hormones, estrogens and progesterone, have long been established as key regulators of mammary gland development in rodents and linked to human disease. However, their roles have been difficult to disentangle because they act on multiple tissues and can act directly and indirectly on different cell types in the breast, and their receptors interact at different levels within the target cell. Estrogens are well-recognized drivers of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers, and the ER is successfully targeted in ER+ disease. The role of progesterone receptor (PR) as a potential target to be activated or inhibited is debated, and androgen receptor (AR) signaling has emerged as a potentially interesting pathway to target on the stage.In this chapter, we discuss hormone signaling in normal breast development and in cancer, with a specific focus on the key sex hormones: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. We will highlight the complexities of endocrine control mechanisms at the organismal, tissue, cellular, and molecular levels. As we delve into the mechanisms of action of hormone receptors, their interplay and their context-dependent roles in breast cancer will be discussed. Drawing insights from new preclinical models, we will describe the lessons learned and the current challenges in understanding hormone action in breast cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":"1464 ","pages":"279-307"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142998451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mahdieh Golzari-Sorkheh, Kogulan Yoganathan, Edward L Y Chen, Jastaranpreet Singh, Juan Carlos Zúñiga-Pflücker
{"title":"T Cell Development: From T-Lineage Specification to Intrathymic Maturation.","authors":"Mahdieh Golzari-Sorkheh, Kogulan Yoganathan, Edward L Y Chen, Jastaranpreet Singh, Juan Carlos Zúñiga-Pflücker","doi":"10.1007/978-3-031-77921-3_4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/978-3-031-77921-3_4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>T cell development occurs in the thymus in both mice and humans. Upon entry into the thymus, bone marrow-derived blood-borne progenitors receive instructive signals, including Notch signaling, to eliminate their potential to develop into alternative immune lineages while committing to the T cell fate. Upon T-lineage commitment, developing T cells receive further instructional cues to generate different T cell sublineages, which together possess diverse immunological functions to provide host immunity. Over the years, numerous studies have contributed to a greater understanding of key thymic signals that govern T cell differentiation and subset generation. Here, we review these critical signaling factors that govern the different stages of both mouse and human T cell development, while also focusing on the transcriptional changes that mediate T cell identity and diversity.</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":"1471 ","pages":"81-137"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143603347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maria J Rus, Carlos Sauco Carballo, Flávio Duarte Faria, Aurea Simon-Soro
{"title":"Hormonal Environment Shapes the Oral Microbiome.","authors":"Maria J Rus, Carlos Sauco Carballo, Flávio Duarte Faria, Aurea Simon-Soro","doi":"10.1007/978-3-031-79146-8_14","DOIUrl":"10.1007/978-3-031-79146-8_14","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hormones are present in oral fluids and undergo dynamic changes throughout life. Hormonal changes can influence the interactions between the microbial community and the host. The oral microbiome is sensitive to changes in the oral environment, and hormonal fluctuations can create conditions that favour the growth of certain types of bacteria over others. Since the gingival niche harbours the resident microbial community in the biofilm form, while saliva has a transient microbiota in the planktonic form, both could modulate the host-microbial interaction under hormonal oscillations.The microbiome and hormones have a dynamic bidirectional interaction. Specific oral microorganisms can metabolize steroid hormones, disrupting their host regulation. Hormones can serve as host-microbial crosstalk related to health and disease. Hormonal imbalances are associated with systemic diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, cortisol-related conditions and oral cancer. Elucidating the complex relationship between steroid hormones and the oral microbiome offers valuable insights into the mechanisms of the disease and potential therapeutic avenues for maintaining oral and systemic health.</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":"1472 ","pages":"225-242"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143668831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Huanhuan Xiao, Randi Marshall, Meera T Saxena, Liyun Zhang
{"title":"The Power of Zebrafish in Disease Modeling and Therapy Discovery for Inherited Retinal Degeneration.","authors":"Huanhuan Xiao, Randi Marshall, Meera T Saxena, Liyun Zhang","doi":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_38","DOIUrl":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_38","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the research of inherited retinal degeneration (IRD), zebrafish have emerged as a powerful model system, offering profound insights into disease mechanisms and opening new therapeutic avenues. This mini-review discusses the distinctive advantages that zebrafish provide for investigating retinal degeneration. It outlines contemporary genetic tools, with a specific focus on advanced CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting technology, utilized for genome manipulation and disease modeling in zebrafish. By emphasizing the pivotal role of zebrafish in large-scale high-throughput drug discovery and the exploration of innovative gene therapy strategies, this succinct review underscores the adaptability and significance of the zebrafish model in advancing IRD research. It establishes a robust foundation for future studies and therapeutic developments in the field.</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":"1468 ","pages":"229-233"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143389634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Expression of Versican in the Retina and Its Implication in Retinal Disease.","authors":"Andrea E Dillinger, Anja K Hoffmann, Ernst R Tamm","doi":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_69","DOIUrl":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_69","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans are characterized by their sulfated glycosaminoglycan chains covalently attached to the core protein. Versican, encoded by the CSPG2 gene, is a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan highly expressed in the human and mouse retina. Due to alternative splicing, it exists in four different isoforms: V0, V1, V2 and V3. Interactions with a variety of proteins lead to its main functions, such as influencing cellular adhesion, migration, proliferation and regulating inflammatory processes. Versican expression is high during retinal development and decreases in the mature tissue, remaining mostly in the retinal pigment epithelium, Bruch's membrane and choroid blood vessel walls. Mutations in the CSPG2 gene resulting in an imbalance of Versican splice variants cause erosive vitreoretinopathy and Wagner disease. Its regulatory role in a variety of functions, especially those influencing extracellular matrix composition and inflammation, suggests a crucial role in the pathomechanisms of retinal degenerative disorders and should be the purpose of future research.</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":"1468 ","pages":"423-427"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143389675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Classifying Mouse RPE Morphometric Heterogeneity Using REShAPE: An AI-Based Image Analysis Tool.","authors":"Davide Ortolan, Dominik Reichert, Huirong Li, Dylan Walmsley, Ruchi Sharma, Kapil Bharti","doi":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_65","DOIUrl":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_65","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Retinal degenerative diseases caused by retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) dysfunction affect specific areas of the retina. Regions of molecular and phenotypic RPE heterogeneity have been described in the human eye and are thought to underlie geographic differential RPE sensitivity to degeneration. The mouse is one of the most widely used models to study retinal degeneration. A deeper understanding of mouse RPE heterogeneity can facilitate the interpretation of the observed phenotypes in models of retinal degeneration. In this study, we used an AI-based image analysis algorithm (REShAPE) to generate morphometric maps of RPE flatmounts in young adult mice (2 months old). Using cell area, we distinguished three concentric subpopulations of phenotypic heterogeneity. Treatment with sodium iodate, a widely used oxidative agent to model retinal degenerations, induced RPE atrophy of the two centermost subpopulations. RPE morphometric analysis could prove useful when analyzing animal models of retinal degeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":"1468 ","pages":"395-399"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143389618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Justine O'Brien, Patrizia Colucci, Yolanda Alvarez, Breandán N Kennedy
{"title":"Uncovering Novel Drugs that Restore Vision Using Orthogonal Pooling in Zebrafish.","authors":"Justine O'Brien, Patrizia Colucci, Yolanda Alvarez, Breandán N Kennedy","doi":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_80","DOIUrl":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_80","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) dysfunction in inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) necessitate innovative therapies to preserve vision. Vision impairment incurs a substantial global economic burden, with the World Health Organization reporting an annual global productivity loss of approximately $411 billion. Current treatments are limited, underscoring the urgency for novel solutions. Leveraging new screening techniques, novel drugs restoring vision can be uncovered. Here, a workflow is described utilising orthogonal pooling to screen randomised library compounds for drug hits restoring vision and assessing the optokinetic response (OKR) in the atp6v0e1<sup>-/-</sup> zebrafish model of inherited blindness.</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":"1468 ","pages":"491-495"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143389640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hossein Ameri, Niranjana Kesavamoorthy, Dara N Bruce
{"title":"Frequency and Pattern of Gene Therapy Clinical Trials for Inherited Retinal Diseases.","authors":"Hossein Ameri, Niranjana Kesavamoorthy, Dara N Bruce","doi":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_15","DOIUrl":"10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_15","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study describes worldwide gene therapy clinical trials aimed at treating inherited retinal diseases (IRD). The information was collected through 15 different international registries including clinicaltrials.gov . There have been 101 gene therapy clinical trials targeting IRD up until the end of 2022. Seventy-seven trials employed gene augmentation using viral vectors; other approaches included inhibitory RNA (9), encapsulated cell technology (6), systemic approach (1), and observational trials (8). The most common clinical trial phase was phase 1/2 (46), followed by phase 3 (12). One trial led to an FDA-approved treatment. Sixty-nine trials were conducted in a single country, and 32 trials were multinational; The USA had the highest share in both categories. Retinitis pigmentosa was the most common disease targeted (39), followed by RPE65-mediated retinal dystrophy (13), Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (13), choroideremia (10 and achromatopsia (8), Leber congenital amaurosis (4), X-linked retinoschisis (4), Stargardt disease (4), Bietti's crystalline dystrophy (2), autosomal dominant optic atrophy (1), and Gyrate atrophy (1). For gene augmentation trials, adeno-associated virus was the most commonly used viral vector (70 trials-90%).</p>","PeriodicalId":7270,"journal":{"name":"Advances in experimental medicine and biology","volume":"1468 ","pages":"89-93"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143389717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}