2. Academic Validation
  3. A novel model of subretinal edema induced by DL-alpha aminoadipic acid

A novel model of subretinal edema induced by DL-alpha aminoadipic acid

  • Exp Eye Res. 2023 Mar:228:109388. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109388.
Zhan Xie 1,  Xinjing Wu 1,  Ruiwen Cheng 1,  Junlong Huang 1,  Xiuying Wang 1,  Qile Shi 1,  Bei Xu 1,  Yannis M Paulus 2,  Songtao Yuan 3,  Qinghuai Liu 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
  • 2 Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3 Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4 Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 36652968 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109388
Abstract

In this study we described a new model of subretinal edema induced by single intraocular injection of DL-alpha-aminoadipic acid (DLAAA) that can be employed to study the mechanism of retinal edema and test the efficacy or potential toxicity of treatments. The progression of subretinal edema was evaluated by fundus photography, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography for up to 4 weeks following DLAAA injection. The VEGF, IL-6, TNF-α, Occludin, ZO-1, AQP4, Kir4.1, GFAP and GS levels were examined in DLAAA models by immunostaining, immumohistochemical staining and Western blot. Additionally, bulk RNA-seq was used to detect the mechanism involved in DLAAA-induced retinal Müller cellular injuries. In vivo and vitro assays were further conducted to confirm the Sequencing results. Subretinal edema was successfully induced by DLAAA in New Zealand White rabbits (1.29 mg/eye) and C57BL/6 mice (50 or 100 μg/eye). Our results demonstrated that the disruption of blood-retinal-barrier, including vascular hyperpermeability, inflammation, and Müller cell dysfunction of fluid clearance, was involved in subretinal edema formation in the model. Bulk RNA-seq and in vitro studies indicated the activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway in DLAAA models. This DLAAA-induced subretinal edema model can be used for mechanistic studies or drug screening.

Keywords

DL-Alpha-aminoadipic acid; DLAAA; Mouse model; Rabbit model; Retinal edema; p38 MAPK.

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