ObjectiveTo explore the involvement of miR-126 and the role of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/hypoxia-induced factor 1 α (HIF-1 α) pathway in regulating human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) exosomes (Exo) on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A levels in high glucose-induced human retinal vascular endothelial cells (HRECs). MethodsThe hREC was cultured in EGM-2-MV endothelial cell culture medium with 30 mmol/L glucose and placed in hypoxic cell incubator by 1% oxygen concentration. The cell model of high glucose and low oxygen was established. After modeling, divided HRECs into Exo group, phosphate buffer saline (PBS) group, PBS+anti-miR126 group, Exo+anti-miR126 group, PBS+anti-mTOR group, and PBS+anti-HIF-1 α group. High-glucose and hypoxia-induced hREC in the PBS and Exo groups were respectively co-cultured with PBS and 100 μg/ml hUCMSC Exo. PBS+anti-mTOR group, PBS+anti-HIF-1 α group: 500 nmol/L mTOR inhibitor ADZ2014, 25 μmol/L HIF-1 α inhibitor YC-1 pretreatment for hREC 12 h, and then co-culture with PBS after High-glucose and hypoxia-induced. PBS+anti-miR126 group, Exo+anti-miR126 group: miR-126 LNA power inhibitor probe was transfected with high glucose, and co-cultured with PBS and hUCMSC Exo 6 h after transfection. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) measured miRNA-126 expression levels in PBS, and Exo groups for 0, 8, 16 and 24 h. After 24 h of co-culture, the levels of mTOR and HIF-1 α in the cells of PBS and Exo groups were detected by immunofluorescence, Western blot and qPCR, respectively. Western blot, qPCR detection of VEGF-A expression levels in cells of the PBS+anti-mTOR and PBS+anti-HIF-1 α groups. The expression of VE GF-A, mTOR, and HIF-1 α mRNA was measured in cells of PBS+anti-miR126 group and Exo+anti-miR126 group by qPCR. Comparison between two groups was performed by t-test; one-way ANOVA was used for comparison between multiple groups. ResultsAt 0, 8, 16 and 24 h, the relative mRNA expression of miR-126 gradually increased in the Exo group (F=95.900, P＜0.05). Compared with the PBS group, The mTOR, HIF-1 α protein (t=3.466, 6.804), mRNA in HRECs in the Exo group, VEGF-A mRNA expression (t=8.642, 7.897, 6.099) were all downregulated, the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05). The relative expression level of VEGF-A protein (t=3.337, 7.380) and mRNA (t=8.515, 10.400) was decreased in HRECs of the anti-mTOR+PBS group and anti-HIF-1 α+PBS group, differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05). The relative expression of VEGF-A, mTOR, and HIF-1 α mRNA was significantly increased in the cells of the Exo+anti-miR126 group, the differences were all statistically significant (t=4.664, 6.136, 6.247; P＜0.05). ConclusionsmiR-126 plays a role in regulating the effect of hUCMSCs exosomes on VEGF-A levels in high glucose-induced HRECs via mTOR-HIF-1 α pathway.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the changes in foveal avascular zone (FAZ) size and foveal microstructures in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and to analyze the correlation between FAZ size, foveal microstructure changes and visual outcomes.MethodsA retrospective study. From January 2017 to January 2019, 79 RRD patients (79 eyes) diagnosed in Department of Ophthalmology in Baoding First Central Hospital were included in the study. The patients were divided into macula-off group (51 eyes), macula-on group (28 eyes). The unaffected fellow eyes were used as a control group. The retinas were reattachment in all eyes after first standard 23G PPV combined with silicone oil filling. Before and 3 months after surgery, all patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination, including the measurement of BCVA and OCT angiography (OCTA) examination. The BCVA examination was performed using the international standard visual acuity chart, which was converted into logMAR visual acuity. The FAZ areas were evaluated with OCTA in the superficial capillary plexus layers by using 3 mm×3 mm images of the macular. The following postoperative foveal microstructures were evaluated:epiretinal membranes, macular edema, subretinal fluids, integrity of ellipsoidal zone and external limiting membrane. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between FAZ area and BCVA. The correlation between macular microstructures and BCVA was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.ResultsAt 3 months after the removal of silicone oil, the FAZ area in the macula-off group, macula-on group and the control group were 0.447±0.041, 0.409±0.034, 0.335±0.027 mm2, respectively. Compared with the control group, the FAZ area in the macula-off group and macula-on group were enlarged, the difference was statistically significant (F=184.148, P＜0.05). The logMAR BCVA in the macula-off group and macula-on group were 0.800±0.180 and 0.386±0.160, respectively. There was significant difference in ellipsoidal zone rupture between the two groups (χ2=7.577, P=0.006). The results of correlation analysis showed that the area of FAZ and the incidence of ellipsoidal zone fracture after surgery were positively correlated with BCVA after surgery (r=0.329, 0.290; P=0.003, 0.010).ConclusionsThe FAZ area of RRD is enlarged after surgery. FAZ area and ellipsoid zone fracture are positively correlated with BCVA after surgery.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the changes of metamorphopsia in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) who underwent primary vitrectomy and to analyze the correlation between macular microstructure changes and metamorphopsia.MethodsIt was a retrospective clinical study. From January 2017 to January 2019, 57 patients (57 eyes) with RRD were examined and diagnosed in the Department of Ophthalmology of Baoding First Central Hospital were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent 23G PPV. All patients had retinal anatomical reduction after the first PPV. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, slit-lamp microscope, indirect ophthalmoscope, changes of metamorphopsia, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were examined before PPV and 1, 6, 12 months after the operation. The BCVA examination was performed using the international standard visual acuity chart, which was converted into a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) BCVA for the record. The macular fovea retinal thickness (CRT) was measured by Carl Zeiss Cirrus HD-OCT5000 instrument from Carl Zeiss Company, Germany, and the microstructural changes in the macular area were recorded, including the presence of the anterior macular membrane (ERM), cystic macular edema (CME), subretinal fluid (SRF), and the integrity of the ellipsoid zone (EZ) and outer membrane (ELM). The value of metamorphopsia (M value) was measured by the M-Chart table. The changes of BCVA, M value, and the microstructure of the macular area before and after operation were analyzed. The correlation between BCVA and M value was analyzed by Pearson correlation. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the changes of macular microstructure and BCVA and M values.ResultsThe mean logMAR BCVA before the operation was 1.15±0.43. At 1, 6, and 12 months after the operation, the mean logMAR BCVA was 0.62±0.17, 0.39±0.18, and 0.34±0.13, respectively. The visual acuity improved significantly after operation compared with before operation, and the difference was statistically significant (F=119.731, P=0.000). The mean CRT before the operation was 476.0±104.1 μm. At 1, 6, and 12 months after the operation, the average CRT were 299.8±29.9, 272.2±17.8, and 261.0±19.3 μm, respectively. The average CRT after the operation was significantly lower than those before the operation (F=185.518, P=0.000). At 1, 6, and 12 months after the operation, the mean M values were 0.62±0.54, 0.43±0.41, and 0.32±0.36, respectively; the difference was statistically significant (F=6.568, P=0.020). After the operation, 48 eyes (84.2%, 48/57) had microstructural abnormalities in the macular area, including EZ and ELM integrity disruption, SRF, CME, and ERM. Correlation analysis showed that M value was significantly positively correlated with BCVA, CRT, and SRF height before operation (r/rs=0.672, 0.385, 0.932; P＜0.05). There was no correlation between M value and BCVA (r/rs=0.503), EZ and ELM integrity (r/rs=0.497, 0.472), SRF (r/rs=0.416), CME (r/rs=0.821) and ERM (r/rs=0.632) after operation (P＞0.05).ConclusionsThe BCVA is significantly increased and the metamorphopsia is improved after anatomically successful RRD surgery. Postoperative M value is highly correlated with preoperative BCVA, CRT, and SRF.
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs on the subfoveal choroid thickness (SFCT) of patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and macular edema (ME). MethodsA prospective clinical study. From January 2017 to January 2019, 59 monocular RVO-ME patients with 59 eyes diagnosed in the eye examination of The First Central Hospital of Baoding were included in the study. Among them, there were 31 males with 31 eyes and 28 females with 28 eyes; the average age was 57.4±10.3 years old. The course of the disease was 5 days to 1 month, all of whom had the first-onset disease. Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) was found in 35 eyes (BRVO-ME group); non-ischemic central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) was found in 24 eyes (CRVO-ME group). Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and frequency domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed. The BCVA examination was carried out using the international standard visual acuity chart, which was converted into the logarithmic minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity during statistics. The Cirrus HD-OCT 5000 instrument from Carl Zeiss company of Germany was used to measure the central macular thickness (CMT) and SFCT. All eyes were treated with intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs. The follow-up time after treatment was 6 months, and the changes of BCVA, CMT and SFCT of eyes before treatment and 2 weeks after treatment were compared and observed, as well as the occurrence of treatment-related complications. The comparison of BCVA, CMT, and SFCT at different times before and after treatment were adopted repeated measures analysis of variance; pairwise comparison of differences at different time points adopts the least significant difference t test. ResultsBefore treatment, the average logMAR BCVA and CMT of RVO-ME eyes were 0.92±0.46 and 604.71±169.35 μm, respectively. At 2 weeks, 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, the average logMAR BCVA of the affected eye was significantly improved compared with that before treatment, and the CMT was significantly decreased. The difference was statistically significant (F=55.664, 59.518; P＜0.05). Before treatment, the average SFCT of the affected eye and the contralateral eye of RVO-ME patients were 306.3±65.8 and 241.3±59.8 μm, respectively. The SFCT of the affected eye was significantly thicker than that of the contralateral healthy eye, and the difference was statistically significant (t=25.772, P＜0.05). At 2 weeks, 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, the average SFCT of the eyes were 267.7±81.4, 252.3±57.3, 239.2±46.5, 240.6±48.3 μm, respectively. Compared with before treatment, treatment SFCT decreased significantly at different times afterwards, and the difference was statistically significant (F=924.341, P＜0.001). There was no significant difference in SFCT between CRVO-ME group and BRVO-ME group at 2 weeks, 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment (P＞0.05). No complications such as endophthalmitis, cataract progression and neovascular glaucoma occurred during the follow-up period of all eyes. ConclusionThe SFCT of eyes with short course of disease and first-onset RVO-ME is thickened; anti-VEGF drug treatment can effectively reduce SFCT, improve ME, and increase BCVA.