| 1. |
- Kiel, C, et al.
(författare)
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A Circulating MicroRNA Profile in a Laser-Induced Mouse Model of Choroidal Neovascularization
- 2020
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Ingår i: International journal of molecular sciences. - : MDPI AG. - 1422-0067. ; 21:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a pathological process in which aberrant blood vessels invade the subretinal space of the mammalian eye. It is a characteristic feature of the prevalent neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Circulating microRNAs (cmiRNAs) are regarded as potentially valuable biomarkers for various age-related diseases, including nAMD. Here, we investigated cmiRNA expression in an established laser-induced CNV mouse model. Upon CNV induction in C57Bl/6 mice, blood-derived cmiRNAs were initially determined globally by RNA next generation sequencing, and the most strongly dysregulated cmiRNAs were independently replicated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) in blood, retinal, and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/choroidal tissue. Our findings suggest that two miRNAs, mmu-mir-486a-5p and mmur-mir-92a-3p, are consistently dysregulated during CNV formation. Furthermore, in functional in vitro assays, a significant impact of mmu-mir-486a-5p and mmu-mir-92a-3p on murine microglial cell viability was observed, while mmu-mir-92a-3p also showed an impact on microglial mobility. Taken together, we report a robust dysregulation of two miRNAs in blood and RPE/choroid after laser-induced initiation of CNV lesions in mice, highlighting their potential role in pathology and eventual therapy of CNV-associated complications.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Gorin, JB, et al.
(författare)
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Plasma FABP4 is associated with liver disease recovery during treatment-induced clearance of chronic HCV infection
- 2020
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Ingår i: Scientific reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 10:1, s. 2081-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have dramatically improved the management of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). In this study, we investigated the effects of hepatitis C virus clearance on markers of systemic inflammation measured in plasma samples from CHC patients before, during and after DAA therapy. We identified a plasma soluble protein profile associated with CHC. Successful DAA therapy rapidly normalised the plasma inflammatory milieu, with the notable exception of soluble (s)CD163, a marker of macrophage activation, which remained elevated after viral clearance and segregated patients with high and low levels of cirrhosis. Patients who received DAA in combination with Ribavirin maintained elevated levels of CXCL10, consistent with an immune-stimulatory role of Ribavirin. As anticipated, DAA-treated patients experienced durable improvement in liver fibrosis measurements. Interestingly, pre-treatment levels of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) were inversely associated with reduction of APRI and FIB-4 scores during treatment. Together, these results support the notion of a rapid restoration of many aspects of the inflammatory state in CHC patients in response to DAA therapy. Furthermore, the associations with sCD163 and FABP4 warrant further investigation into the role of macrophages in residual liver disease and fibrosis resolution after viral clearance.
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| 4. |
- Kiel, C, et al.
(författare)
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Pleiotropic Locus 15q24.1 Reveals a Gender-Specific Association with Neovascular but Not Atrophic Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
- 2020
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Ingår i: Cells. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4409. ; 9:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified an abundance of genetic loci associated with complex traits and diseases. In contrast, in-depth characterization of an individual genetic signal is rarely available. Here, we focus on the genetic variant rs2168518 in 15q24.1 previously associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but only with suggestive evidence. In a two-step procedure, we initially conducted a series of association analyses to further delineate the association of rs2168518 with AMD but also with other complex phenotypes by using large independent datasets from the International AMD Genomics Consortium (IAMDGC) and the UK Biobank. We then performed a functional annotation with reference to gene expression regulation based on data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project and RegulomeDB. Association analysis revealed a gender-specific association with male AMD patients and an association predominantly with choroidal neovascularization. Further, the AMD association colocalizes with an association signal of several blood pressure-related phenotypes and with the gene expression regulation of CYP1A1, a member of the cytochrome P450 superfamily of monooxygenases. Functional annotation revealed altered transcription factor (TF) binding sites for gender-specific TFs, including SOX9 and SRY. In conclusion, the pleiotropic 15q24.1 association signal suggests a shared mechanism between blood pressure regulation and choroidal neovascularization with a potential involvement of CYP1A1.
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