|
|
||||||||
1 From the Departments of Ophthalmology, 2 Pediatrics, 3 Cellular Biology and Anatomy, and the 4 Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta; and the 5 Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts.
| Abstract |
|---|
|
|
|---|
METHODS. Normal mice, mice treated with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), and knockout mice carrying a homozygous targeted disruption of the gene for endothelial NOS (eNOS) were studied in an experimental model of ROP. Retinas were compared for extent of capillary obliteration in hyperoxia, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, nitrotyrosine formation, and vitreous neovascularization.
RESULTS. Oxygen-induced retinal vaso-obliteration was significantly reduced by L-NNA treatment (43% decrease from controls). The eNOS-deficient mice showed a similar reduction in vaso-obliteration (46% decrease from controls), and vitreous neovascularization was also substantially reduced (threefold decrease). Retinal nitrotyrosine formation, a measure of in situ peroxynitrite modification of proteins, was significantly elevated in normal mice during hyperoxia, in a spatial and temporal pattern consistent with a role in oxygen-induced vaso-obliteration. This was not seen in eNOS-deficient mice. VEGF expression was similar in both groups of mice, although suppression in hyperoxia was slightly blunted in eNOS-deficient mice.
CONCLUSIONS. These data suggest a role for NO and peroxynitrite in the pathogenesis of ROP. Therapies aimed at modulation of eNOS activity may have therapeutic potential for preventing ROP.
| Introduction |
|---|
|
|
|---|
Sensitivity of retinal capillaries to oxygen appears to be limited to the developing retina. Maturational events that occur around the 36th postconceptional week in humans1 and the third postnatal week in mice3 render the vessels resistant to hyperoxia-induced obliteration. A role for oxygen-derived free radicals in mediating hyperoxia-induced vaso-obliteration is supported by studies showing that administration of exogenous antioxidants can attenuate retinopathy in certain animal models,4 5 6 and possibly in humans as well.7 In addition, experimental oxygen-induced retinopathy is associated with the formation of lipid peroxides in the retina.8
Other investigators have proposed that premature downregulation of retinal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by hyperoxia,9 10 11 12 and markedly increased expression of pigment epitheliumderived factor (PEDF)13 are the key events leading to vaso-obliteration of newly formed capillaries. In both rats and mice, intraocular administration of VEGF before hyperoxia significantly reduces capillary obliteration, supporting the hypothesis that VEGF is a critical survival factor for developing capillaries in the retina.9 10
There is increasing evidence, however, that nitric oxide (NO)-derived oxidants such as peroxynitrite may be important in situ mediators of oxidative injury. We therefore considered the possibility that they may have a pathogenic role in oxygen-induced retinopathy in developing retina. Evidence for peroxynitrite-mediated cellular injury has been reported in focal cerebral ischemia,14 15 16 17 myocardial ischemia-reperfusion,18 experimental models of retinal ischemia,19 20 21 and experimental autoimmune uveitis.22 Plasma 3-nitrotyrosine, a stable biochemical marker for peroxynitrite-mediated protein modification, has also been reported to be elevated in premature human infants who develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia23 and correlates with exposure to high concentrations of inspired oxygen. There are also considerable experimental data indicating that peroxynitrite-induced protein modifications can impair the function of cellular proteins24 25 and cause cytotoxicity.26 27 28 In vitro studies in our laboratory have shown that bovine aortic endothelial cells exposed to nonlethal concentrations of 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), a donor of peroxynitrite, causes impairment of cell proliferation, migration, and VEGF-induced phosphorylation of the flk-1/KDR receptor.29
To study the putative role of endogenous NO in ROP, we used an established mouse model3 and compared the retinopathy observed in wild-type mice to that found in mice homozygous for a targeted disruption of the eNOS gene30 or mice treated with a potent pharmacologic inhibitor of NOS activity. Our findings indicate that eNOS deficiency, either through gene disruption or pharmacologic inhibition significantly protects the developing retina from oxygen-induced retinopathy, by a mechanism that appears to be independent of VEGF expression and pericyte distribution.
| Methods |
|---|
|
|
|---|
Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy
Oxygen-induced retinopathy was induced in newborn mice according
to the protocol of Smith et al.3
On postnatal day 7 (P7)
mice were placed along with their dam into a custom-built
chamber in which the partial pressure of oxygen was maintained at 75%.
Mice were maintained in 75% oxygen for up to 5 days (P12), after which
they were transferred back to cages in room air (normoxia). Room
temperature was maintained at 68°F, and rooms were illuminated with
standard fluorescent lighting on a 12-hour lightdark cycle. Newborn
mice were nursed by the dam and given food (standard mouse chow) and
water ad libitum.
Pharmacologic Inhibition of NOS
ENOS +/+ mice (n = 7) were given intraperitoneal
injections of L-NNA (300 mg/kg) on P7 and P8, immediately
before and during exposure to 75% oxygen. Control mice
(n = 6) were injected with phosphate-buffered saline
(PBS) only on P7 and P8. Control and L-NNAtreated mice
were maintained in the same oxygen chamber (75% oxygen) from P7 to P9.
Analysis of retinal vaso-obliteration by oxygen on P9 was performed as
described below.
Analysis of Vaso-Obliteration
Vaso-obliteration was assessed on P9 in mice exposed to 2 days
of hyperoxia (P7P9). Retinal vascular distribution was analyzed using
retinal flat mounts (n = 67 retinas from different
pups per group) labeled with biotinylated Griffonia
simplicifolia lectin B4 (Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA) and
Texas Redconjugated Avidin D (Vector Laboratories) as
described.31
Retinas were viewed with fluorescence
microscopy (Axiophot; Zeiss, Chester, VA) and the images captured in
digital format (Spot System; Diagnostic Instruments, Sterling Heights,
MI). Central capillary dropout area was quantified from the digital
images, in masked fashion, using the Metamorph Imaging System
(Universal Imaging Corporation, West Chester, PA). Two-way analysis of
variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the mean values between groups.
Analysis of Neovascularization
Extraretinal neovascularization was assessed on P17 in mice
exposed to 5 days of hyperoxia (P7P12) followed by 5 days in room air
(P12P17). Quantitation of neovascularization was performed using a
technique described by Smith et al.,3
with minor
modification. Briefly, hematoxylin and eosinstained serial sections,
separated by at least 40 µm, were examined in masked fashion for the
presence of neovascular buds projecting into the vitreous from the
retina. The neovascular score was defined as the mean number of
neovascular tufts per section found in 16 sections (eight on each side
of the optic nerve) per eye. The mean score from four eyes from four
different pups was used for statistical analysis (two-way ANOVA) of
group differences.
Measurement of Retinal Nitrotyrosine
To analyze retinal nitrotyrosine, retinas were isolated, pooled,
and frozen in liquid nitrogen (n = 14 retinas from 7
mice per group). Pooled retinas were homogenized in lysis buffer (20 mM
Tris [pH 7.4], 2.5 mM EDTA, 1% Triton X-100, 1% deoxycholate, 0.1%
SDS, 40 mM NaF, 10 mM
Na4P2O7,
and 1 mM PMSF). Particulate material was removed by centrifugation at
12,000g at 4°C for 30 minutes. Retinal proteins (25 µg)
were immobilized onto a PVDF membrane (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA) using the
40-well BioDot SF microfiltration unit (Bio-Rad). A dilution series of
peroxynitrite-modified bovine serum albumin standard was also loaded in
duplicate on each blot to generate a standard curve. The PVDF membranes
were blocked with 5% dry milk and reacted with mouse monoclonal
anti-nitrotyrosine antibody (Caymen, Ann Arbor, MI). The primary
antibody was detected using a horseradish peroxidaseconjugated goat
anti-mouse antibody and enhanced chemiluminescence (Amersham,
Cleveland, OH). Intensity of immunoreactivity was measured using
densitometry.
Quantitation of VEGF Protein Expression
Retinal proteins (100 µg, n = 2028 pooled
retinas from 1014 mice per group) were electrophoresed on a 12%
sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel. Protein was transferred to
nitrocellulose membranes and reacted with polyclonal anti-VEGF antibody
(Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA). Immunoreactive proteins
were visualized using a horseradish peroxidaseconjugated goat
anti-mouse antibody and enhanced chemiluminescence (Amersham).
Membranes were stripped and reprobed with affinity purified anti-actin
antibody (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) to verify equal protein loading. Signal
intensity of the resulting bands was quantified by densitometry.
| Results |
|---|
|
|
|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Discussion |
|---|
|
|
|---|
Recent studies have suggested that oxygen-induced alterations in retinal VEGF9 10 and PEDF expression13 are central to the vaso-obliterative process and that the acquisition of a pericyte covering is the key development event that confers oxygen-resistance to retina capillaries.33 Although direct oxidative injury to capillaries also plays a part in the pathogenesis of ROP, its exact role and the identity of the mediators remain poorly defined.8
Our studies in a mouse model reveal that NO may be an important factor in oxygen-induced retinopathy in the newborn period. Mice lacking functional eNOS were partially protected from hyperoxia-induced injury and subsequent proliferative retinopathy. In addition, the systemic administration of an NOS inhibitor (L-NNA) to wild-type mice led to a similar level of vaso-protection compared with the eNOS knock-out, strongly supporting a putative role for NO in the vaso-obliterative process.
Further study is needed to establish a definitive mechanism for the protective effect of NOS inhibition or deletion. However, the reduction in nitrotyrosine levels (a marker of peroxynitrite-mediated protein modification) in eNOS -/- mice compared with eNOS +/+ controls suggests a reduction in NO-mediated oxidative stress. A contributory role for peroxynitrite in the pathogenesis of vaso-obliteration is further supported by our findings that (1) increased formation of immunoreactive nitrotyrosine is observed early in the course of vaso-obliteration, (2) immunolocalization of nitrotyrosine is most intense in the inner retina, in the proximity of retina vessels, and (3) eNOS +/+ adult mice exposed to hyperoxia do not develop retinopathy and do not show increased nitrotyrosine.
The observation that nitrotyrosine formation did not increase significantly in the retinas of eNOS -/- mice, despite the fact that nNOS is normally expressed (al-Shabrawey M, Caldwell R, unpublished data, June 1999) suggests that nNOS does not produce quantitatively significant levels of peroxynitrite in the setting of ROP. Although this does not exclude nNOS from involvement in ROP, the fact that a nonspecific inhibitor of NOS activity produced quantitatively similar levels of vaso-protection compared with eNOS gene disruption also suggests that eNOS may be the primary NOS isoform involved in vaso-obliteration. However, the fact that NOS inhibition and eNOS knock-out provided only partial protection against retinopathy indicates that oxygen-sensitivity of developing retina capillaries is only partly mediated by NO-dependent mechanisms.
On the basis of our findings, we speculate that the acquisition of oxygen tolerance by developing retina vessels may be due in part to expression of more effective peroxynitrite scavenging systems or to a decline in eNOS activity. This speculation is supported by the work of previous investigators, who provided data suggesting that antioxidant expression is reduced in developing tissues including the retina.34 35 36 Glutathione in particular, may be especially important in peroxynitrite scavenging37 38 39 40 and antioxidant activity in premature infants,41 yet little is known about its expression in the developing retina. We are also not aware of any quantitative data regarding the in vivo activity of eNOS in relation to stage of retina development and are currently conducting studies to address these issues.
A second mechanism for improved oxygen tolerance in the L-NNAtreated and eNOS-deficient mice may involve the effect of NO on VEGF expression. The role of VEGF as an endothelial cell survival factor is well established, and VEGF withdrawal in high oxygen has been shown to correlate closely with the apoptosis and regression of newly formed capillaries.9 10 42 Moreover, previous investigations have shown that NO donors inhibit VEGF expression in the arterial wall in response to balloon angioplasty43 and in rat lungs during acute and chronic hypoxia.44 It is thought that NO and VEGF are reciprocally regulated such that stimulation of VEGFs receptor flk-1/KDR activates eNOS, leading to NO formation. NO then inhibits VEGF production in adjacent cells by a paracrine feedback mechanism involving inhibition of AP-1 binding to the VEGF promoter.42 45 Given this relationship, the lack of eNOS activity in the knockout and L-NNAtreated mice may help explain the observed diminution in VEGF suppression in oxygen, as well as the larger rise in VEGF in hypoxia, in the eNOS -/- compared with eNOS +/+ mice. These differences in VEGF expression may have contributed to the improved oxygen tolerance of the retinal capillaries in the eNOS -/- and L-NNAtreated mice.
In terms of clinical applicability of eNOS inhibition to human ROP, it is important to note that we did not observe major alterations in retinal structure or vasculature in the eNOS -/- mice. Vorwerk et al.46 have provided quantitative data showing that there is no statistically significant difference between eNOS -/- and eNOS +/+ mice in terms of the cell numbers in the retinal ganglion cell, and inner or outer nuclear layers. In addition we have demonstrated that retina capillary density in eNOS -/- and eNOS +/+ mice is not significantly different (al-Shabrawey M, Caldwell R, unpublished data, June 1999). These findings are especially important if drug- or gene-based therapies to inhibit eNOS are to be used to treat premature infants with ROP.
In conclusion, targeted disruption of the eNOS gene as well as pharmacologic inhibition of NOS activity leads to improved oxygen tolerance of immature retina capillaries in mice without significantly interfering with normal retinal vascular development or causing significant structural abnormalities of the retina. The improved oxygen tolerance appears to be due in part to a reduction in peroxynitrite-mediated cytotoxicity and results in reduced neovascularization. Further studies are necessary to better define the molecular mechanisms of retinal vaso-obliteration in hyperoxia, including the role of pericytes as well as to better understand the role of NO in normal retina development and function.
| Acknowledgements |
|---|
| Footnotes |
|---|
Submitted for publication May 3, 2000; revised August 21 and September 19, 2000; accepted September 29, 2000.
Commercial relationships policy: N.
Presented in part as a poster at the Keystone Symposium, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 2, 2000, and as a paper at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, May 2, 2000.
Corresponding author: Steven E. Brooks, Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912. sbrooks{at}mail.mcg.edu
| References |
|---|
|
|
|---|
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
M. A. Abdelsaid, B. A. Pillai, S. Matragoon, R. Prakash, M. Al-Shabrawey, and A. B. El-Remessy Early Intervention of Tyrosine Nitration Prevents Vaso-Obliteration and Neovascularization in Ischemic Retinopathy J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., January 1, 2010; 332(1): 125 - 134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Byfield, S. Budd, and M. E. Hartnett The Role of Supplemental Oxygen and JAK/STAT Signaling in Intravitreous Neovascularization in a ROP Rat Model Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., July 1, 2009; 50(7): 3360 - 3365. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Q. Huang and N. Sheibani High glucose promotes retinal endothelial cell migration through activation of Src, PI3K/Akt1/eNOS, and ERKs Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, December 1, 2008; 295(6): C1647 - C1657. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. E. Hartnett, D. Martiniuk, G. Byfield, P. Geisen, G. Zeng, and V. L. Bautch Neutralizing VEGF Decreases Tortuosity and Alters Endothelial Cell Division Orientation in Arterioles and Veins in a Rat Model of ROP: Relevance to Plus Disease Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., July 1, 2008; 49(7): 3107 - 3114. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Dorfman, O. Dembinska, S. Chemtob, and P. Lachapelle Early Manifestations of Postnatal Hyperoxia on the Retinal Structure and Function of the Neonatal Rat Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., January 1, 2008; 49(1): 458 - 466. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. B. El-Remessy, M. Al-Shabrawey, D. H. Platt, M. Bartoli, M. A. Behzadian, N. Ghaly, N. Tsai, K. Motamed, and R. B. Caldwell Peroxynitrite mediates VEGF's angiogenic signal and function via a nitration-independent mechanism in endothelial cells FASEB J, August 1, 2007; 21(10): 2528 - 2539. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. Kociok, S. Radetzky, T. U. Krohne, C. Gavranic, and A. M. Joussen Pathological but Not Physiological Retinal Neovascularization Is Altered in TNF-Rp55-Receptor-Deficient Mice Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., November 1, 2006; 47(11): 5057 - 5065. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Sirinyan, F. Sennlaub, A. Dorfman, P. Sapieha, F. Gobeil Jr, P. Hardy, P. Lachapelle, and S. Chemtob Hyperoxic Exposure Leads to Nitrative Stress and Ensuing Microvascular Degeneration and Diminished Brain Mass and Function in the Immature Subject Stroke, November 1, 2006; 37(11): 2807 - 2815. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Al-Shabrawey, M. Bartoli, A. B. El-Remessy, D. H. Platt, S. Matragoon, M. A. Behzadian, R. W. Caldwell, and R. B. Caldwell Inhibition of NAD(P)H Oxidase Activity Blocks Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Overexpression and Neovascularization during Ischemic Retinopathy Am. J. Pathol., August 1, 2005; 167(2): 599 - 607. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. van Wijngaarden, D. J. Coster, H. M. Brereton, I. L. Gibbins, and K. A. Williams Strain-Dependent Differences in Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy in the Inbred Rat Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., April 1, 2005; 46(4): 1445 - 1452. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. A. Gardiner, D. S. Gibson, T. E. de Gooyer, V. F. de la Cruz, D. M. McDonald, and A. W. Stitt Inhibition of Tumor Necrosis Factor-{alpha} Improves Physiological Angiogenesis and Reduces Pathological Neovascularization in Ischemic Retinopathy Am. J. Pathol., February 1, 2005; 166(2): 637 - 644. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. B. El-Remessy, M. Bartoli, D. H. Platt, D. Fulton, and R. B. Caldwell Oxidative stress inactivates VEGF survival signaling in retinal endothelial cells via PI 3-kinase tyrosine nitration J. Cell Sci., January 1, 2005; 118(1): 243 - 252. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Roberts, W. Zhang, Y. Ito, and B. A. Berkowitz Spatial Pattern and Temporal Evolution of Retinal Oxygenation Response in Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., December 1, 2003; 44(12): 5315 - 5320. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. Ni, P. Moulin, P. Gianello, O. Feron, J.-L. Balligand, and O. Devuyst Mice that Lack Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Are Protected against Functional and Structural Modifications Induced by Acute Peritonitis J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., December 1, 2003; 14(12): 3205 - 3216. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Madan Angiogenesis and Antiangiogenesis in the Neonate: Relevance to Retinopathy of Prematurity NeoReviews, December 1, 2003; 4(12): e356 - 363. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. A. Narasaraju, N. Jin, C. R. Narendranath, Z. Chen, D. Gou, and L. Liu Protein nitration in rat lungs during hyperoxia exposure: a possible role of myeloperoxidase Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, November 1, 2003; 285(5): L1037 - L1045. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
X. Gu, A. B. El-Remessy, S. E. Brooks, M. Al-Shabrawey, N.-T. Tsai, and R. B. Caldwell Hyperoxia induces retinal vascular endothelial cell apoptosis through formation of peroxynitrite Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, September 1, 2003; 285(3): C546 - C554. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. B. El-Remessy, G. Abou-Mohamed, R. W. Caldwell, and R. B. Caldwell High Glucose-Induced Tyrosine Nitration in Endothelial Cells: Role of eNOS Uncoupling and Aldose Reductase Activation Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., July 1, 2003; 44(7): 3135 - 3143. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. B. El-Remessy, M. A. Behzadian, G. Abou-Mohamed, T. Franklin, R. W. Caldwell, and R. B. Caldwell Experimental Diabetes Causes Breakdown of the Blood-Retina Barrier by a Mechanism Involving Tyrosine Nitration and Increases in Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor Am. J. Pathol., June 1, 2003; 162(6): 1995 - 2004. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Checchin, X. Hou, P. Hardy, D. Abran, T. Najarian, M. H. Beauchamp, S. G. Bernier, F. Gobeil Jr, C. Quiniou, D. R. Varma, et al. PGE2-Mediated eNOS Induction in Prolonged Hypercapnia Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., May 1, 2002; 43(5): 1558 - 1566. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
X. Gu, S. Samuel, M. El-shabrawey, R. B. Caldwell, M. Bartoli, D. M. Marcus, and S. E. Brooks Effects of Sustained Hyperoxia on Revascularization in Experimental Retinopathy of Prematurity Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., February 1, 2002; 43(2): 496 - 502. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. Hardy, D. Lamireau, X. Hou, I. Dumont, D. Abran, A.-M. Nuyt, D. R. Varma, and S. Chemtob Major role for neuronal NO synthase in curtailing choroidal blood flow autoregulation in newborn pig J Appl Physiol, October 1, 2001; 91(4): 1655 - 1662. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |