Evaluation of the loading capacity and patterns of packaged DNA in AAV genomes of different sizes using long-read sequencing.

The loading capacity of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors is reportedly 4.7-5.0 kb, which limits the size of genes that can be treated with gene therapy.

Application of Metagenomic Long-Read Sequencing for the Diagnosis of Herpetic Uveitis.

Purpose: To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of herpes virus detection by nanopore metagenomic analysis (NMA) compared with multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR)-positive and -negative controls.

Methods: This study included 43 patients with uveitis who had been screened for intraocular herpes virus infection using mPCR from aqueous humor samples. Aqueous humor samples stored after mPCR were subjected to whole-genome amplification, long-read sequencing, and analysis of the phylogenetic microorganism composition using a Flongle flow cell on the Oxford Nanopore MinION platform.

Silicone oil, an intraocular surgical adjuvant, induces retinal ferroptosis.

Vitrectomy with silicone oil (SO) endotamponade is an effective treatment for vision-threatening retinal diseases. However, unexplained vision impairment has been reportedly critical side effects. Previously, we reported that the eyes with ocular toxoplasmosis showed retinal ferroptosis with the clinical sign of reduced intravitreal iron (Fe).

Phenotypic variability of RP1-related inherited retinal dystrophy associated with the c.5797 C > T (p.Arg1933*) variant in the Japanese population.

The phenotypes of RP1-related inherited retinal dystrophies (RP1-IRD), causing autosomal dominant (AD) and autosomal recessive (AR) diseases, vary depending on specific RP1 variants. A common nonsense mutation near the C-terminus, c.5797 C > T (p.

Decrease in electrolyte after vitrectomy surgery may affect the results of forensic investigations using vitreous humor.

Purpose: Vitreous humor (VH) is used for postmortem biochemical studies because it is well protected in an uncontaminated state even after death. The goal of this research was to investigate electrolyte concentrations in the VH from human eyes with and without a history of vitrectomy surgery.

Methods: We analyzed the sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl) and magnesium (Mg) concentrations from 34 VH samples from 34 patients.

Retinal ferroptosis as a critical mechanism for the induction of retinochoroiditis during ocular toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis is a major infectious disease, affecting approximately one-third of the world's population; its main clinical manifestation, ocular toxoplasmosis (OT), is a severe sight-threatening disease. Nevertheless, the diagnosis of OT is based on clinical findings, which needs improvement, even with biochemical tests, such as polymerase chain reaction and antibody detections. Furthermore, the efficacy of OT-targeted treatment is limited; thus, additional measures for diagnosis and treatments are needed.

Dimethyl Fumarate Protects Retinal Pigment Epithelium from Blue Light-Induced Oxidative Damage via the Nrf2 Pathway.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the protective effect of dimethyl fumarate (DMF), the methyl-ester of fumaric acid, against blue-light (BL) exposure in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. ARPE-19 cells, a human RPE cell line, were cultured with DMF followed by exposure to BL. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, cell viability, and cell death rate were determined.

Prevalence of and factors associated with dilated choroidal vessels beneath the retinal pigment epithelium among the Japanese.

Pachyvessels are pathologically dilated large choroidal vessels and are associated with the pathogenesis of several pachychoroid-related disorders, including central serous chorioretinopathy. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for pachyvessels in the Japanese population. We included 316 participants (aged ≥ 40 years) with normal right eyes.

Caveolin-1 Promotes Cellular Senescence in Exchange for Blocking Subretinal Fibrosis in Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To determine whether caveolin-1 (i) prevents epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the RPE and laser-induced subretinal fibrosis and (ii) promotes or inhibits cellular senescence in the RPE.

Methods: We examined laser-induced subretinal fibrosis and RPE cell contraction in wild-type and Caveolin-1 knockout (Cav-1-/-) mice treated with or without cavtratin, a cell-permeable peptide of caveolin-1. The senescence marker p16INK4a was measured in RPE tissues from patients with geographic atrophy and aged mice, laser-induced subretinal fibrosis, and primary human RPE cells.

Lamivudine Inhibits RNA-induced Retinal Pigment Epithelium Degeneration via Anti-inflammatory and Anti-senescence Activities.

Purpose: Accumulation of the long noncoding element RNA activates the NLRP3 inflammasome and leads to retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell death, a key event in the pathogenesis of geographic atrophy during late-stage age-related macular degeneration. Lamivudine (3TC) is a nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor known to inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome. Currently, the intracellular response of the senescence marker p16 to the long noncoding RNA is being actively studied.

n-3 Fatty Acid and Its Metabolite 18-HEPE Ameliorate Retinal Neuronal Cell Dysfunction by Enhancing Müller BDNF in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a widespread vision-threatening disease, and neuroretinal abnormality should be considered as an important problem. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has recently been considered as a possible treatment to prevent DR-induced neuroretinal damage, but how BDNF is upregulated in DR remains unclear. We found an increase in hydrogen peroxide (HO) in the vitreous of patients with DR.

In Vitro Epiretinal Membrane Model and Antibody Permeability: Relationship With Anti-VEGF Resistance in Diabetic Macular Edema.

Purpose: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is characterized by an accumulation of fluid in the macula due to diabetic retinopathy. Currently, anti-VEGF drugs are the standard treatment worldwide for DME. This study aimed to assess whether the existence of epiretinal membrane (ERM) affects anti-VEGF efficacy, due to reduced permeability of the antibody through the ERM.

Biological Characteristics of Subsilicone Oil Fluid and Differences With Other Ocular Humors.

Purpose: Subsilicone oil fluid (SOF) in eyes with silicone oil (SO) endotamponade possibly has a role in complications (e.g., vision loss); thus, we aimed to examine inflammatory cytokine and electrolyte levels and retinal glial cell viability in SOF.

Silicone oil-associated retinal light exposure under a surgical microscope.

Purpose: Based on the hypothesis that silicone oil (SO) with a higher refractive index than water induces unexpected vignetting effects during surgeries, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the volume of SO and light intensity using a surgical microscope.

Methods: Using a light-sensitive paper and model eye filled with varying volumes (0%, 50%, 62.5%, 75%, 87.

Efficacy of prolonged ingestion of Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 in adult patients with atopic dermatitis.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of prolonged ingestion of Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 (L-92) on skin symptoms in adult atopic dermatitis (AD) patients, a placebo-controlled double-blinded parallel-group comparison study was performed. This included daily administration of heat-killed and dried L-92 or placebo for 24wk in 50 AD patients who were 16yr old or older. The severity of skin symptoms was evaluated at baseline and at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24wk during the intervention using the investigator global assessment, eczema area and severity index, and scoring atopic dermatitis.

Casein hydrolysate containing Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro improves central blood pressure and arterial stiffness in hypertensive subjects: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: This trial evaluated the effects of casein hydrolysate containing milk-derived peptides, Val-Pro-Pro (VPP) and Ile-Pro-Pro (IPP), on central blood pressure and arterial stiffness.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 70 Japanese subjects aged 50-69 years with untreated stage-I hypertension. They were randomly assigned to two groups, which received either placebo tablets or active tablets containing 3.

Effects of Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro on nondipper patients: a preliminary study.

Much clinical evidence on the antihypertensive effects of the milk-derived antihypertensive peptides Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro (lactotripeptides) has been reported. However, circadian rhythm effects determined by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to eliminate the confounding influence of the white-coat effect have not been fully studied. Twelve hypertensive patients not receiving antihypertensive medication (2 men, 10 women; mean age±standard deviation, 63.