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Intravitreal Ets1 siRNA alleviates choroidal neovascularization in a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration

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Abstract

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is the basic feature of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in elders. Macrophages and microglia promote CNV via producing pro-angiogenic factors and inflammatory cytokines. Transcription factor E26 transformation specific-1 (Ets1) plays a pro-angiogenic role via its pro-inflammatory function. In this study, Ets1 increased and localized in the macrophages and microglia of a mouse laser-induced CNV region. Ets1 siRNA intravitreal injection ameliorated the leakage and area of CNV, as well as inhibiting the dysfunction of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and the activation of macrophages/microglia. Taken together, we provide a new insight into the molecular mechanism of CNV progression, in which Ets1 can be a new therapeutic target.

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Funding

The study was supported by the Suzhou Science and Technology Bureau (No. SYS2018005), Suzhou Commission of Health and Family Planning (No. KJXW2018076), Jiangsu Distinguished Medical Experts Program (No.2016), Gusu Health Leading Talent Plan (Grant No. 025) and the 14th Six Talents Peak Project of Jiangsu Province (No. SWYY-058).

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  1. Manhui Zhu, Li Jiang, Dongmei Ding and E. Song contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Lixiang Eye Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

    Manhui Zhu, You Yuan, Lili Chen, Juan Liang, Qiujian Zhu & E. Song

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Laizhou City People’s Hospital, Yantai, Shandong, China

    Li Jiang & Dongmei Ding

  3. Department of Pathogen Biology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China

    Xiaojuan Liu

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  1. Manhui Zhu
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  2. Li Jiang
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Zhu, M., Jiang, L., Yuan, Y. et al. Intravitreal Ets1 siRNA alleviates choroidal neovascularization in a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration. Cell Tissue Res 376, 341–351 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-019-03001-1

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