Suppression of choroidal neovascularization and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in retinal pigmented epithelium by adeno-associated virus-mediated overexpression of CCN5 in mice

PLoS One. 2022 Jun 13;17(6):e0269937. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269937. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a defining characteristic feature of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) that frequently results in irreversible vision loss. The current strategies for the treatment of nAMD are mainly based on neutralizing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). However, anti-VEGF therapies are often associated with subretinal fibrosis that eventually leads to damages in macula. In this study, we tested whether an anti-fibrotic and anti-angiogenic protein CCN5 can potentially be an effective and safe therapeutic modality in a mouse model of CNV. Laser photocoagulation was utilized to induce CNV, which was followed by intravitreal injection of recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 2 encoding CCN5 (rAAV2-CCN5). Our data demonstrated that rAAV2-CCN5, but not a control viral vector, rAAV2-VLP, prominently attenuated both CNV lesions and angiogenesis. Aflibercept, which was utilized as a positive control, exhibited similar effects on CNV lesions and angiogenesis in our experimental settings. Upon laser photocoagulation, retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells underwent significant morphological changes including cellular enlargement and loss of hexagonality. rAAV2-CCN5 significantly normalized these morphological defects. Laser photocoagulation also led to fibrotic deformation in RPE cells through inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which was completely blocked by rAAV2-CCN5. In a striking contrast, aflibercept as well as rAAV2-VLP failed to exhibit any effects on EMT. Collectively, this study suggest that CCN5 might provide a potential novel strategy for the treatment of nAMD with a capability to inhibit CNV and fibrosis simaultaneously.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Choroidal Neovascularization* / metabolism
  • Dependovirus / genetics
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Epithelium / metabolism
  • Fibrosis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Parvovirinae* / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Substances

  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Supplementary concepts

  • Adeno-associated virus-2

Grants and funding

K.M.W was supported by grant from Business for Startup growth and technological development (TIPS Program, S2842182) funded by Korea Ministry of SMEs and Startups in 2020. W.J.P was supported by grant from the National Research Foundation of Korea (2022R1A4A200076711, 2022R1A2C1004256) funded by the Korean government (MSIT). MSIT is the abbreviation of Ministry of Science and ICT. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.