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Expression of Bim in Retinal Endothelial Cells or Pericytes is Essential for Normal Regression of the Fetal Vasculature
Author(s) -
Sorenson Christine,
Wang Shoujian,
Zaitoun Ismail,
Johnson Ryan,
Jamali Nasim,
Sheibani Nader
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.1211.5
Subject(s) - retinal , retina , neovascularization , biology , apoptosis , angiogenesis , pericyte , retinopathy of prematurity , diabetic retinopathy , pathology , cancer research , medicine , endothelial stem cell , neuroscience , endocrinology , genetics , pregnancy , biochemistry , in vitro , diabetes mellitus , gestational age
Apoptosis plays a central role in developmental and pathological vessel regression in the retina. Endothelial cells (EC) and pericytes (PC) each play unique roles during development, maintenance and regression of the retinal vasculature. Bim is a pro‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 family member that plays a prominent role in both normal and pathologic retinal vessel regression. To determine whether retinal vascular regression is attributable to Bim expression in EC or PC we generated mice carrying a conditional Bim allele (Bim Flox/Flox ) and VE‐cadherin‐cre (Bim EC mice) or PDGR‐β‐cre (Bim PC ). Bim EC and Bim PC mice demonstrated attenuated hyaloid vessel regression and postnatal retinal vascular remodeling, perhaps as a result of decreased apoptosis. Interestingly, even though conditional Bim mice displayed increased numbers of EC and/or PC their retinal vasculature still was susceptible to hyperoxia‐mediated vessel obliteration and subsequent neovascularization during oxygen‐induced ischemic retinopathy, unlike germline deleted Bim‐deficient mice. Thus, understanding the cell autonomous role Bim plays in the retinal vascular homeostasis will give us new insight into how to prevent pathological retinal vessel regression and preserve vision. Support or Funding Information RRF/Daniel M. Albert Chair and Lions Pediatric Ophthalmology Research Fund