Journal: Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science

Article Title: Rexinoid NEt-3IB Promotes Resident Macrophage Gene Expression and Mitigates Desiccation-Induced Ocular Surface Disease

doi: 10.1167/iovs.67.4.31

Figure Lengend Snippet: Effects of rexinoid treatment on macrophage gene and protein expression in the desiccation stress dry eye model and potential macrophage-derived IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling axis. ( A ) Heatmaps showing z -score–scaled expression of selected latent-time–associated genes in four treatment groups (NS, None [untreated], Veh, and NEt-3IB) in conjunctival monocyte/macrophage lineage cells sorted from CD45⁺ cells after 5 days of desiccating stress (DS5) ( P adj < 0.001). Genes are organized into five functional categories. The color scale represents z -scores of normalized expression ( blue , low; red , high). These data show desiccating stress–associated shifts in macrophage gene programs and their modulation by NEt-3IB, including enrichment of reparative and growth factor–related genes such as Igf1 . Full gene names for the abbreviations are provided in . ( B ) Representative flow cytometry histograms and quantification validating selected macrophage-associated markers in conjunctival immune cells. ( Left ) Representative histograms of CX3CR1 staining with fluorescence-minus-one (FMO) control, with corresponding quantification of the percentage of CD45⁺CD11b⁺CX3CR1⁺ cells. ( Right ) Representative histograms of IGF-1 staining with FMO control, with corresponding quantification of the percentage of CD45⁺CD11b⁺Mrc1⁺IGF-1⁺ cells. Compared with DS5 no treatment and DS5+vehicle controls, DS5+NEt-3IB increased the proportion ofx CX3CR1⁺ and Mrc1⁺IGF-1⁺ myeloid cells. Each dot represents one biological replicate; bars show mean ± SEM. Statistical significance is indicated as shown: ** P < 0.01; **** P < 0.001; **** P < 0.0001; ns, not significant. ( C ) Representative immunofluorescence images showing IGF-1R/WGA/DAPI staining of wholemount conjunctiva showing surface view ( top ) and βIII-tubulin/IGF-1R/DAPI staining in the cornea ( bottom ). IGF-1R localization is shown because IGF-1 is produced by ocular surface resident macrophages, suggesting a potential macrophage-derived IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling axis acting on ocular surface epithelial and neural compartments during DS. Scale bar : 100 µm.

Article Snippet: The following primary antibodies were used: βIII-tubulin (ab215037; Abcam, Cambridge, UK) and human/mouse IGF-1R (AF-305-NA; R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA).

Techniques: Expressing, Derivative Assay, Functional Assay, Flow Cytometry, Staining, Fluorescence, Control, Immunofluorescence, Produced