Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42135831›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuroinflammation2026

IL-1-mediated vitreous inflammation as an early indicator of retinal ganglion cell loss following acute optic nerve injury.

Shichu Chang, Weijia Fan, Jiahui Wu, Lei Xu, Virginia A Lee, Charlotte Zhang, Edward P Kronenberg, Wenjin Xu, Hu Yang, Hao F Zhang and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuroinflammation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Shichu Chang *Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Weijia Fan *Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Jiahui WuDepartment of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Lei XuLinda and Bipin Doshi Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, USA.
Virginia A LeeDepartment of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Charlotte ZhangDepartment of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Edward P KronenbergDepartment of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Wenjin XuDepartment of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Hu YangLinda and Bipin Doshi Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, USA.
Hao F ZhangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Xiaorong LiuDepartment of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. xl8n@virginia.edu.

Funding

In Vivo Function and Metabolism Evaluation of Glaucomatous RGCs by Two-Photon Scanning Laser OphthalmologyR01EY034353 · NEI · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI Yang Hu, Hao F Zhang · 2023 to 2026
$2.7M
Modulating aqueous humor outflow with engineered nanoparticles for glaucomaR01EY035088 · NEI · MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY · PI Xiaorong Liu, Hu Yang · 2023 to 2026
$2.0M
BrightFocus Foundation National Glaucoma Research AwardKnights Templar Eye Foundation Career-starter Research GrantNIH HHS R01EY034353NIH HHS R01EY035088Northwestern University Christina Enroth-Cugell Graduate Research Award
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRetinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration in optic neuropathies is often preceded by neuroinflammatory changes, yet the earliest in vivo indicators of this process remain poorly defined. Vitreous hyperreflective foci (VHRFs) emerging within 24 h following optic nerve crush (ONC) might represent a promising early in vivo indicator of RGC loss.

methodsVHRFs were longitudinally tracked by visible-light optical coherence tomography (vis-OCT) imaging post-ONC. Whole-eye sectioning, immunohistochemistry, and confocal imaging revealed the identity and migration of the VHRFs. RNAscope in situ hybridization detected cytokine mRNA expression, and IL-1 signaling was pharmacologically inhibited by intracameral administration of an IL-1 receptor antagonist: Anakinra post-ONC. Statistical differences between experimental groups were assessed by Student's t-test, one-way and two-way ANOVA.

resultsLongitudinal vis-OCT imaging revealed that VHRFs emerged as early as 6 h post-injury and peaked before the significant RGC loss. The VHRFs corresponded to activated amoeboid cells undergoing vertical migration from the outer to inner retina and horizontal movement toward the optic nerve head area. Similar amoeboid cells were also observed in the anterior segment, suggesting a global ocular inflammatory response to the ONC injury. Elevated IL-1β expression was detected in vitreous amoeboid cells, and blockade of IL-1 signaling significantly reduced VHRFs, suppressed microglial migration, and delayed RGC loss.

conclusionsOur findings identify VHRFs as a previously unrecognized early danger signal for RGC degeneration and highlight IL-1-mediated inflammation as a tractable early therapeutic target for preventing RGC degeneration and vision loss.

Indexed as

Interleukin-1Optic Nerve InjuriesRetinal Ganglion CellsVitreous BodyAnimalsInflammationMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLTomography, Optical CoherenceInterleukin-1NeuroinflammationOptic nerve crushRetinal ganglion cellRetinal microgliaVisible-light optical coherence tomographyVitreous hyperreflective foci

Identifiers

PMID42135831
PMCPMC13343575

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.