A lab-on-a-chip model of glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is a primary risk factor for glaucoma.
• Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are crucial for vision and are vulnerable to pressure-induced damage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a glaucoma-on-a-chip model for studying RGC viability under elevated pressure.
• To assess the neuroprotective potential of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and a novel BDNF mimetic (RNYK) in this model.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a three-layered poly-methyl methacrylate microfluidic chip with interconnecting channels and culture wells.
• Purification and culture of rat RGCs, followed by exposure to normal (15 mmHg) or elevated (33 mmHg) pressure for up to 48 hours.
• Co-culture with BDNF or RNYK to evaluate their neuroprotective effects on RGCs.

Main Results:

• The chip successfully recapitulated pressure-induced RGC death over time.
• RGC survival rates significantly decreased under elevated pressure compared to normal pressure.
• Both BDNF and RNYK treatment approximately halved RGC death rates under both normal and elevated pressure conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed glaucoma-on-a-chip model provides a valuable platform for simulating glaucoma pathophysiology.
• The study confirms the neuroprotective efficacy of BDNF and its mimetic RNYK against pressure-induced RGC damage.
• This model holds promise for future drug screening and therapeutic development for glaucoma.