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Retinal Explant of the Adult Mouse Retina as an Ex Vivo Model for Studying Retinal Neurovascular Diseases
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MYDGF promotes pathological and physiological retinal angiogenesis via the Gαi1/3-Gab1-Akt-mTOR signaling

Ke-Ran Li1, Ping-Ping Fu2, Wen Bai1

  • 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Targets and Intervention for Metabolic Diseases, The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.

Nature Communications
|June 23, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Myeloid-derived growth factor (MYDGF) drives retinal angiogenesis and vascular homeostasis. This factor is upregulated in conditions like diabetic retinopathy, promoting abnormal blood vessel growth.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Vascular Biology
  • Molecular Medicine

Background:

  • Retinal neovascularization (RNV) is a major cause of vision loss.
  • The molecular mechanisms driving RNV are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify key regulators of retinal vascular dynamics.
  • To elucidate the role of myeloid-derived growth factor (MYDGF) in RNV.

Main Methods:

  • Single-cell RNA sequencing
  • Human patient sample analysis
  • In vitro cell culture assays
  • In vivo mouse models of neovascularization and vascular homeostasis

Main Results:

  • MYDGF is upregulated in retinal endothelial cells during pathological neovascularization.
  • MYDGF promotes endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and sprouting in vitro.
  • Endothelial-specific MYDGF depletion impairs normal and pathological retinal angiogenesis in vivo.
  • MYDGF activates the Akt-mTOR pathway via the Gαi1/3-Gab1 signaling complex.

Conclusions:

  • MYDGF is a critical regulator of retinal angiogenesis.
  • MYDGF plays a dual role in promoting pathological neovascularization and maintaining vascular homeostasis.
  • The Gαi1/3-Gab1-Akt-mTOR axis mediates MYDGF's angiogenic effects.

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