Liang (Sophia) Li

All Publications

• Cell type- and stage-specific expression of Otx2 is regulated by multiple transcription factors and cis-regulatory modules in the retina. Development (Cambridge, England) Chan, C. S., Lonfat, N., Zhao, R., Davis, A. E., Li, L., Wu, M., Lin, C., Ji, Z., Cepko, C. L., Wang, S. 2020

  Abstract

  Transcription factors (TFs) are often used repeatedly during development and homeostasis to control distinct processes in the same and/or different cellular contexts. Considering the limited number of TFs in the genome and the tremendous number of events that need to be regulated, re-use of TFs is necessary. We analyzed how the expression of the homeobox TF, Orthodenticle homeobox 2 (Otx2), is regulated in a cell type- and stage-specific manner during development in the retina. We identified seven Otx2 cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), among which the O5, O7 and O9 CRMs mark three distinct cellular contexts of Otx2 expression. We discovered that Otx2, Crx and Sox2, which are well-known TFs regulating retinal development, bind to and activate the O5, O7 or O9 CRMs respectively. The chromatin status of these three CRMs was found to be distinct in vivo in different retinal cell types and at different stages. We conclude that retinal cells utilize a cohort of TFs with different expression patterns, and multiple CRMs with different chromatin configurations, to precisely regulate the expression of Otx2.

  View details for DOI 10.1242/dev.187922

  View details for PubMedID 32631829

• EVALUATION OF MULTISPECTRAL IMAGING IN DIAGNOSING DIABETIC RETINOPATHY. Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) Li, L., Zhang, P., Liu, H., Liu, Y. H., Gao, L. 2019; 39 (9): 1701-1709

  Abstract

  To investigate multispectral imaging (MSI) as a novel diagnostic approach for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in clinic.A total of 50 Type-2 diabetic patients (99 eyes) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. All subjects underwent digital fundus photography (DFP), MSI, and fundus fluorescein angiography. A total exact agreement, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of no DR/mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and severe NPDR/proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) grading were calculated based on DFP and MSI and were compared with fundus fluorescein angiography.Compared with fundus fluorescein angiography, the exact agreement for MSI was 0.835; for DFP, it was 0.614; the sensitivity for no DR/mild NPDR in both MSI and DFP was 100%, and for severe NPDR/PDR, it was 97.4% and 88.3%. The specificity for no DR/mild NPDR in MSI and DFP was 96.3% and 95%, and for severe NPDR/PDR, it was 100% in both. The positive predictive value for no DR/mild NPDR in MSI and DFP was 86.4% and 82.6%, and for severe NPDR/PDR, it was 100% in both; the negative predictive value for no DR/mild NPDR in MSI and DFP was 100%, and for severe NPDR/PDR, it was 91.7% and 71.0% in both.Multispectral imaging displayed an excellent agreement with fundus fluorescein angiography in DR grading, which suggested that it might serve as a new diagnostic technique and an informative tool for evaluating DR.

  View details for DOI 10.1097/IAE.0000000000002225

  View details for PubMedID 29901495

• Quantitative analysis of retinal and choroid capillary ischaemia using optical coherence tomography angiography in type 2 diabetes. Acta ophthalmologica Li, L., Almansoob, S., Zhang, P., Zhou, Y. D., Tan, Y., Gao, L. 2019; 97 (3): 240-246

  Abstract

  To perform a quantitative analysis of retinal and choroid capillary ischaemia in diabetic patients by using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).A total of 97 type 2 diabetic patients and 48 controls were included in this cross-sectional study. Diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy (DR) were categorized as no DR (NDR) group; DR was classified into mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), moderate NPDR, severe NPDR and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Quantitative parameters included foveal and parafoveal vascular density (VD) in superficial, deep and choroid capillary plexus (SCP, DCP and CCP), and foveal flow area in CCP. Stepwise comparisons between groups were performed in the adjacent stages.Diabetic patients had significantly lower flow area in CCP and VD in all three layers compared with controls. In NDR group, foveal flow area in CCP significantly decreased compared with controls. In mild NPDR, parafoveal VD significantly decreased in all three layers compared with NDR, especially in temporal and nasal areas. In moderate NPDR, VD reduction extended to the inferior area in SCP and DCP compared with mild NPDR. In severe NPDR, progressive losses of VD were presented in all layers compared with moderate NDPR. In PDR, the superior VD in SCP significantly increased compared with severe NPDR.In diabetic patients, the microvascular ischaemia originated in choroid layer and extended inward affecting the deep and superficial layer. OCTA can serve as a reliable method for early detection and to monitor progressions in diabetic retinopathy.

  View details for DOI 10.1111/aos.14076

  View details for PubMedID 30810284

• Risk factors for visual impairment associated with corneal diseases in southern China CLINICAL OPHTHALMOLOGY Xu, S. C., Chow, J., Liu, J., Li, L., Maslin, J. S., Chadha, N., Chen, B., Teng, C. C. 2016; 10: 777-782

  Abstract

  To identify the most common etiologies of corneal disease and the risk factors associated with worse visual outcomes in Changsha, Hunan, located in southern China.This observational, cross-sectional study evaluated 100 consecutive patients seen at the cornea clinic of The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. Ocular history, demographic information, and ocular use of traditional Chinese medicine were recorded and analyzed. Causes of infectious keratitis were diagnosed clinically. Fungal and acanthamoeba keratitis were confirmed by confocal microscopy. Visual impairment was categorized based on visual acuity according to World Health Organization recommendations. A binary logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratio (OR).One hundred consecutive patients were evaluated. Sixty patients (60%) had noninfectious corneal diseases, most commonly dry eye syndrome (26.7%, n=16), followed by corneal abrasion (18.3%, n=11). Forty-five patients had infectious keratitis, five of whom had both infectious and noninfectious etiologies. Of the patients with infectious keratitis, viral keratitis was the most frequent cause (57.8%, n=26), followed by fungal (20%, n=9) and bacterial (20%, n=9). Older age (OR =5.08, P=0.048), male sex (OR =3.37, P=0.035), and rural residence (OR =3.11, P=0.017) had increased odds of having worse visual impairment. Rural residence was also associated with infectious keratitis (P=0.005), particularly bacterial and fungal keratitis (P=0.046), and a history of ocular trauma (P=0.003). Occupation was not a significant risk factor in this population. Fourteen patients reported use of traditional Chinese medicine, with no association with visual outcomes found.Older age, male sex, and rural residence were associated with worse visual impairment. Prevalence and outcome of corneal diseases may be improved with an increased awareness in these populations.

  View details for DOI 10.2147/OPTH.S103302

  View details for Web of Science ID 000375532000003

  View details for PubMedID 27194904

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC4859424