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Retinal Pigment Epithelium Transplantation in a Non-human Primate Model for Degenerative Retinal Diseases
Published on: June 14, 2021
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[Selective neuronal cell death in retinal degenerative diseases]
Kenji Sakamoto1, Asami Mori1, Kunio Ishii1,2
1Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Kitasato University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi. Folia Pharmacologica Japonica
|August 14, 2018
Summary
Glaucoma causes retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death via excitotoxicity, while retinitis pigmentosa (RP) involves photoreceptor degeneration possibly due to ER stress from gene mutations.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are leading causes of adult blindness.
- Glaucoma specifically damages retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), while RP causes progressive photoreceptor degeneration.
- The precise mechanisms of RGC death in glaucoma and photoreceptor death in RP remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the mechanisms underlying RGC death in glaucoma and photoreceptor death in RP.
- To investigate the role of excitotoxicity and oxidative stress in glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
- To examine the potential involvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in photoreceptor degeneration in RP.
Main Methods:
- Review of experimental models for glaucoma, including retinal ischemia-reperfusion, NMDA injection, NO donor injection, and glutamate aspartate transporter knockout.
- Investigation of tunicamycin-induced ER stress as a model for photoreceptor degeneration.
- Analysis of cellular vulnerability to glutamate and oxidative stress in RGCs.
Main Results:
- Experimental models demonstrate RGC death is linked to excitotoxicity from excess glutamate and oxidative stress from nitric oxide (NO).
- RGCs exhibit vulnerability to glutamate and NO-related oxidative stress, suggesting a role in glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
- Tunicamycin induces ER stress and causes photoreceptor-specific degeneration, indicating ER stress as a potential mechanism in RP.
Conclusions:
- Excitotoxicity and oxidative stress are implicated in RGC death in glaucoma.
- ER stress may be a key factor in the photoreceptor-selective degeneration observed in retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate these pathways and develop targeted therapies for retinal degenerative diseases.
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