| First Author | Lin B | Year | 2008 |
| Journal | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | Volume | 105 |
| Issue | 41 | Pages | 16009-14 |
| PubMed ID | 18836071 | Mgi Jnum | J:141434 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3818248 | Doi | 10.1073/pnas.0806114105 |
| Citation | Lin B, et al. (2008) Restoration of visual function in retinal degeneration mice by ectopic expression of melanopsin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105(41):16009-14 |
| abstractText | The rod and cone cells of the mammalian retina are the principal photoreceptors for image-forming vision. They transmit information by means of a chain of intermediate cells to the retinal ganglion cells, which in turn send signals from the retina to the brain. Loss of photoreceptor cells, as happens in a number of human diseases, leads to irreversible blindness. In a mouse model (rd/rd) of photoreceptor degeneration, we used a viral vector to express in a large number of retinal ganglion cells the light sensitive protein melanopsin, normally present in only a specialized subset of the cells. Whole-cell patch-clamp recording showed photoresponses in these cells even after degeneration of the photoreceptors and additional pharmacological or Cd(2+) block of synaptic function. Interestingly, similar responses were observed across a wide variety of diverse types of ganglion cell of the retina. The newly melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells provided an enhancement of visual function in rd/rd mice: the pupillary light reflex (PLR) returned almost to normal; the mice showed behavioral avoidance of light in an open-field test, and they could discriminate a light stimulus from a dark one in a two-choice visual discrimination alley. Recovery of the PLR was stable for at least 11 months. It has recently been shown that ectopic retinal expression of a light sensitive bacterial protein, channelrhodopsin-2, can restore neuronal responsiveness and simple visual abilities in rd/rd mice. For therapy in human photodegenerations, channelrhodopsin-2 and melanopsin have different advantages and disadvantages; both proteins (or modifications of them) should be candidates. |
