Role of antioxidant enzyme in inherited retinal degeneration

• Project/Area Number: 24791837
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: OBATA Ryo 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (80625434)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
• Keywords: 網膜変性 / 抗酸化酵素 / グルタチオンペルオキシダーゼ / GPx4

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A lot of materials were reported as candidates for antioxidant therapy of hereditary retinal dystrophy. Since glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4), one of the antioxidant enzymes, was found essential for maturation of photoreceptor cells recently, we studied the role of GPx4 on hereditary. As a result GPx4 was associated with progression of retinal atrophy in a murine model of inherited retinal degeneration. Therefore, GPx4 was suggested to be a novel candidate of the target for antioxidant therapy against inherited retinal degeneration.