Elucidation of pathophysiology of normal tension glaucoma using marmosets, neuroprotection and regenerative treatment focusing on lamina cribrosa

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K11499
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: NORO Takahiko 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 運動・感覚システム研究分野, 研究員 (00349606)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 正常眼圧緑内障 / コモンマーモセット / 網膜神経節細胞 / 神経保護 / 視覚高次中枢 / 非ヒト霊長類

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Since glaucoma is the most common cause of blindness in Japan, various studies have been conducted to develop effective therapies. However, in small animals such as mice, the structures of the eyeball and optic nerve differ from humans, and large animals such as macaques do not develop glaucoma. We did not have a suitable animal model.
Therefore, focusing on marmosets, which are small monkeys, we measured fundus photographs, intraocular pressure, optical coherence tomography, and electroretinograms of aged individuals. We have found that about 10% of them presented with normal tension glaucoma.
Glaucoma marmosets showed many similarities with glaucoma patients, including atrophy of the visual center of the brain, decreased cerebrospinal fluid pressure, decreased levels of neurotrophic factors in cerebrospinal fluid, and increased oxidative stress markers in the retina. Therefore, glaucoma marmosets are useful for advancing glaucoma research.

Free Research Field

眼科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

高齢化社会の到来とともに、緑内障患者数はさらに増加することが予想されている。そこで適切な緑内障疾患モデルを活用した薬剤や治療法の研究が、今後ますます求められる状況である。今回の発見はこうした治療法の発見等に大きく寄与することが期待される。