Mechanisms of retrotransposon accumulation in age-related macular degeneration

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19961
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Home-Returning Researcher Development Research)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Biological Sciences
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Fukuda Shinichi 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 准教授 (80643246)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 逆転写 / Alu / 加齢黄斑変性 / cDNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Dry type age-related macular degeneration is a disease that causes serious vision loss with age. We started an independent laboratory, the Laboratory of Advanced Vision Science , at the University of Tsukuba, and has demonstrated that Alu RNA accumulates in the retinal pigment epithelium of patients with dry type age-related macular degeneration through a mechanism very similar to aging. And Alu cDNA is generated by reverse transcription, inducing retinal pigment epithelial cell death. The results were reported in PNAS and Science Advanced as the first author (Fukuda S, PNAS 2021; FukudaS Sci Adv 2021).

Free Research Field

眼科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

萎縮型加齢黄斑変性は、加齢とともに深刻な視力の低下を引き起こす疾患であり、現在有効な治療法はない。本研究成果は、新しい遺伝情報の流れを見出し、萎縮型加齢黄斑変性のメカニズムの一端を解明、逆転写を阻害する事が萎縮型加齢黄斑変性の悪化の予防に繋がる可能性を示唆した。