Apelin receptor agonists as a new therapeutic agent for diabetic retinopathy

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K18898
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56060:Ophthalmology-related
• Research Institution: Setsunan University
• Principal Investigator: Ishimaru Yuki 摂南大学, 薬学部, 助教 (80611607)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 糖尿病網膜症 / 網膜神経変性 / アペリン / アペリン受容体アゴニスト / 神経保護 / 早期治療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Retinal neurodegeneration caused in the early diabetic retinopathy plays a significant role in the progression of diabetic retinopathy, but there is no treatment for retinal neurodegeneration in the early diabetic retinopathy yet. In this study, we found that apelin, an endogenous peptide ligand for APJ receptor, was expressed in Muller cells, a type of retinal glial cells, that APJ receptor was present in retinal neuronal cells, and that an APJ agonist prevented retinal neurodegeneration induced in a mouse model of diabetes. The results of this study suggest that apelin receptor agonists may be a candidate for preventing retinal neurodegeneration in the early diabetic retinopathy.

Free Research Field

薬物治療学、眼科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在の糖尿病網膜症治療法は、病態が進行してから適用されるものであり、それまでに失われた網膜神経細胞を元に戻すことはできない。本研究において、糖尿病モデルマウスで生じる網膜神経変性に対してアペリン受容体を活性化する薬物が抑制効果を示したことから、アペリン受容体刺激薬が糖尿病網膜症の進行を初期段階から抑制できる新たな治療薬として有用である可能性が示唆された。