Development of new glaucoma therapy using effective delivery of factors associated with neuroprotection and axon regeneration

2024 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19KK0229
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (B))
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 56:Surgery related to the biological and sensory functions and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: HARADA Takayuki 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 疾患制御研究分野, 参事研究員 (90345306)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 野呂 隆彦 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (00349606) ; 中野 匡 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (90217795)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-10-07 – 2025-03-31
• Keywords: 緑内障 / 神経栄養因子 / 遺伝子治療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although there is no established treatment for glaucoma, a treatment that improves visual function by encapsulating neurotrophic factor-producing cells in a device and implanting it in the eye is being investigated in the United States. In this study, we examined the efficacy and safety of this treatment in an international collaboration with Professor Goldberg, who is leading this treatment. In the final year of the project, we held a glaucoma symposium at Stanford University to share the progress of our research. We also found that it is possible to suppress cell death by gene therapy in glaucoma models by modifying the brain-derived neurotrophic factor receptor to its constitutively active form. As mentioned above, we have gained many useful insights through our collaborative research.

Free Research Field

眼科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

緑内障は我が国では第1位の、世界でも第2位の失明原因であり、今後の高齢化社会においては、さらなる患者数の増加が危惧されている。緑内障では眼圧降下を目指した点眼や手術などの治療が一般的だが、それだけでは進行抑制が難しいケースもある。本研究は栄養因子を活用した遺伝子治療など、次世代の新たな治療法を目指すものであり、社会的にも国際的な観点からも、意義のある研究成果と考えられる。