2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
The maintenance and dysfunction of RPE cells depending on photoreceptor subtypes.
Project/Area Number |
20K09801
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Section | 一般 |
Review Section |
Basic Section 56060:Ophthalmology-related
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Research Institution | Ritsumeikan University (2022) Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (2020-2021) |
Principal Investigator |
Onishi Akishi 立命館大学, 総合科学技術研究機構, 教授 (70569102)
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Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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Keywords | 神経網膜 / 網膜色素上皮 / 加齢黄斑変性 / 網膜色素変性 / 視細胞 |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a macular atrophy or degeneration in which photoreceptor cells are damaged due to aging following functional deterioration of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Here, we assume that the physiological and metabolic characteristics of red/green-sensitive cone photoreceptor cells on the macula are one of the stresses that cause AMD. To test this hypothesis, we generated transgenic mice with a cone-rich region at the central retinas. We found that RPE layers exhibit disease characteristics observed in AMD patients. In addition, knock-in mice expressing cone opsin in rod photoreceptor cells partially phenocopied disease characteristics, suggesting that the physiological activity of cone photoreceptor cells and cone opsin is involved as a stress factor leading to AMD.
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Free Research Field |
分子発生学
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Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
これまで加齢黄斑変性の進行リスク要因としてストレス因子(喫煙・紫外線・食生活等)や遺伝的要因の関連性が研究されているが、本結果はストレス要因の一つとして隣接する赤緑錐体視細胞の生理代謝特性や発現する錐体オプシンの分子特性が関与することを示唆している。即ち本研究結果は、近年の光刺激に溢れて黄斑(錐体)を酷使する社会環境が加齢黄斑変性の発症リスクとなり得る事を示した点に意義があり、近年の光環境をストレス因子に含めて研究を発展させれば加齢黄斑変性の予防・処方に貢献しQOL向上の一助となる事が期待される。
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