Non-invasive gene transfer by iontophoresis for therapy of an inherited retinal degeneration.

Despite extensive research on many of the genes responsible for inherited retinal degenerations leading to blindness, no effective treatment is currently available for patients affected with these diseases. Among the therapeutic approaches tested on animal models of human retinal degeneration, gene therapy using different types of viral vectors as delivery agents has yielded promising results. We report here our results on a non-invasive, non-viral delivery approach using transscleral iontophoresis for transfer of plasmid DNA into mouse retina.

Glial transcytosis of a photoreceptor-secreted signaling protein, retinoschisin.

In vitro studies have clearly shown that signaling/guidance proteins can diffuse to their targets. However, it is unclear whether they can travel by diffusion in vivo, or if they are distributed in the tissue by an active mechanism. Retinoschisin, a signaling molecule related to neuropilins, is synthesized and secreted by photoreceptor cells in the outer retina; then it interacts with inner retinal cells contributing to synaptic organization and optic nerve fiber integrity.

Retinoschisin, a photoreceptor-secreted protein, and its interaction with bipolar and muller cells.

Usually, photoreceptors interact with other retinal cells through the neurotransmitter glutamate. Here we describe a nonsynaptic interaction via a secreted protein, retinoschisin. Using in situ hybridization, we found that from early postnatal life retinoschisin mRNA is present only in the outer retina of the mouse, and with single-cell RT-PCR we demonstrated its localization in rod and cone photoreceptor cells but not in Müller cells.