Mini-peptide RPL41 attenuated retinal neovascularization by inducing degradation of ATF4 in oxygen-induced retinopathy mice.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling is activated in retinal degeneration disease. Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), an important mediator of the unfolded protein response (UPR), is a key element that maintains cell survival and proliferation in hypoxic conditions. Our previous studies showed that a small ribosomal protein L41 (RPL41) inhibits ATF4 by inducing its phosphorylation and degradation.