Date Published:
2019 Dec 13
Abstract:
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common form of inherited vision loss and is characterized by degeneration of retinal photoreceptor cells and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Mutations in pre-mRNA processing factor 31 () cause dominant RP via haploinsufficiency with incomplete penetrance. There is good evidence that the diverse severity of this disease is a result of differing levels of expression of the wild-type allele among patients. Thus, we hypothesize that -related RP will be amenable to treatment by adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene augmentation therapy. To test this hypothesis, we used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with mutations in and differentiated them into RPE cells. The mutant iPSC-RPE cells recapitulate the cellular phenotype associated with the PRPF31 pathology, including defective cell structure, diminished phagocytic function, defects in ciliogenesis, and compromised barrier function. Treatment of the mutant iPSC-RPE cells with AAV- restored normal phagocytosis and cilia formation, and it partially restored structure and barrier function. These results suggest that AAV-based gene therapy targeting RPE cells holds therapeutic promise for patients with -related RP.
