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Han X, Cai C, Deng W, Shi Y, Li L, Wang C, Zhang J, Rong M, Liu J, Fang B, He H, Liu X, Deng C, He X, Cao X. Landscape of human organoids: Ideal model in clinics and research. Innovation (N Y) 2024; 5:100620. [PMID: 38706954 PMCID: PMC11066475 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2024.100620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, organoid research has entered a golden era, signifying a pivotal shift in the biomedical landscape. The year 2023 marked a milestone with the publication of thousands of papers in this arena, reflecting exponential growth. However, amid this burgeoning expansion, a comprehensive and accurate overview of the field has been conspicuously absent. Our review is intended to bridge this gap, providing a panoramic view of the rapidly evolving organoid landscape. We meticulously analyze the organoid field from eight distinctive vantage points, harnessing our rich experience in academic research, industrial application, and clinical practice. We present a deep exploration of the advances in organoid technology, underpinned by our long-standing involvement in this arena. Our narrative traverses the historical genesis of organoids and their transformative impact across various biomedical sectors, including oncology, toxicology, and drug development. We delve into the synergy between organoids and avant-garde technologies such as synthetic biology and single-cell omics and discuss their pivotal role in tailoring personalized medicine, enhancing high-throughput drug screening, and constructing physiologically pertinent disease models. Our comprehensive analysis and reflective discourse provide a deep dive into the existing landscape and emerging trends in organoid technology. We spotlight technological innovations, methodological evolution, and the broadening spectrum of applications, emphasizing the revolutionary influence of organoids in personalized medicine, oncology, drug discovery, and other fields. Looking ahead, we cautiously anticipate future developments in the field of organoid research, especially its potential implications for personalized patient care, new avenues of drug discovery, and clinical research. We trust that our comprehensive review will be an asset for researchers, clinicians, and patients with keen interest in personalized medical strategies. We offer a broad view of the present and prospective capabilities of organoid technology, encompassing a wide range of current and future applications. In summary, in this review we attempt a comprehensive exploration of the organoid field. We offer reflections, summaries, and projections that might be useful for current researchers and clinicians, and we hope to contribute to shaping the evolving trajectory of this dynamic and rapidly advancing field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Han
- Organ Regeneration X Lab, Lisheng East China Institute of Biotechnology, Peking University, Jiangsu 226200, China
- Shanghai Lisheng Biotech, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Chunhui Cai
- Shanghai Lisheng Biotech, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wei Deng
- LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 725 Wanping South Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Yanghua Shi
- Shanghai Lisheng Biotech, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Lanyang Li
- Shanghai Lisheng Biotech, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Shanghai Lisheng Biotech, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Shanghai Lisheng Biotech, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Mingjie Rong
- Shanghai Lisheng Biotech, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jiping Liu
- Shanghai Lisheng Biotech, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Bangjiang Fang
- LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 725 Wanping South Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hua He
- Department of Neurosurgery, Third Affiliated Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Xiling Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Forensic Service Platform, Academy of Forensic Science, Ministry of Justice, Shanghai 200063, China
| | - Chuxia Deng
- Cancer Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Xiao He
- CAS Key Lab for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xin Cao
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China
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Vingolo EM, Mascolo S, Miccichè F, Manco G. Retinitis Pigmentosa: From Pathomolecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Strategies. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:189. [PMID: 38276069 PMCID: PMC10819364 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60010189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited disease, in which mutations in different types of genes lead to the death of photoreceptors and the loss of visual function. Although retinitis pigmentosa is the most common type of inherited retinal dystrophy, a clear line of therapy has not yet been defined. In this review, we will focus on the therapeutic aspect and attempt to define the advantages and disadvantages of the protocols of different therapies. The role of some therapies, such as antioxidant agents or gene therapy, has been established for years now. Many clinical trials on different genes and mutations causing RP have been conducted, and the approval of voretigene nepavorec by the FDA has been an important step forward. Nonetheless, even if gene therapy is the most promising type of treatment for these patients, other innovative strategies, such as stem cell transplantation or hyperbaric oxygen therapy, have been shown to be safe and improve visual quality during clinical trials. The treatment of this disease remains a challenge, to which we hope to find a solution as soon as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Simona Mascolo
- Sense Organs Department, UOSD of Ophtalmology, University la Sapienza of Rome, Polo Pontino-Ospedale A. Fiorini, 4019 Terracina, Italy; (E.M.V.); (F.M.); (G.M.)
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Wu D, Khan FA, Zhang K, Pandupuspitasari NS, Negara W, Guan K, Sun F, Huang C. Retinoic acid signaling in development and differentiation commitment and its regulatory topology. Chem Biol Interact 2024; 387:110773. [PMID: 37977248 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Retinoic acid (RA), the derivative of vitamin A/retinol, is a signaling molecule with important implications in health and disease. It is a well-known developmental morphogen that functions mainly through the transcriptional activity of nuclear RA receptors (RARs) and, uncommonly, through other nuclear receptors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. Intracellular RA is under spatiotemporally fine-tuned regulation by synthesis and degradation processes catalyzed by retinaldehyde dehydrogenases and P450 family enzymes, respectively. In addition to dictating the transcription architecture, RA also impinges on cell functioning through non-genomic mechanisms independent of RAR transcriptional activity. Although RA-based differentiation therapy has achieved impressive success in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, RA also has pro-tumor activity. Here, we highlight the relevance of RA signaling in cell-fate determination, neurogenesis, visual function, inflammatory responses and gametogenesis commitment. Genetic and post-translational modifications of RAR are also discussed. A better understanding of RA signaling will foster the development of precision medicine to improve the defects caused by deregulated RA signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wu
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Faheem Ahmed Khan
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta Pusat, 10340, Indonesia
| | - Kejia Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | | | - Windu Negara
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta Pusat, 10340, Indonesia
| | - Kaifeng Guan
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Fei Sun
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
| | - Chunjie Huang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
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McMahon DG, Dowling JE. Neuromodulation: Actions of Dopamine, Retinoic Acid, Nitric Oxide, and Other Substances on Retinal Horizontal Cells. Eye Brain 2023; 15:125-137. [PMID: 37928979 PMCID: PMC10625386 DOI: 10.2147/eb.s420050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Whereas excitation and inhibition of neurons are well understood, it is clear that neuromodulatory influences on neurons and their synapses play a major role in shaping neural activity in the brain. Memory and learning, emotional and other complex behaviors, as well as cognitive disorders have all been related to neuromodulatory mechanisms. A number of neuroactive substances including monoamines such as dopamine and neuropeptides have been shown to act as neuromodulators, but other substances thought to play very different roles in the body and brain act as neuromodulators, such as retinoic acid. We still understand little about how neuromodulatory substances exert their effects, and the present review focuses on how two such substances, dopamine and retinoic acid, exert their effects. The emphasis is on the underlying neuromodulatory mechanisms down to the molecular level that allow the second order bipolar cells and the output neurons of the retina, the ganglion cells, to respond to different environmental (ie lighting) conditions. The modulation described affects a simple circuit in the outer retina, involves several neuroactive substances and is surprisingly complex and not fully understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas G McMahon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - John E Dowling
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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Kramer RH. Suppressing Retinal Remodeling to Mitigate Vision Loss in Photoreceptor Degenerative Disorders. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2023; 9:131-153. [PMID: 37713276 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-112122-020957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Rod and cone photoreceptors degenerate in retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, robbing the visual system of light-triggered signals necessary for sight. However, changes in the retina do not stop with the photoreceptors. A stereotypical set of morphological and physiological changes, known as remodeling, occur in downstream retinal neurons. Some aspects of remodeling are homeostatic, with structural or functional changes compensating for partial loss of visual inputs. However, other aspects are nonhomeostatic, corrupting retinal information processing to obscure vision mediated naturally by surviving photoreceptors or artificially by vision-restoration technologies. In this review, I consider the mechanism of remodeling and its consequences for residual and restored visual function; discuss the role of retinoic acid, a critical molecular trigger of detrimental remodeling; and discuss strategies for suppressing retinoic acid biosynthesis or signaling as therapeutic possibilities for mitigating vision loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard H Kramer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA;
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Zhang Q, Yang Y, Cao KJ, Chen W, Paidi S, Xia CH, Kramer RH, Gong X, Ji N. Retinal microvascular and neuronal pathologies probed in vivo by adaptive optical two-photon fluorescence microscopy. eLife 2023; 12:84853. [PMID: 37039777 PMCID: PMC10089658 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The retina, behind the transparent optics of the eye, is the only neural tissue whose physiology and pathology can be non-invasively probed by optical microscopy. The aberrations intrinsic to the mouse eye, however, prevent high-resolution investigation of retinal structure and function in vivo. Optimizing the design of a two-photon fluorescence microscope (2PFM) and sample preparation procedure, we found that adaptive optics (AO), by measuring and correcting ocular aberrations, is essential for resolving putative synaptic structures and achieving three-dimensional cellular resolution in the mouse retina in vivo. Applying AO-2PFM to longitudinal retinal imaging in transgenic models of retinal pathology, we characterized microvascular lesions with sub-capillary details in a proliferative vascular retinopathy model, and found Lidocaine to effectively suppress retinal ganglion cell hyperactivity in a retinal degeneration model. Tracking structural and functional changes at high-resolution longitudinally, AO-2PFM enables microscopic investigations of retinal pathology and pharmacology for disease diagnosis and treatment in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinrong Zhang
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Yuhan Yang
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Kevin J Cao
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Santosh Paidi
- School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Chun-Hong Xia
- School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Vision Science Program, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Richard H Kramer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Vision Science Program, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Xiaohua Gong
- School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Vision Science Program, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Na Ji
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Vision Science Program, University of California, Berkeley, United States
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, United States
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Chen SP, Hsu CL, Wang YF, Yang FC, Chen TH, Huang JH, Pan LLH, Fuh JL, Chang HC, Lee YL, Chang HC, Lee KH, Chang YC, Fann CSJ, Wang SJ. Genome-wide analyses identify novel risk loci for cluster headache in Han Chinese residing in Taiwan. J Headache Pain 2022; 23:147. [PMID: 36404298 PMCID: PMC9677903 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-022-01517-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cluster headache is a highly debilitating neurological disorder with considerable inter-ethnic differences. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) recently identified replicable genomic loci for cluster headache in Europeans, but the genetic underpinnings for cluster headache in Asians remain unclear. The objective of this study is to investigate the genetic architecture and susceptibility loci of cluster headache in Han Chinese resided in Taiwan. METHODS We conducted a two-stage genome-wide association study in a Taiwanese cohort enrolled from 2007 through 2022 to identify the genetic variants associated with cluster headache. Diagnosis of cluster headache was retrospectively ascertained with the criteria of International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition. Control subjects were enrolled from the Taiwan Biobank. Genotyping was conducted with the Axiom Genome-Wide Array TWB chip, followed by whole genome imputation. A polygenic risk score was developed to differentiate patients from controls. Downstream analyses including gene-set and tissue enrichment, linkage disequilibrium score regression, and pathway analyses were performed. RESULTS We enrolled 734 patients with cluster headache and 9,846 population-based controls. We identified three replicable loci, with the lead SNPs being rs1556780 in CAPN2 (odds ratio = 1.59, 95% CI 1.42‒1.78, p = 7.61 × 10-16), rs10188640 in MERTK (odds ratio = 1.52, 95% CI 1.33‒1.73, p = 8.58 × 10-13), and rs13028839 in STAB2 (odds ratio = 0.63, 95% CI 0.52‒0.78, p = 2.81 × 10-8), with the latter two replicating the findings in European populations. Several previously reported genes also showed significant associations with cluster headache in our samples. Polygenic risk score differentiated patients from controls with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.77. Downstream analyses implicated circadian regulation and immunological processes in the pathogenesis of cluster headache. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed the genetic architecture and novel susceptible loci of cluster headache in Han Chinese residing in Taiwan. Our findings support the common genetic contributions of cluster headache across ethnicities and provide novel mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of cluster headache.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Pin Chen
- grid.278247.c0000 0004 0604 5314Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112 Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan ,grid.278247.c0000 0004 0604 5314Division of Translational Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Lin Hsu
- grid.28665.3f0000 0001 2287 1366Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Feng Wang
- grid.278247.c0000 0004 0604 5314Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112 Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Chi Yang
- grid.278244.f0000 0004 0638 9360Department of Neurology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Huei Chen
- grid.23856.3a0000 0004 1936 8390Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Laval University, Quebec City, QC Canada ,grid.23856.3a0000 0004 1936 8390Cervo Brain Research Centre, Quebec City, QC Canada
| | | | - Li-Ling Hope Pan
- grid.278247.c0000 0004 0604 5314Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112 Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jong-Ling Fuh
- grid.278247.c0000 0004 0604 5314Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112 Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsueh-Chen Chang
- grid.278247.c0000 0004 0604 5314Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112 Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | | | - Cathy Shen-Jang Fann
- grid.28665.3f0000 0001 2287 1366Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shuu-Jiun Wang
- grid.278247.c0000 0004 0604 5314Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No. 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei, 112 Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan ,grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Carleton M, Oesch NW. Differences in the spatial fidelity of evoked and spontaneous signals in the degenerating retina. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1040090. [DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1040090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Vision restoration strategies aim to reestablish vision by replacing the function of lost photoreceptors with optoelectronic hardware or through gene therapy. One complication to these approaches is that retinal circuitry undergoes remodeling after photoreceptor loss. Circuit remodeling following perturbation is ubiquitous in the nervous system and understanding these changes is crucial for treating neurodegeneration. Spontaneous oscillations that arise during retinal degeneration have been well-studied, however, other changes in the spatiotemporal processing of evoked and spontaneous activity have received less attention. Here we use subretinal electrical stimulation to measure the spatial and temporal spread of both spontaneous and evoked activity during retinal degeneration. We found that electrical stimulation synchronizes spontaneous oscillatory activity, over space and through time, thus leading to increased correlations in ganglion cell activity. Intriguingly, we found that spatial selectivity was maintained in rd10 retina for evoked responses, with spatial receptive fields comparable to wt retina. These findings indicate that different biophysical mechanisms are involved in mediating feed forward excitation, and the lateral spread of spontaneous activity in the rd10 retina, lending support toward the possibility of high-resolution vision restoration.
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Das A, Imanishi Y. Drug Discovery Strategies for Inherited Retinal Degenerations. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1338. [PMID: 36138817 PMCID: PMC9495580 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Inherited retinal degeneration is a group of blinding disorders afflicting more than 1 in 4000 worldwide. These disorders frequently cause the death of photoreceptor cells or retinal ganglion cells. In a subset of these disorders, photoreceptor cell death is a secondary consequence of retinal pigment epithelial cell dysfunction or degeneration. This manuscript reviews current efforts in identifying targets and developing small molecule-based therapies for these devastating neuronal degenerations, for which no cures exist. Photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells are metabolically demanding owing to their unique structures and functional properties. Modulations of metabolic pathways, which are disrupted in most inherited retinal degenerations, serve as promising therapeutic strategies. In monogenic disorders, great insights were previously obtained regarding targets associated with the defective pathways, including phototransduction, visual cycle, and mitophagy. In addition to these target-based drug discoveries, we will discuss how phenotypic screening can be harnessed to discover beneficial molecules without prior knowledge of their mechanisms of action. Because of major anatomical and biological differences, it has frequently been challenging to model human inherited retinal degeneration conditions using small animals such as rodents. Recent advances in stem cell-based techniques are opening new avenues to obtain pure populations of human retinal ganglion cells and retinal organoids with photoreceptor cells. We will discuss concurrent ideas of utilizing stem-cell-based disease models for drug discovery and preclinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arupratan Das
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Yoshikazu Imanishi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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