Gene therapy restored neural connections in adult dogs’ retinas — ScienceAlert
Researchers at Michigan State University in the United States reported restoring damaged neural connections in the retinas of adult dogs using a single-dose gene therapy. The method was tested on whippets with defective copies of the CaBP4 gene, which had caused the animals to have poor vision since childhood. As ScienceAlert reports, the treatment significantly improved the dogs’ vision, especially in low light.
A working copy of the gene
The protein encoded by the CaBP4 gene is necessary for chemical signaling in the retina. After scientists linked this gene to vision loss in a group of whippets, they injected the animals’ retinas with a harmless virus carrying a working copy of CaBP4.
In a study published in the journal Molecular Therapy Advances, the team recorded less degradation in the treated areas of the retina. At the same time, the outer plexiform layer — a structure containing neural connections important for vision — increased significantly. Synaptic ribbons inside the eye’s light-sensitive cells also increased.
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Plasticity of the adult retina
When CaBP4 function is impaired, the development of the outer plexiform layer and synaptic ribbons slows down. The researchers identified structural changes indicating retinal plasticity in adulthood: the emergence of new components and the restoration of existing abnormalities. The study also reported the maturation of synaptic structures.
The animals were monitored for up to three years, and the positive effect of the treatment persisted throughout this period. The study’s authors noted that the therapy not only restored retinal function but also formed an almost normal anatomical organization in its outer plexiform layer.
CaBP4 mutations are rare in both humans and dogs. The researchers suggest that the results may help develop approaches to restoring damaged neural networks, although applying the method to humans still requires verification.
