Striatech News

Groh et al challenge the conventional understanding of myelin diseases by demonstrating that persistent encasement with damaged myelin can be more detrimental to axons than complete demyelination. They found that axon-al damage driven by cytotoxic T cells is less likely to progress to degeneration when axons are efficiently demyelinated by activated microglia. These findings identify harmful interactions between axons, glia, and immune cells that promote neurodegeneration, revealing potential therapeutic targets for myelin-related disorders. The OptoDrum device was utilized to assess visual acuity in mice, providing an unbiased behavioral quantification of functional decline resulting from the observed neurodegeneration.

This study investigated the role of receptor-interacting protein 1 (RIP1) in glaucoma and explores its potential as a therapeutic target. RIP1 is a critical mediator of multiple signaling pathways that promote inflammatory responses and cell death. The researchers found that inhibiting RIP1 protects retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in preclinical glaucoma models, improving RGC survival and preserving retinal function. Additionally, human glaucomatous retinas showed elevated levels of TNF and RIP3 mRNA, as well as increased microglia infiltration, highlighting the role of neuroinflammation in glaucoma pathogenesis. The study demonstrated that RIP1 inactivation suppresses microglial infiltration in the RGC layer following glaucomatous damage. In this study, the OptoDrum was specifically used to measure baseline visual acuity in mice before treatment and to conduct follow-up measurements just before the final experiment, allowing researchers to track changes in visual function throughout the course of the study.

This Journal Club highlights groundbreaking work by Harvard Medical School scientist Bruce R. Ksander and his team. They were able to reverse aging in retinal ganglion cells, improving visual function after injury or in disease.

This study investigated the role of microglia in preserving visual function in aged mice. Researchers found that microglia accumulate in the subretinal space in older mice where they actively phagocytize photoreceptor outer segments, compensating for age-related decline in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell function. When microglia were depleted, mice experienced reduced visual function, including decreased contrast sensitivity and lower electroretinogram c-wave responses. The depletion also led to RPE cell loss and swelling. These findings suggest that microglia play a vital role in maintaining visual health in aging eyes, potentially offering insights for age-related macular degeneration research. The OptoDrum was used to measure the animals’ visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, providing crucial data on how microglia depletion affected visual function.

Lu et al. investigated AAV dose-dependent transduction and functional efficacy after RGC-targeted optogenetic treatment in a triple-knockout blind mouse model. OptoDrum measured spatial acuity, while a separate optomotor apparatus assessed light sensitivity. Functional benefits plateaued despite continued increases in transduction, while higher doses increased retinal gliosis and inflammatory responses. The findings illustrate why vector-dose evaluation requires functional and safety measurements alongside expression analysis.

This year, Striatech is once again donating to the PRO RETINA Foundation to support their great work for retinal researchers and affected individuals.

This Journal Club provides insights into Matteo Rizzi’s research on lateral inhibition in the retina, highlighting its impact on visual function and the development of gene therapy for age-related macular degeneration.

Uveitis is an inflammation in the eye, and it can be studied in experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) mice. Here, Hösel et al investigated the effects of treatment by intravitreal injection of a neutralizing anti-interleukin-6 antibody. Results showed significantly higher visual acuity, as measured with the OptoDrum, and lower clinical scores in treated eyes compared to control eyes. This study suggests that intravitreal anti-IL-6 treatment may be a promising approach for noninfectious uveitis, warranting further investigation.

On the occation of World Alzheimer’s Day 2024, we’d like to highlight recent advances in understanding Tau protein’s role in the healthy brain, where it has been found to regulate neural plasticity in response to changing sensory input.

This Journal Club highlights the conservation of rod, cone, and melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) between mice and humans, facilitating the translation of visual function studies to clinical settings. It examines early degeneration of ipRGCs in Alzheimer’s models and human post-mortem retinas, and discusses how non-invasive assessments of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and pupillary light reflex in both species may serve as early biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease. Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity measurements were conducted using Striatech’s OptoDrum.

Looking to gain insights from a satisfied OptoDrum user? Visit us at booth #1147 at ARVO2024! We’ll have multiple OptoDrum users on hand to share their firsthand experiences and answer all your questions. Don’t miss out on this opportunity! Register now to secure your spot in our exclusive Q&A sessions with them.

This study investigated the stability of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) in mice as they age from 6 to 12 months old. ipRGCs are crucial for non-image-forming visual functions and are often lost in early stages of ocular degenerative diseases. The research found that both the structure and function of ipRGCs remained remarkably stable during this period in healthy mice, with no significant changes in pupillary light reflex, visual acuity, or contrast sensitivity. These findings suggest that ipRGC-mediated functions could serve as potential biomarkers for early detection of conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes. The OptoDrum was used to assess visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in mice, providing crucial data that contributed to the study’s conclusion about the stability of ipRGC function during aging.