ABSTRACT
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), including retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, Cone-Rod degenerations, inherited macular dystrophy, Leber's congenital amaurosis, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy are the most common and severe types of hereditary ocular diseases. So far more than 200 pathogenic genes have been identified. With the growing knowledge of the genetics and mechanisms of IRDs, a number of gene therapeutic strategies have been developed in the laboratory or even entered clinical trials. Here the progress of IRD research on the pathogenic genes and therapeutic strategies, particularly gene therapy, are reviewed.
Subject(s)
Humans , Biomedical Research , Methods , Clinical Trials as Topic , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genetics , Genetic Therapy , Methods , Mutation , Retinal Diseases , Genetics , Therapeutics , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of MT-ND1 m.3635G>A mutation in the pathogenesis of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Biochemical characteristics including the activity of complex Ⅰ, ATP production and oxygen consumption rate among lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from 3 carriers, 3 affected matrilineal relatives of the families and 3 controls were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Comparison of mitochondrial functions in lymphoblastoid cell lines of the carriers, patients and controls showed a 51.0% decrease in the activity of complex Ⅰ in patients compared with controls (P<0.05). The m.3635G>A mutation has resulted in decreased efficiency of ATP synthesis (P<0.05). Comparison of oxygen consumption rate showed that the basal OCR (P<0.05), ATP-linked OCR (P<0.05) and the maximum OCR (P<0.05) have all reduced to some extent compared with the controls.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These results showed that m.3635G>A, as a LHON-associated mutation, can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction.</p>
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Adenosine Triphosphate , Genetics , Asian People , Genetics , Mitochondria , Genetics , Mutation , Genetics , NADH Dehydrogenase , Genetics , Optic Atrophy, Hereditary, Leber , Genetics , PedigreeABSTRACT
Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a maternally inherited disorder associated with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations.In the LHON families in different ethnic backgrounds,the mutations of ND1 G3460A,ND4 G11778A and/or ND6 T14484C in the genes encoding subunits of respiratory chain complex Ⅰ account for more than 50％.But,as we know,the phenotypes of mitochondrial diseases are varied,so the same mutational points may generate different clinical phenotypes,and conversely,different mtDNA mutation variants may generate the similar phenotypes.Some states of LHON including the prone to male,incomplete penetrance,and phenotypic variability of vision loss suggest that other modifier factors probably play a synergic role in the development of LHON.Environmental factor,such as chronic cyanide poisoning,smoking,drinking,trauma,nutrition deficiency and mtDNA methylation,affects mitochondrial function.Therefore,there is an inheritance of gene and environment interactions affecting LHON.