A short N-terminal domain of HDAC4 preserves photoreceptors and restores visual function in retinitis pigmentosa.

Nat Commun

1] Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 8100, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA [2] Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, SHM B301, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA.

Published: August 2015


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Article Abstract

Retinitis pigmentosa is a leading cause of inherited blindness, with no effective treatment currently available. Mutations primarily in genes expressed in rod photoreceptors lead to early rod death, followed by a slower phase of cone photoreceptor death. Rd1 mice provide an invaluable animal model to evaluate therapies for the disease. We previously reported that overexpression of histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) prolongs rod survival in rd1 mice. Here we report a key role of a short N-terminal domain of HDAC4 in photoreceptor protection. Expression of this domain suppresses multiple cell death pathways in photoreceptor degeneration, and preserves even more rd1 rods than the full-length HDAC4 protein. Expression of a short N-terminal domain of HDAC4 as a transgene in mice carrying the rd1 mutation also prolongs the survival of cone photoreceptors, and partially restores visual function. Our results may facilitate the design of a small protein therapy for some forms of retinitis pigmentosa.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4538705PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9005DOI Listing

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