A rat model for retinitis pigmentosa with rapid retinal degeneration enables drug evaluation in vivo.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is most frequently studied in mouse models, rats, rabbits, and pigs are also used as animal models of RP. However, no studies have reported postnatal photoreceptor cell loss before complete development in these models. Here, we generated a transgenic rat strain, named the P347L rat, in which proline at position 347 in the rhodopsin protein was replaced with leucine.

Results

A pathological analysis of photoreceptor cells in the P347L rat model was performed, and drugs with potential use as therapeutic agents against RP were investigated. The data clearly showed rapid degeneration and elimination of the outer nuclear layer even before the photoreceptor cells were fully established in P347L rats. To test the usefulness of the P347L

SUBMITTER: Inoue C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8176615 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature