Restoring vision is one of the most urgent challenges in human health. The latest breakthrough in this field comes from South Korean scientists, who have made significant progress in treating an inherited eye disease known as retinitis pigmentosa. According to a study published in Nature Communications, this complex condition may be treatable by blocking the protein PROX1.
About the disease:
Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic condition that leads to the gradual loss of light-sensitive retinal cells, eventually causing complete blindness. Currently, there is no effective cure.
What’s new scientifically?
Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology investigated why some animals, like fish, can regenerate retinal cells, while mammals cannot. They found that in mammals, the PROX1 protein prevents special eye cells — Müller glia — from transforming into new neurons.
The researchers developed an antibody that blocks PROX1 activity. When this was applied to mice with retinitis pigmentosa, damaged cells began to regenerate, and the mice regained vision.
What lies ahead?
The scientists are preparing to start human clinical trials in 2028. If successful, the method could bring hope to thousands. It may be applied not only to retinitis pigmentosa but also to other inherited retinal diseases.
Although the current tests were done on mice, the similarity in human cellular mechanisms gives hope for future medical application. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!
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