Comprehensive and prompt basic science study for protecting retinal ganglion cell by combined system of cultured cell and individual animals and application for clinical approach

以视网膜神经节细胞（RGC）损失为目标的眼部疾病，例如青光眼，它是世界上获得性失明的次要原因，可能会导致严重且不可逆的视觉功能障碍。许多种治疗方法，包括临床上用于其他疾病的治疗方法，都成为针对这种损伤的候选治疗方法。在这项特殊的调查中，我们的目的是使用及时、准确的评估系统来研究候选或未知因素对于挽救 RGC 损失的有效性，以寻求新的临床治疗。结果，我们成功建立了新的RGC损伤评估体系，并研究了几种新的潜在神经元保护药物，如拉坦前列素和伊加尼平。我们还揭示了有关视网膜神经元损伤机制的新​​方面，例如调节在 RGC 凋亡中起重要作用的激酶 1，并成功开发了神经元保护的新方法。我们还研究了青光眼中 OPA-1、载脂蛋白 E 和亚甲基四氢叶酸还原酶基因的单核苷酸多态性。此外，目前我们正在致力于修订新的体内和体外疾病模型，制备多种类型的转基因动物及其新的评价体系，并开发利用灵长类动物的新动物疾病模型来研究RGC紊乱，为转化研究系统提供良好的平台。他们有望为RGC紊乱机制的新方面研究和新疗法的开发做出贡献。

Ocular disease targeting retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss, such as glaucoma that is secondary cause of acquired blindness in the world, may cause severe and irreversible visual dysfunction. Many kinds of treatment including clinical applied for other diseases are subject to be candidated treatment for this insult. In this particular investigation., we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of either candidated or unknown factors for rescuing RGC loss using prompt and accurate evaluation system for pursuing new clinical treatment. In results, we success to establish new evaluation system for RGC damage, and we investigate several new potential neuron-protective drugs such as latanoprost and iganijipine. We also revealed new aspects regarding mechanism of damage of retinal neuron such as regulating kinase 1 that plays a important role in apoptosis of RGC and success to develop new approach for neuron-protection. We also investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms in glaucoma in genes of OPA-1, apolipoprotein E, and Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene. Furthermore, at present, we are working on revising new in vivo and in vitro disease models, preparing several types of transgenic animals with new evaluation system for them, and developing new animal disease models using primate for investigating RGC disturbance for conducting good platform of translational research system. Those of them are expected to contribute investigation for new aspects of disturbance mechanism of RGC and development of new therapy.