An RNAi Screen for Genes that Modulate Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Pr Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease in which there is specific loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Current management is directed at lowering intraocular pressure (IOP), through the use of eye drops, laser treatment, and/or operative surgery. Although such treatment can be effective, sufficient IOP lowering cannot always be safely achieved, and sometime even with significant IOP lowering there still can be progression of optic nerve damage. In an effort to complement IOP-based therapy, efforts have been made to develop neuroprotective therapies that directly act to preserve RGC health and function. However, despite important laboratory advances, neuroprotection-based treatment approaches for glaucoma have not yet made it to the clinic. In order to help advance toward a clinically viable neuroprotective strategy, we have been pursuing a variety of approaches to identify novel drug targets and molecular pathways that could be used to promote RGC survival in glaucoma and other optic neuropathies. In a preliminary set of studies we have demonstrated the feasibility of performing an RNAi screen with primary cultures of murine RGCs to identify genes that modulate RGC survival. In this R21 application we propose to further optimize this technology, use it to perform a whole genome siRNA screen, and then validate the identified hits by testing their activity in vivo using an optic nerve crush model of optic nerve injury.