Role of Caveolin-1 in the Maintenance of Blood-retinal Barrier Integrity

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), the signature protein of caveolae membrane microdomains, is linked to several ocular/retinal diseases including primary open angle glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and autoimmune uveitis. We have found that Cav-1 and caveolae play important roles in blood-retinal barrier (BRB) integrity, retinal ion homeostasis, and retinal function. More recently, we have found that Cav-1 plays a prominent role in promoting retinal inflammatory signaling and inflammatory BRB breakdown. These results imply that local disruption of Cav-1 function presents a viable therapy to suppress retinal inflammatory insults. Given that current steroid- based therapies for retinal inflammatory disease are not completely effective and fraught with potentially severe side effects, we hypothesize that Cav-1 and caveolae domains represent novel therapeutic targets to suppress retinal inflammation. In order to effectively evaluate the therapeutic potential of suppressing Cav-1 function locally in th retina, it is imperative to understand the mechanisms for these complex cell-intrinsic properties. In this proposal we will use cell-specific Cav-1 knockout mice to test cell-intrinsic Cav-1 functions in the hope of validating Cav-1 as a new therapeutic target for retinal inflammation, BRB breakdown, and inflammatory angiogenesis. The specific aims of this proposal are: 1) to determine which Cav-1-expressing cells promote retinal inflammatory signaling and BRB breakdown, in vivo; 2) to test the mechanism by which Cav-1 modulates inflammatory signaling and BRB breakdown in two disease relevant models, endotoxin- induced uveitis and acute ocular hypertension and; 3) to test preclinical therapeutic strategies to locally disrupt Cav-1-dependent inflammatory signaling and BRB breakdown. These goals have clear