Novel Cell Free Therapy for Glaucoma

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A principal unmet need in glaucoma is that medical or surgical intraocular pressure reduction is the only clinically-approved treatment. But vision cannot be restored because retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss is irre- versible. Knowledge gaps to improved therapy include how to achieve neuroprotection, i.e., preventing RGCs from dying, or, to use cell-based therapy to re-grow or replace. Administration route, dosage, and adverse effects limit clinical application of neuroprotection and cell transplantation. Studying a new treatment using extracellular vesicles (EVs), biologically-active 50-150 nm diameter nanoparticles derived from stem cells, the proposal fills a gap and urgent need in the development of new treatments to prevent RGC death and vision loss for glaucoma patients. EVs represent a potential clinically applicable means to prevent RGC, axonal, and visual functional loss and decreasing the excitotoxic and inflammatory component of glaucoma. Our central hypothesis is that EVs can be designed and optimized to specifically target RGCs as a basis for precision treatment of glaucoma and, ultimately, other retinal diseases. We propose to test engineered EVs as a novel cell-free means to specifically target neuroprotection to RGCs and to fill the knowledge gaps that presently prevent clinical translation of EVs for retinal disease. Our specific aims are Aim 1: Determine the time course and factors regulating the distribution of EVs in the vitreous and retina, and optimize EV delivery to retina. Aim 2: Develop and optimize novel engineered EVs to specifically target RGCs. Successful com- pletion of Aim 1 will optimize delivery of EVs to the retina following intravitreal injection. Aim 2 will guide administration of EVs to produce innovative, specific, targeted delivery into RGCs, allowing specificity for treatment at the major pathophysiological site of glaucoma. Fulfillment of these objectives will set the stage to develop glaucoma therapeutics using EVs by optimizing administration, and by specific RGC-targeted EVs. The study offers promise to save sight via development of safe, effective, and cost-efficient therapy to restore or prevent loss of sight in patients with glaucoma. This contribution is expected to be significant because these studies will provide a basis to develop EVs as a therapy for glaucoma, either primarily restoring RGC function and axonal growth, or optimizing existing therapies such as RGC transplants. Innovative features are cell- free therapy of glaucoma, novel targeted EVs for specific RGC action, and novel delivery materials for EVs. The supplement for Diversity proposes to train an undergraduate student in data collection and analysis, reviewing literature critically, designing experiments, and writing research reports. The student will be involved with the project in the summer and during the school year. The goal is to use this experience to increase the interest of the student in clinical research and ultimately to assist in ensuring more opportunities for diversifica- tion of the clinician scientific workforce.