NONHUMAN PRIMATE MODELS OF RETINAL DISEASE

这个子项目是许多利用资源的研究子项目之一 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目的主要支持 而子项目的主要调查员可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括其它NIH来源。 列出的子项目总成本可能 代表子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 而不是由NCRR赠款提供给子项目或子项目工作人员的直接资金。 视网膜相关性黄斑变性（AMD）是60岁以上成年人视力丧失的主要原因。黄斑是视网膜上的一个特殊区域，是锐利的中央视觉的基础，它只存在于人类和非人类灵长类动物中，因此只有非人类灵长类动物才能为这种复杂的疾病提供准确的模型。 此外，恒河猴和日本猕猴都出现了与人类AMD非常相似的综合征，在恒河猴中，我们已经证实了与人类共有的两个遗传风险因素。这些非人灵长类动物AMD模型的可用性使得几种有前景的治疗方法的测试成为可能，包括基因治疗、干细胞治疗、生长因子和营养干预，以及视网膜变性机制的研究。该项目的目标是继续使用几种互补方法来表征这些模型：1） 在ONPRC猕猴中鉴定患有自然发生的黄斑疾病的猴子 殖民地; 2）确定这种疾病的基因突变或易感因素和基因表达变化; 3）测试视网膜基因疗法和干细胞疗法的可行性、安全性和有效性;以及4）测试可以保护黄斑免受黄斑变性的长期受控饮食干预的效果。过去一年的研究继续定义遗传因素，测试基因和干细胞疗法的可行性和安全性，并描述了缺乏膳食叶黄素和n-3脂肪酸的猴子视网膜结构和功能的变化，这两种营养素被认为可以降低AMD的风险。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in adults over 60 years of age. The macula, the specialized area of the retina that underlies sharp central vision, is present only in human and nonhuman primates, so that only nonhuman primates can provide an accurate model for this complex disease. Furthermore, both rhesus and Japanese macaques develop syndromes closely resembling human AMD, and in rhesus we have confirmed two genetic risk factors that are shared with humans. Availability of these nonhuman primate models of AMD makes possible tests of several promising therapeutic approaches, including gene therapy, stem cell therapy, growth factors and nutritional interventions, as well as studies of the mechanisms underlying retinal degeneration. This project's objective is to continue to characterize these models using several complementary approaches: 1) identifying monkeys with naturally-occurring macular disease in the ONPRC macaque colonies; 2) determining the genetic mutations or susceptibility factors and gene expression changes underlying this disease; 3) testing the feasibility, safety and efficacy of retinal gene therapies and stem cell therapies; and 4) testing the effects of long-term, controlled dietary interventions that may protect the macula from macular degeneration. Studies in the past year continued the work of defining genetic factors, tested the feasibility and safety of both gene and stem cell therapies, and characterized changes in retinal structure and function in monkeys lacking dietary xanthophylls and n-3 fatty acids, two nutrients thought to lower the risk of AMD.