Mechanism of photoreceptor cell degeneration in animal models of retinal diseases

University Of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr, Oklahoma City OK

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Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract: Human blinding disorders are often initiated by hereditary mutations that impact rod and/or cone photoreceptors (PRs) and cause subsequent cellular death. Generally, the disease phenotype can be predicted from the specific mutation since many PR genes are specific to rods or cones; however certain genes, such as Retinal Degeneration Slow (Rds), are expressed in both cell types and cause different forms of retinal disease affecting rods, cones, or both. Rds is a member of tetraspanin family known to interact with other proteins to build a membrane domain responsible for the morphogenesis of the rod and cone PR disc rim. Without this protein the outer segments (OSs) fail to develop, and over 80 different Rds mutations have been shown to associate with several forms of inherited retinal diseases. The goals of this program are: 1) to uncover the mechanisms underlying the differential behavior of Rds in rods and cones; 2) to identify Rds[unreadable] interacting partners from both PRs; and 3) to determine the trafficking pathway responsible for targeting Rds complexes to OSs. Our ultimate goal is to determine how the structure of Rds, Rds/Rom-1 complexes, and Rds interactions with secondary unknown binding partners affect the development of the OS and the formation of the rim microdomain. In addition to pursuing these goals, we will utilize mutant-Rds models to further our understanding of its role in normal and affected retina. Using biochemical, structural and functional approaches along with different genetically modified mouse models, we have shown evidence that Rds functions differently in rods vs. cones, Rds inter-molecular disulfide oligomerization occurs in the OS, and that Rds traffics in the inner segment as homo- and hetero-tetramers with its partner Rom-1. In this application, we will test our main hypothesis that in rods, Rds plays an important role in rod rim OS morphogenesis and closure of the disc rim while in cones, Rds is necessary for the evagination step of the lamellae formation. We also hypothesize that these differential roles of Rds in rods and cones are a result of the presence of distinct Rds-associated partners in the rod OS vs the cone OS. Four aims are proposed to test our hypothesis. Aim 1 will identify Rds/Rom-1 associated partners during trafficking and OS assembly in rods & cones. In this aim, we will use proteomic studies on affinity purified Rds complexes from various retinal samples isolated from different genetically modified models to identify potential interacting proteins. Aim 2 will determine the functional role of the Rds C-terminal region in rod & cone OS morphogenesis. Transgenic mice expressing a chimeric protein made of the body of Rom-1 but with the Rds C-terminal region have been generated and will be evaluated structurally, functionally, and biochemically. Aim 3 will evaluate the role of Rds in cone OS lamellae formation. We have shown that in the absence of Rds, rods do not form OSs and enter apoptosis, whereas cone PRs develop viable but dysmorphic OS structures devoid of lamellae that are able to phototransduce. Aim 4 will study the differential role of certain Rds residues in rod vs. cone OSs morphogenesis and maintenance. Experiments put forth in this application will provide biochemical and physiological evidence for the role of Rds and its associated proteins during genesis of rod and cone OSs.