Method for augmenting vision in persons suffering from photoreceptor cell degeneration
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorRichard H. Masland
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Abstract
The invention provides compositions and methods of treating subjects afflicted with a photoreceptor disorder. Methods for treating a subject suffering from a disorder characterized by photoreceptor cell degeneration are provided, wherein a gene encoding a photosensitive protein is introduced into a retinal cell of a subject. In one aspect of the invention, the retinal cells which receive the photosensitive protein include non-photoreceptor cells such as horizontal cells, amacrine cells, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells.
Claims9
A method for improving an eyesight of a subject suffering from retinitis pigmentosa or age related macular degeneration characterized by photoreceptor cell degeneration, consisting of injecting intraocularly a recombinant viral vector consisting essentially of a promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a single polypeptide wherein said polypeptide is an opsin, wherein the opsin is not rhodopsin into a non-photoreceptor retinal cell selected from the group consisting of horizontal cells, amacrine cells, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells of an affected eye of the subject suffering from retinitis pigmentosa or age related macular degeneration, such that the eyesight of the subject is improved.
A method of treatment for a subject suffering from age-related macular degeneration characterized by photoreceptor cell degeneration, consisting of injecting intraocularly a recombinant viral vector consisting essentially of a promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a single polypeptide wherein said polypeptide is an opsin, wherein the opsin is selected from the group consisting of melanopsin, pineal opsin, and bacteriorhodopsin into a non-photoreceptor retinal cell of an affected eye of the subject suffering from age-related macular degeneration, such that treatment of age-related macular degeneration is achieved.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.