Ongoing projects Experimental Ophthalmology
Retinal degeneration / regeneration (Group Enzmann)
Age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa are leading causes for vision loss in the industrialized world. So far, no effective treatment to restore the lost vision is available. In order to develop new therapeutical approaches in this regard, we are employing a variety of animal models in zebrafish (ZF) and mouse with induced retinal degeneration. Thereby, pharmacological treatment using cell type-specific toxins (e.g., NaIO3, MNU) and laser-induced damage of the outer nuclear layer are means to induce the pathological changes in the retina. The aim of our experiments is the identification of differences between ZF, a species with high regenerative capacity, and mouse, carrying rather limited regenerative potential, during retinal degeneration and how to modulate them towards regeneration. Thereby, we are investigating the employment of Müller cells, the main macroglia in the retina, as potential candidates for replacing degenerated photoreceptors and/or RPE. Future research will also focus on an active modulation of Müller cell-epithelial transition (MC-ET) as a pivotal process during degeneration/regeneration and the treatment of the chronic gliosis in mice with anti-fibrotic drugs as we found similarities to wound healing (fibrosis).
However, as the retinal regeneration from Müller cells is largely limited in mammals its potential needs to be investigated. Therefore, we have established a human retinal organoid degeneration model. There, we want to model photoreceptor and glial pathologies with combined applications of HBEGF and TNF (HT) to induce photoreceptor degeneration, glial pathologies, dyslamination and scar formation, to study the role of Müller glia cell response.
Retinal Fibrosis (Group Zandi)
Despite advancements in vitreoretinal surgery, proliferative vitreoretinal diseases, such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), remain common causes of severe vision loss among the working population and its prevention or targeted treatment is of high priority. With our research, we aim to identify specific molecules and signaling cascades that lead to excessive fibrosis in the eye and therefore to irreversible loss if vision. The Rho/ROCK signaling pathway is implicated in various cellular functions, such as cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, and contraction. Therefore, one specific aim is to study the involvement of the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of vitreoretinal diseases. In addition to candidate drug molecules, such as ROCK isoforms or other molecules from the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway, optimal therapeutic drug delivery systems for vitreoretinal diseases will be established.
