A new hope for a therapy against retinitis pigmentosa

(© Image: Pexels) - A team led by the UNIGE has identified a molecular mechanism that causes degeneration of the eye's photoreceptors, which can lead to blindness. Retinitis pigmentosa , a degenerative genetic disease of the eye, is characterized by progressive vision loss, usually leading to blindness. In some patients, structural defects in the photoreceptor cells have been observed, but the molecular mechanisms involved are not understood. A team from the University of Geneva , in collaboration with the University of Lausanne (UNIL), has identified the essential role played by a molecular zipper formed by four proteins. The absence of this zipper leads to cell death in retinal cells. This discovery could lead to the development of therapeutic approaches for retinitis pigmentosa . This work can be read in the journal PLOS Biology .