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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Cell Dev. Biol.
Sec. Molecular and Cellular Pathology
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1412909
This article is part of the Research Topic Electric Stimulation in the Eye and Brain: Advancements and Applications View all 5 articles

Preservation of Vision Function by Transpalpebral Electrical Stimulation in Mice with Inherited Retinal Degeneration

Provisionally accepted
Kasim Gunes Kasim Gunes 1,2karen Chang karen Chang 1Wai Lydia Tai Wai Lydia Tai 1Julie Chen Julie Chen 1Anton Lennikov Anton Lennikov 1Kin-Sang CHO Kin-Sang CHO 1Tor P. Utheim Tor P. Utheim 1,3,4Dong F. Chen Dong F. Chen 1*
  • 1 Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
  • 2 Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Marmara University, Maltepe, Istanbul, Türkiye
  • 3 Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
  • 4 Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The potential neuroprotective and regenerative properties of electrical stimulation (ES) were studied in rhodopsin knockout mice (Rho -/-), a murine model of inherited retinal degeneration. The study focused on assessing the impact of varying ES frequencies on visual functions and photoreceptor cell survival in Rho -/-mice. To elucidate the impact of electrical stimulation on cone survival, Rho -/-mice received either sham or transpalpebral ES using biphasic ramp or rectangular waveforms at 100 µA amplitude, starting at six weeks of age. The treatment duration spanned from one to three weeks. The optimal treatment frequency of ES sessions was determined by applying ES every one, two, or three days in three separate groups of Rho -/-mice. The sham group received daily treatments without the application of ES. Our study revealed significant improvement of visual function in Rho -/-mice following daily or every-other-day noninvasive transpalpebral ES, as evidenced by electroretinogram and optomotor response-based visual behavior assays. Concurrently, assessment of outer nuclear thickness and immunohistochemistry for the cone photoreceptor cell marker PNA demonstrated pronounced increases in the survival of rods and cones and improvement in the morphology of the inner and outer segments. This study underscores the protective effect of non-invasive ES in rhodopsin knockout-induced retinal degenerative disorders, providing a foundation for developing targeted therapeutic interventions for retinitis pigmentosa.

    Keywords: Electrical Stimulation, Retinitis Pigmentosa, photoreceptor degeneration, Retina, Cones, rods

    Received: 05 Apr 2024; Accepted: 02 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Gunes, Chang, Tai, Chen, Lennikov, CHO, Utheim and Chen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Dong F. Chen, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, Massachusetts, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.