Abstract
Malattia Leventinese/Doyne honeycomb retinal dystrophy (ML/DHRD) is an age-related macular degeneration–like (AMD-like) retinal dystrophy caused by an autosomal dominant R345W mutation in the secreted glycoprotein, fibulin-3 (F3). To identify new small molecules that reduce F3 production in retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells, we knocked-in a luminescent peptide tag (HiBiT) into the endogenous F3 locus that enabled simple, sensitive, and high-throughput detection of the protein. The GSK3 inhibitor, CHIR99021 (CHIR), significantly reduced F3 burden (expression, secretion, and intracellular levels) in immortalized RPE and non-RPE cells. Low-level, long-term CHIR treatment promoted remodeling of the RPE extracellular matrix, reducing sub-RPE deposit-associated proteins (e.g., amelotin, complement component 3, collagen IV, and fibronectin), while increasing RPE differentiation factors (e.g., tyrosinase, and pigment epithelium-derived factor). In vivo, treatment of 8-month-old R345W+/+ knockin mice with CHIR (25 mg/kg i.p., 1 mo) was well tolerated and significantly reduced R345W F3-associated AMD-like basal laminar deposit number and size, thereby preventing the main pathological feature in these mice. This is an important demonstration of small molecule–based prevention of AMD-like pathology in ML/DHRD mice and may herald a rejuvenation of interest in GSK3 inhibition for the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases, including potentially AMD itself.
Authors
Sophia M. DiCesare, Antonio J. Ortega, Gracen E. Collier, Steffi Daniel, Krista N. Thompson, Melissa K. McCoy, Bruce A. Posner, John D. Hulleman
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