Subretinal Injection of Gene Therapy Vectors and Stem Cells in the Perinatal Mouse Eye
Summary
This surgical technique illustrates the injection of gene therapy vectors and stem cells into the subretinal space of the mouse eye.
Abstract
The loss of sight affects approximately 3.4 million people in the United States and is expected to increase in the upcoming years.1 Recently, gene therapy and stem cell transplantations have become key therapeutic tools for treating blindness resulting from retinal degenerative diseases. Several forms of autologous transplantation for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), such as iris pigment epithelial cell transplantation, have generated encouraging results, and human clinical trials have begun for other forms of gene and stem cell therapies.2 These include RPE65 gene replacement therapy in patients with Leber’s congenital amaurosis and an RPE cell transplantation using human embryonic stem (ES) cells in Stargardt’s disease.3-4 Now that there are gene therapy vectors and stem cells available for treating patients with retinal diseases, it is important to verify these potential therapies in animal models before applying them in human studies. The mouse has become an important scientific model for testing the therapeutic efficacy of gene therapy vectors and stem cell transplantation in the eye.5-8 In this video article, we present a technique to inject gene therapy vectors or stem cells into the subretinal space of the mouse eye while minimizing damage to the surrounding tissue.
Protocol
Representative Results
Discussion
This video technique provides instructions on completing the subretinal injection surgical procedure successfully, and ensuring that the gene therapy vector or stem cells are placed in the location necessary to efficiently treat the ophthalmic disease. This technique allows for the targeting of retinal cells such as the RPE or photoreceptors, since it places the gene therapy vectors or stem cell-derived tissues in the vicinity of these cells. Previous methods involved intravitreal injections, where the fluid is placed wi…
Divulgaciones
The authors have nothing to disclose.
Acknowledgements
Research to Prevent Blindness; Experimental assistance from Takayuki Nagasaki; This research complies with the ARVO Statement for the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Visual Research. KJW is supported by NIH grants 5T32EY013933 and 5T32DK007647-20. VBM is supported by NIH grant K08EY020530.
Materials
| Name | Company | Catalog | Comments |
| 0.8-1.10 x 100 mm Capillary Tube (glass) | Kimble Glass, Inc. | 34502 99 | |
| Flaming/Brown Micropipette Puller | Sutter Instrument | P-97 | Narishige microforge can be used instead. Catalog #MF-900 |
| Sigmacote | Sigma Aldrich | SL2-25ML | Silicone |
| Dubecco’s Phosphate Buffered Saline with Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride | Gibco-Invitrogen | 14040-133 | |
| Safety-Lok 25 3/4G x 12″; Blood Collection Set | B-D Vacutainer | 367298 | |
| 1 ml Sub-Q 26 5/8G Slip-Tip Syringe | Becton-Dickinson | 309597 | |
| 0.5-10 μl Finnpipette II Adjustable-Volume Pipetter | Fisherbrand | 21-377-815 | |
| 1-200 μl Natural Beveled Tips | USA Scientific, Inc. | 1111-1700 | |
| Discovery.V8 Stereo Microscope | Zeiss | MC1500 | |
| 60 mm x 15 mm Style Treated Polystyrene Cell Culture Dish | Corning Incorporated | 430166 | |
| Vannas Straight Scissors | Storz Ophthalmics | E3383 S | |
| Curved Dressing Forceps with Serrations Delicate | Storz Ophthalmics | E1408 | |
| 15 Degree Microsurgery Knife | Wilson Ophthalmic Corp. | 091204 | |
| Ketamine | Ketaset III | NADA #45-290 | |
| Xylazine | Lloyd Laboratories | NADA #139-236 | |
| Bupivacaine (Marcaine) | AstraZeneca | N/A | |
| Buprenorphine | Sigma Aldrich | B9275 |
Referencias
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