Dark-rearing the rd10 mouse: Implications for therapy

Abstract

The moderate rate of retinal degeneration in the rd10(PDE6β rd10 ) mouse makes it a valuable model for therapeutic studies in autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa. The peak period of photoreceptor apoptosis occurs between P18 and P25; however, this degeneration can be delayed if the animal is dark-reared from birth. In this study, we find that dark-rearing (DR) slows the course of degeneration more significantly than previously reported, with a long-term preservation of both retinal structure and function in the first 3 months of life. Further investigation of this protective effect may offer insights into disease management in patients. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.