Preventing blindness in dogs is the focus of a newly funded Morris Animal Foundation canine health study.
A research team led by Dr. Christophe Marycz at the International Institute of Translational Medicine in Poland is set to investigate links between mitochondria and glaucoma in dogs.
Blindness in dogs with glaucoma is the result of destructive processes linked to a gradual loss of mitochondrial functions within retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Mitochondrial loss not only leads to a decrease in the RGCs’ energy supply, but also increases the production of damaging and harmful substances that provoke cell death and ultimately leading to blindness, Morris Animal Foundation reports.
To help solve this issue, researchers will study novel molecules associated with mitochondrial stress in the canine patients’ eyes to learn more about mitochondrial-associated RGC death. These biomarkers could be used for early diagnosis and therapy. The team also will evaluate the possibility of replacing defective mitochondria with their healthy counterparts to improve retinal function in affected dogs.
“Investigating the role of mitochondria in the development of canine eye disease is new and innovative,” says Morris Animal Foundation’s chief program officer, Kathy Tietje, PhD, MBA. “The research team is trying to open up new avenues to understand and treat this important cause of blindness in dogs.”