MicroRNAs in RPE Homeostasis and Disease
Principal Investigator
Project Goals
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major public health problem with devastating effect upon patients and composes a significant socio-economic burden world-wide. AMD affects 30% of individuals aged 70 years and older and its prevalence will rise as life expectancy increases due to changing demographics. In the past few years, significant progress was made on the recognition of the genetic and environmental risk factors that predispose and elicit AMD. However, treatment options remain limited because the pathogenetic molecular mechanism of AMD are incompletely defined.
Project Summary
Recently, some small fragments of the human genome, termed microRNAs, have been identified and found to have a fundamental role in many biological processes, both in physiological and in pathological conditions. The goal of this project is the study of the possible role of a microRNA, named miR-211, in RPE physiology, survival, homeostasis both as causative agents and as therapeutic agents.
Publications
Naso F, Intartaglia D, Falanga D, Soldati C, Polishchuk E, Giamundo G, Tiberi P, Marrocco E, Scudieri P, Di Malta C, Trapani I, Nusco E, Salierno FG, Surace EM, Galietta LJ, Banfi S, Auricchio A, Ballabio A, Medina DL, Conte I. Light-responsive microRNA miR-211 targets Ezrin to modulate lysosomal biogenesis and retinal cell clearance. EMBO J. 2020 Apr 15;39(8):e102468. doi: 10.15252/embj.2019102468. Epub 2020 Mar 10. PubMed PMID: 32154600 
Barbato S, Marrocco E, Intartaglia D, Pizzo M, Asteriti S, Naso F, Falanga D, Bhat RS, Meola N, Carissimo A, Karali M, Prosser HM, Cangiano L, Surace EM, Banfi S, Conte I. MiR-211 is essential for adult cone photoreceptor maintenance and visual function. Sci Rep. 2017 Dec 5;7(1):17004. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-17331-z. 
First published on: July 15, 2015
Last modified on: April 16, 2024