Tubedown-1 as a Modulator of Choroid-Retinal Angiogenesis
Robert L. Gendron, Ph.D. & Hélène Paradis
Basic Medical Sciences
Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
The growth of abnormal blood vessels (angiogenesis) in the eye is a major contributing factor in vision loss and blindness in macular degeneration, diabetes and in premature infants. At this time, few effective treatments are available to halt or prevent uncontrolled retinal angiogenesis. Basic research into the mechanisms by which retinal blood vessels are regulated in health and disease may lead to new approaches for treating this condition.
Our laboratory studies the role of a novel factor called tubedown-1 which is present in the normal retina, but is suppressed in retinal angiogenesis contributing to blindness. Understanding the role tubedown-1 plays in retinal blood vessels may eventually help us to block abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina and could lead to new therapies for blinding eye diseases.