# Defining Barriers to Gene Therapy

> **NIH NIH R01** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 · $346,866

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Of the retinal degenerative diseases that affect 9 million Americans, cone photoreceptor dystrophies
are arguably the most devastating. Gene therapy is a potential means to strengthen photoreceptor viability.
However, the first human gene therapy trial for retinal degeneration found improved visual function but did not
slow degeneration of photoreceptors. The goal of this gene therapy-oriented proposal is to determine whether
therapy is achievable in the context of an already diseased retina and if metabolic reprogramming could be an
efficacious treatment option.
 During the previous funding period, we succeeded in restoring retinal function for more than 11 months
in a mouse model of rod degeneration even after the onset of degeneration and at late-stage disease. We now
intend to determine whether the same outcomes are achievable in cone-based dystrophies. To do this, we will
generate a novel, inducible genetic rescue system in the cone-specific G-protein, guanine nucleotide binding α-
transducin 2 (Gnat2), which will allow us to conditionally reverse GNAT2-deficiency while controlling the temporal
and spatial aspects of phenotypic reversal.
 Using Gnat2floxSTOP/Gnat2CreERT2, we will establish that the model faithfully recapitulates cone-mediated
dystrophies (Aim 1). We will restore the model to wild type via tamoxifen injection at early, middle, and late
disease stages and assess effects on the rate of degeneration (Aim 2) to determine the temporal limitations of
gene therapy. Finally, we will induce metabolic reprogramming and assess its utility as a possible non-gene-
specific strategy for treating cone degenerations -based dystrophies (Aim 3).
 The Gnat2floxSTOP/Gnat2CreERT2 programmable model will provide a platform for contributing to ongoing
efforts aimed at increasing restoration of visual function following gene therapy for cone-mediated dystrophies.
It will also allow us to address several compelling, clinically relevant questions: Is the brain’s circuitry
sufficiently plastic to recover from the pathological changes caused by the Gnat2 mutation? Is there a point of
no return after which, despite reversion of the genotype to wild type, cones cannot be salvaged? Can temporal
barriers to gene therapy be relieved by metabolic reprogramming?
 Taken together, this proposal is certain to 1) define the factors limiting interventional therapy; 2) validate a
new, inducible model of cone-mediated retinal degeneration; and 3) determine whether metabolic reprogramming
can serve as an efficacious, non-gene-specific strategy for treating retinal degeneration.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10402352
- **Project number:** 5R01EY018213-14
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephen H Tsang
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $346,866
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2008-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10402352

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10402352, Defining Barriers to Gene Therapy (5R01EY018213-14). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10402352. Licensed CC0.

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