Vitamin B3 modulates mitochondrial vulnerability and prevents glaucoma in aged mice.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-17-2017

JAX Source

Science 2017 Feb 17; 355(6326):756-760

Volume

355

Issue

6326

First Page

756

Last Page

760

ISSN

1095-9203

PMID

28209901

Grant

EY11721, The Jackson Laboratory Fellowship

Abstract

Glaucomas are neurodegenerative diseases that cause vision loss, especially in the elderly. The mechanisms initiating glaucoma and driving neuronal vulnerability during normal aging are unknown. Studying glaucoma-prone mice, we show that mitochondrial abnormalities are an early driver of neuronal dysfunction, occurring before detectable degeneration. Retinal levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+), a key molecule in energy and redox metabolism) decrease with age and render aging neurons vulnerable to disease-related insults. Oral administration of the NAD(+) precursor nicotinamide (vitamin B3), and/or gene therapy (driving expression of Nmnat1, a key NAD(+)-producing enzyme), was protective both prophylactically and as an intervention. At the highest dose tested, 93% of eyes did not develop glaucoma. This supports therapeutic use of vitamin B3 in glaucoma and potentially other age-related neurodegenerations. Science 2017 Feb 17; 355(6326):756-760.

Comments

Kelly E. Cochran was a summer student at The Jackson Laboratory in 2015.

Share

COinS