Italian-Built Molecule Reawakens Retinal Neurons to Combat Blindness

Genoa: A synthetic molecule created in Italy has shown promise in reawakening retinal neurons to combat degenerative eye diseases, according to a new study. This breakthrough offers new hope in the fight against progressive blindness.

According to Ansa News Agency, the ‘made in Italy’ molecular switch, named Ziapin2, can restore light response in retinal neurons affected by retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, both of which can lead to blindness. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, was conducted by the Italian Institute of Technology and the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino in Genoa, in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Milan, with support from the Telethon Foundation.

Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare genetic disease affecting one in 3,500 people, while age-related macular degeneration impacts 7-8% of the population, with its prevalence increasing with age. Currently, no effective therapies exist to restore vision, and strategies like retinal prostheses have only yielded partial success.

The Ziapin2 molecule, synthesized and tested in 2020 by Chiara Bertarelli, Guglielmo Lanzani, and Fabio Benfenati, could be the breakthrough needed. The collaboration between IIT and Politecnico di Milano was previously detailed in an article in Nature Nanotechnology. Ziapin2 acts as a phototransducer, absorbing light and converting it into an electrical signal. It integrates into the neuron membrane, modulating excitability in a light-dependent manner without interfering with ion channels or neurotransmitter receptors.

Fabio Benfenati, coordinator of the Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology at IIT, remarked that Ziapin2 is “very promising” for restoring visual responses in cases of photoreceptor degeneration. The molecule regenerates the physiological antagonism between ‘on’ and ‘off’ retinal neurons at the retinal bipolar cells level, leading to more natural vision.

In preclinical models of retinitis pigmentosa, Ziapin2 restored light and contrast responses up to two weeks after a single intraocular injection without toxic or inflammatory effects, stated Stefano Di Marco, IIT affiliate researcher and professor at the University of Genoa. This innovative approach could signify a turning point in visual recovery for those suffering from retinal degenerative diseases.