NON-HUMAN ANIMAL FOR EYE DISEASE MODEL

• US 20100031379A1
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kaoru Inoue, Keiko Fujikawa
• Original Assignee: Kaoru Inoue, Keiko Fujikawa
• Inventors: Inoue, Kaoru, Fujikawa, Keiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,304,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 800/3
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2217/075 inducing loss of function, i.e. knock out
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2227/105 Murine
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2267/035 Animal model for multifactorial diseases
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 67/0276 Knock-out vertebrates
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/02 Ophthalmic agents
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/4702 Regulators; Modulating activity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/16 Ophthalmology

Abstract

It is intended to provide an animal model which shows a naturally occurring eye disease symptom, particularly ocular hypertension and/or retinal degeneration. The invention relates to a non-human animal for eye disease model in which the function of Vav2 gene and/or Vav3 gene have/has been impaired. Because the animal shows a naturally occurring eye disease symptom, such as ocular hypertension and/or retinal degeneration without administering a drug or placing it in a special growth environment, it can be used as a model useful for elucidation of onset mechanism of eye disease or evaluation for therapeutic agent for eye disease. When it is applied for such a purpose, because it is not affected by an exogenous factor, which is conventionally administered for artificially inducing eye disease, it reflects a natural pathology, therefore, the clinical and industrial usefulness thereof is high.

Claims

1. A non-human animal for eye disease model, wherein the function of Vav2 gene and/or the function of Vav3 gene have/has been impaired.

2. The non-human animal for eye disease model according to claim 1, wherein the function of Vav2 gene and the function of Vav3 gene have been impaired.

3. The non-human animal for eye disease model according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the eye disease is a disease which is accompanied with at least one symptom of retinal degeneration, optic nerve degeneration, elevated intraocular pressure, ocular hypertension, reduced visual acuity, narrowed vision, and damaged vision field.

4. The non-human animal for eye disease model according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the eye disease is glaucoma.

5. The non-human animal for eye disease model according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the non-human animal is a mouse.

6. A method of screening a compound having an activity of treating an eye disease, comprising the steps of:

administering the compound to a non-human animal in which the function of Vav2 gene and/or Vav3 gene have/has been impaired; and

confirming a therapeutic activity of the compound against an eye disease.

7. The method of screening according to claim 6, wherein the non-human animal is a non-human animal in which the function of Vav2 gene and the function of Vav3 gene have been impaired.

8. The method of screening according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the eye disease is a disease which is accompanied with retinal degeneration and therapeutic effect of the compound is confirmed by measuring intraocular pressure.

9. The method of screening according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the eye disease is a disease which is accompanied with retinal degeneration and therapeutic effect of the compound is confirmed by pathological test of ocular tissues.

10. The method of screening according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the eye disease is glaucoma.

11. The method of screening according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the eye disease is any one of retinosis, macula degeneration, or macula edema.