Researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center have found a way to use a radical¹ new type of gene² therapy to prevent blindness caused by retinitis pigmentosa（色素性视网膜炎） , giving hope to the estimated 100,000 Americans who suffer from this debilitating³（衰弱的） disease. The study appears in the Journal of the Federation⁴ of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB).

The research, led by Muna Naash, Ph.D., at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, with collaborators in Cleveland and Buffalo⁵, discovered a way to deliver known gene therapies directly to the light-sensitive cells affected⁶ by this disease.

The discovery already is being used to develop new treatments for another disease – macular degeneration（黄斑变性） , the leading cause of blindness in the United States.

"I am thrilled about it. That's why we have been working so hard to get this as quickly as possible through the necessary experiments, so we can publish our findings and take it out to the patients," Naash said. "We hope the results of our study will be instrumental in generating a cure for the debilitating blindness associated with retinitis pigmentosa and other inherited and acquired retinal（视网膜的） diseases. We want to give Oklahomans and others suffering from these diseases renewed independence and quality of life."

Utilizing⁷ nanoparticle technology, scientists created a microscopic⁸ capsule capable of carrying genetic⁹ therapies to their destination inside cells of the retina. The tiny delivery vehicle is being tested with a variety of gene therapies in animal models with the potential of treating several diseases from bladder（膀胱） cancer to diabetes¹⁰（糖尿病） . The capsules have proven very effective, carrying therapies to the designated location in the eye within 15 minutes of delivery and spreading the genetic repair message quickly to nearby cells.

"This is an incredible breakthrough in terms of being able to treat with gene therapy," said Robert E. Leonard, M.D., an ophthalmologist（眼科医师） at the Dean McGee Eye Institute. "Outside of gene therapy, we are at a loss to be able to treat these patients, so this is incredibly important research. It's breathtaking（惊人的，令人激动的） , very exciting."