Authors
Rabab Rashwan, Paula I Fuller-Carter, Xin Ru Lim, Alicia A Brunet, Annie L Miller, Yashvi Bhatt, Rebekah James, Denise Anderson, Valentina Voigt, Joao A Paulo, Mehdi Mirzaei, Melissa M Mangala, Emilie O Wong, Robyn V Jamieson, Anai Gonzalez-Cordero, David M Hunt, Livia S Carvalho
Published in
Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy. Sep 22, 2026. Epub Sep 22, 2026.
Abstract
Voltage-gated (Kv) potassium channels are critical for neuronal physiology, and their dysfunction can lead to serious consequences. For example, mutations in the silent modulatory Kv8.2 subunit are known to cause irreversible inherited blindness (KCNV2 retinopathy). This is a currently incurable condition that causes lifelong visual loss, reduced visual acuity, photoaversion, night blindness and abnormal colour vision, alongside a distinctive supernormal electrophysiological (ERG) retinal response to light. In this study, we demonstrate that AAV-mediated gene replacement therapy delivering a codon-optimised human KCNV2 gene subretinally into Kv8.2 knock-out mice significantly restores retinal function. Treated mice exhibited improved ERG responses and correct expression of KCNV2 and its encoded Kv8.2 protein in photoreceptors. Recovery of visually guided scotopic and photopic optomotor responses to wildtype levels was achieved at lower vector doses, highlighting dose-dependent efficacy. Furthermore, treatment of human retinal organoids derived from a KCNV2 patient iPSC line resulted in substantial Kv8.2 protein rescue. This work provides the preclinical proof-of-concept for the safety and therapeutic potential of gene therapy for KCNV2 retinopathy, laying a strong foundation for future clinical trials.
PMID:
42773706
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 23 Sep 2026.
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