Funding outcome

The retina is a highly specialized tissue at the back of the eye that detects light and generates electrical impulses, allowing us to see our world. Distinct omega-3 fats – the same ones abundant in cold water fish such as salmon – are essential for vision and make up a large fraction of the molecules in the retina. These fats are so important for the health of the retina that they are locally synthesized and recycled. Children with certain diseases that prevent omega-3 fats from being synthesized or recycled develop degeneration of the retina and blindness. For a long time, researchers have understood that a particular molecule called DHA is the fundamental omega-3 fat that is conserved in the retina. Using a new retinal cell line developed by my lab, we showed that a different omega-3 fat called EPA accumulates inside these cells, suggesting that EPA, and not DHA, may be the critical fat that is recycled. Clarifying whether EPA or DHA is conserved in the retina is very important since this may explain why DHA supplementation alone did not work to prevent vision loss in children with retinal degeneration. To study this process, we will feed our retinal cells different omega-3 fats to understand how they are broken down and recycled. We will also test the ability of these retinal cells to synthesize omega-3 fats from different starting molecules. Our studies will transform our understanding of the recycling of omega-3 fats in the retina, and provide evidence to support incorporating EPA supplementation as a potential treatment to improve vision in children with blinding retinal diseases.