LSU Health discovers critical role of two proteins in vision and preventing blinding eye diseases

LSU researchers have discovered unique patterns of genetic activity that may lead to the development of blinding retinal diseases. They report the discovery of novel gene signatures leading to mutations in two proteins – MFRP, which participates in cell fate and development, and Adipor1, whose absence in the retina results in the inability to take up and incorporate the building block docosahexaenoic acid (DHA 22:6) and the onset of retinal degeneration.