Wheel running exercise protects against retinal degeneration in the I307N rhodopsin mouse model of inducible autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.

Abstract

Voluntary wheel running partially protected against retinal degeneration and inflammation, and RPE disruption in a model of inducible adRP. This is the first report of exercise protection in an adult adRP animal model. It is also the first report of an RPE phenotype in the I307N <i>Rho</i> mouse. These findings add to a growing literature reporting that modest whole-body exercise is protective across a wide range of models of retinal damage and disease, and further highlights the potential for this accessible and inexpensive therapeutic intervention in the ophthalmic clinic.