To determine the feasibility of targeting gene expression specifically to cone photoreceptors using recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) as the vector.
An rAAV vector was constructed that contains a 2.1kb upstream sequence of the human red opsin gene to direct green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression. A control construct containing a 472bp mouse rod opsin promoter, previously shown to drive photoreceptor-specific expression, was also used. Each recombinant virus was injected into the subretinal space of rat, ferret or guinea pig eyes. GFP expression was analyzed 4-6 weeks after injection microscopically.
The human 2.1kb cone opsin gene upstream sequence targeted GFP expression only to a subset of photoreceptors. Cone-specific expression was shown by co-localization of GFP fluorescence and cone-specific opsin antibody staining. Additionally, in rats, expression was specific for L/M-cones whereas no S-cones exhibited GFP fluorescence. The efficiency of rAAV mediated cone transduction surrounding the injection site was high since every L/M-cone antibody-staining cone was also positive for GFP expression.
The human red/green opsin gene promoter used in this study is sufficient to direct efficient cone-specific gene expression in several mammalian species, suggesting that key cell-type specific regulatory elements must be broadly conserved in mammals. These observations have significance in devising gene therapy strategies for retinal dystrophies that primarily affect cones and point toward a way to functionally dissect the cone opsin promoter in vivo.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 15. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 26 May 2026.
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Outputs of similar age from Vision Research
#1
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Altmetric has tracked 27,780,120 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 90th percentile: it's in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 2,582 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 7.1. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 94% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 93,945 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 92% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 24 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 95% of its contemporaries.
