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Abstract

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a common form of inherited degenerative disease that often leads to blindness. About 10% autosomal dominant RP cases have been associated with mutations in PRPF31 gene, which is involved in pre-mRNA splicing. This commentary summarises the key findings of our recent publication ‘Activation of autophagy reverses progressive and deleterious protein aggregation in PRPF31 patient-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium cells’ in the context of large cytoplasmic aggregates which accumulate progressive with time and impair cell function and survival. Understanding the pathomechanism of PRPF31-RP provides invaluable information that can be used to understand other PRPF-RPs, and help to design effective and appropriate therapeutic strategies for the treatment of RP patients with PRPF31 mutations.