Treatment of age-related visual impairment with a peptide acting on mitochondria.

Alam NM, Douglas RM, Prusky GT

Disease models & mechanisms21 Feb 2022Cited by 13 (Europe PMC)

PMID34766182PMCIDPMC8891924DOI10.1242/dmm.048256PepBankPUB-34766182

Summary

Age-related visual decline and disease due to neural dysfunction are major sources of disability that have resisted effective treatment. In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it. Impaired photopic acuity measured by using a virtual optokinetic system emerged near 18 months and declined to ∼40% below normal by 34 months. Daily application of the synthetic peptide elamipretide, which has high selectivity for mitochondrial membranes that contain cardiolipin and promotes efficient electron transfer, was able to mitigate visual decline from 18 months onwards. Daily application from 24 months onwards, i.e. when acuity had reduced by ∼16%, reversed visual decline and normalized function within 2 months. Recovered function persisted for at least 3 months after treatment was withdrawn and a single treatment at 24 months delayed subsequent visual decline. Elamipretide applied daily from 32 months onwards took longer to take effect, but substantial improvement was found within 2 months. The effects of age and elamipretide treatment on contrast sensitivity were similar to those on acuity, systemic and eye drop applications of elamipretide had comparable effects, scotopic spatial visual function was largely unaffected by age or treatment, and altered function was independent of variation in optical clarity. These data indicate that elamipretide treatment adaptively alters the aging visual system. They also provide a rationale to investigate whether mitochondrial dysfunction is a treatable pathophysiology of human visual aging and age-related visual disease.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study8

8 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In aging mice, daily elamipretide from 18 months onwards mitigated the decline in visual function.
In plain wordsIn aging mice, daily elamipretide reduced the loss of vision that otherwise occurs with age.
Peptide
Elamipretide (SS-31)
Outcome
IncreasePhotopic acuity, treatment from 18 months
Study
mousen: not reported in source
aged mice with age-related visual decline
Outcome group
Vision and retina · Eye
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Daily application of the synthetic peptide elamipretide, which has high selectivity for mitochondrial membranes that contain cardiolipin and promotes efficient electron transfer, was able to mitigate visual decline from 18 months onwards.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3476618201
02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In mice with about 16% acuity loss, daily elamipretide from 24 months onwards reversed visual decline and normalized function within 2 months.
In plain wordsIn older mice that had already lost some vision, daily elamipretide restored vision to normal within 2 months.
Peptide
Elamipretide (SS-31)
Outcome
IncreasePhotopic acuity, treatment from 24 months
Study
mousen: not reported in source
aged mice with age-related visual decline
Outcome group
Vision and retina · Eye
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Daily application from 24 months onwards, i.e. when acuity had reduced by ∼16%, reversed visual decline and normalized function within 2 months.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3476618202
03AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In aged mice, function recovered with elamipretide persisted for at least 3 months after treatment was withdrawn.
In plain wordsIn aged mice, the vision gained with elamipretide lasted at least 3 months after treatment stopped.
Peptide
Elamipretide (SS-31)
Outcome
IncreasePersistence of recovered function after withdrawal
Study
mousen: not reported in source
aged mice with age-related visual decline
Outcome group
Vision and retina · Eye
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Recovered function persisted for at least 3 months after treatment was withdrawn
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3476618203
04AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In aged mice, a single elamipretide treatment at 24 months delayed subsequent visual decline.
In plain wordsIn aged mice, one elamipretide treatment delayed later vision loss.
Peptide
Elamipretide (SS-31)
Outcome
IncreaseVisual decline after a single treatment at 24 months
Study
mousen: not reported in source
aged mice with age-related visual decline
Outcome group
Vision and retina · Eye
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
a single treatment at 24 months delayed subsequent visual decline.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3476618204
05AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In very old mice, daily elamipretide from 32 months onwards took longer to take effect, but substantial improvement was found within 2 months.
In plain wordsIn very old mice, daily elamipretide took longer to work, but vision improved substantially within 2 months.
Peptide
Elamipretide (SS-31)
Outcome
IncreasePhotopic acuity, treatment from 32 months
Study
mousen: not reported in source
aged mice with age-related visual decline
Outcome group
Vision and retina · Eye
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Elamipretide applied daily from 32 months onwards took longer to take effect, but substantial improvement was found within 2 months.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3476618205
06AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In aging mice, the effects of age and elamipretide on contrast sensitivity were similar to those on acuity.
In plain wordsIn aging mice, elamipretide affected contrast sensitivity in a similar way to how it affected sharpness of vision.
Peptide
Elamipretide (SS-31)
Outcome
IncreaseContrast sensitivity
Study
mousen: not reported in source
aged mice with age-related visual decline
Outcome group
Vision and retina · Eye
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
The effects of age and elamipretide treatment on contrast sensitivity were similar to those on acuity
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3476618206
07AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In aged mice, systemic and eye drop applications of elamipretide had comparable effects.
In plain wordsIn aged mice, elamipretide given by injection and as eye drops had similar effects.
Peptide
Elamipretide (SS-31)
Outcome
No significant changeSystemic versus eye drop application
Study
mousen: not reported in source
aged mice with age-related visual decline
Comparator
Systemic versus eye drop elamipretide
Outcome group
Vision and retina · Eye
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
systemic and eye drop applications of elamipretide had comparable effects
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3476618207
08AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In aged mice, scotopic spatial visual function was largely unaffected by age or elamipretide treatment.
In plain wordsIn aged mice, vision in dim light was largely not changed by age or by elamipretide.
Peptide
Elamipretide (SS-31)
Outcome
No significant changeScotopic spatial visual function
Study
mousen: not reported in source
aged mice with age-related visual decline
Outcome group
Vision and retina · Eye
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
scotopic spatial visual function was largely unaffected by age or treatment
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In light of evidence that visual impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction advance with age, we characterized age-related decline of spatial visual function in mice and investigated whether treatment of aged mice with the mitochondrion-penetrating peptide elamipretide that has been reported to improve mitochondrial function, would improve it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3476618208

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
10 Oct 2026, 08:19 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:47 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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Terms as the source lists them.

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