It is intended to provide a novel therapeutic method for a disease with apoptotic degeneration in eye tissue cells such as retinal pigment degeneration. Attention was paid on the concomitant administration of two neurotrophic factors: pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). The sites of actions are considered to be different between PEDF and FGF2. An SIV-PEDF vector and an SIV-FGF2 vector were constructed and administered to the subretinal space of an RCS rat, which is a disease model of retinal pigment degeneration, and their effects were evaluated. At 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after the administration of the vectors, a significantly higher visual cell protection effect was obtained in a group with concomitant administration than in a group with sole administration. Further, the functional evaluation of retina was carried out by electroretinogram and an effect in the group with concomitant administration was significantly higher than in the group with sole administration. From the above results, it was found for the first time that the concomitant administration of PEDF and FGF2 has higher effects in the treatment of retinal pigment degeneration than conventional methods.
