In contrast to overexpression in RPE, however, overexpression of KITL in photoreceptor cells reduced the LD-induced decrease of ONL thickness (Figure 5I,J) and prevented photoreceptor cell death (from 25.9 ± 4.7%, n = 8 after infection with AAV8-RHO-Flag to 11.5 ± 2.5%, n = 8 after infection with AAV8-RHO-KITL (Figure 5—figure supplement 1A-b, C). The gene discussed is RHO; the disease is infection.