scholarly journals The Controversial Role of TGF-β in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Pathogenesis

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 3363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gian Tosi ◽  
Maurizio Orlandini ◽  
Federico Galvagni
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Visual Loss ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Transforming Growth Factors ◽  
Severe Visual Loss ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Experimental Approaches

The multifunctional transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-βs) have been extensively studied regarding their role in the pathogenesis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), a major cause of severe visual loss in the elderly in developed countries. Despite this, their effect remains somewhat controversial. Indeed, both pro- and antiangiogenic activities have been suggested for TGF-β signaling in the development and progression of nAMD, and opposite therapies have been proposed targeting the inhibition or activation of the TGF-β pathway. The present article summarizes the current literature linking TGF-β and nAMD, and reviews experimental data supporting both pro- and antiangiogenic hypotheses, taking into account the limitations of the experimental approaches.

scholarly journals The role of microbiome in age-related macular degeneration: A review of the literature

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athanasios Zisimopoulos ◽  
Olga Klavdianou ◽  
Panagiotis Theodossiadis ◽  
Irini Chatziralli
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Human Microbiome ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Severe Visual Loss ◽  
Age Related ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Functional Profiles

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive, multifactorial, degenerative disease and the leading cause of severe visual loss in the elderly population. The exact pathogenesis of AMD remains elusive, being the combination of genetic, environmental, metabolic and functional processes. Better understanding of the disease’s pathophysiology leads to new treatment targets. Human microbiome seems to be a potential therapeutic pathway for AMD, as it has been recently proven to play a role in its pathogenesis. Summary: This review shed light into the association between microbiome and AMD. Key messages: The current evidence based on the existing literature shows that there are differences in taxonomical and functional profiles in human microbiome between patients with AMD and controls, suggesting that microbiome is implicated in AMD onset and progression, being a link between AMD and nutrition/diet. Additionally, specific bacterial classes have been proposed as potential biomarkers for AMD diagnosis. Further randomized clinical studies with large sample are needed to elucidate the role of microbiome in AMD and to draw more solid conclusions.

scholarly journals Impact of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: burden of patients receiving therapies in Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeru Honda ◽  
Yasuo Yanagi ◽  
Hideki Koizumi ◽  
Yirong Chen ◽  
Satoru Tanaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Productivity Loss ◽  
Work Productivity ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Resource Utilisation ◽  
Total Work ◽  
Healthcare Resource Utilisation ◽  
Age Related

AbstractThe chronic eye disorder, neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), is a common cause of permanent vision impairment and blindness among the elderly in developed countries, including Japan. This study aimed to investigate the disease burden of nAMD patients under treatment, using data from the Japan National Health and Wellness surveys 2009–2014. Out of 147,272 respondents, 100 nAMD patients reported currently receiving treatment. Controls without nAMD were selected by 1:4 propensity score matching. Healthcare Resource Utilisation (HRU), Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), and work productivity loss were compared between the groups. Regarding HRU, nAMD patients had significantly increased number of visits to any healthcare provider (HCP) (13.8 vs. 8.2), ophthalmologist (5.6 vs. 0.8), and other HCP (9.5 vs. 7.1) compared to controls after adjusting for confounding factors. Additionally, nAMD patients had reduced HRQoL and work productivity, i.e., reduced physical component summary (PCS) score (46.3 vs. 47.9), increased absenteeism (18.14% vs. 0.24%), presenteeism (23.89% vs. 12.44%), and total work productivity impairment (33.57% vs. 16.24%). The increased number of ophthalmologist visits were associated with decreased PCS score, increased presenteeism and total work productivity impairment. The current study highlighted substantial burden for nAMD patients, requiring further attention for future healthcare planning and treatment development.

scholarly journals Introduction to the multi-author review on macular degeneration

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 779-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anu Kauppinen
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Severe Vision Loss ◽  
Author Review ◽  
Dry Amd ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor

AbstractProlonged life expectancies contribute to the increasing prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that is already the leading cause of severe vision loss among the elderly in developed countries. In dry AMD, the disease culminates into vast retinal atrophy, whereas the wet form is characterized by retinal edema and sudden vision loss due to neovascularization originating from the choroid beneath the Bruch’s membrane. There is no treatment for dry AMD and despite intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that suppress the neovessel formation, also wet AMD needs new therapies to prevent the disease progression and to serve patients lacking of positive response to current medicines. Knowledge on disease mechanisms is a prerequisite for the drug development, which is hindered by the multifactorial nature of AMD. Numerous distinguished publications have revealed AMD mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level and in this multi-author review, we take a bit broader look at the topic with some novel aspects.

Tractional Maculopathies in Age-related Macular Degeneration

2012 ◽  
Vol 05 (02) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia X Qian ◽  
William J Foster ◽  
Flavio A Rezende ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Pigment Epithelium ◽  
Retinal Pigment ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
The Past ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Surgical Options ◽  
Made In

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness among the elderly in developed countries. Much progress has been and continues to be made in search of better visual outcomes for dry and exudative AMD. Over the past decade, the importance of vitreomacular attachments has been recognized in AMD. In this article, we better characterize and describe vitreomacular and photoreceptor-retinal pigment epithelium interface relationships in AMD among treated and untreated patients and describe the surgical options available as well as their outcomes and possible complications.

scholarly journals Novel Programmed Cell Death as Therapeutic Targets in Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 7279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Yang ◽  
Kwok-Fai So ◽  
Wai Ching Lam ◽  
Amy Cheuk Yin Lo
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Programmed Cell Death ◽  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cell Damage ◽  
Retinal Pigment ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Severe Visual Loss ◽  
Age Related

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of severe visual loss among the elderly. AMD patients are tormented by progressive central blurring/loss of vision and have limited therapeutic options to date. Drusen accumulation causing retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell damage is the hallmark of AMD pathogenesis, in which oxidative stress and inflammation are the well-known molecular mechanisms. However, the underlying mechanisms of how RPE responds when exposed to drusen are still poorly understood. Programmed cell death (PCD) plays an important role in cellular responses to stress and the regulation of homeostasis and diseases. Apart from the classical apoptosis, recent studies also discovered novel PCD pathways such as pyroptosis, necroptosis, and ferroptosis, which may contribute to RPE cell death in AMD. This evidence may yield new treatment targets for AMD. In this review, we summarized and analyzed recent advances on the association between novel PCD and AMD, proposing PCD’s role as a therapeutic new target for future AMD treatment.

scholarly journals Altered photoreceptor metabolism in mouse causes late stage age-related macular degeneration-like pathologies

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (23) ◽  
pp. 13094-13104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shun-Yun Cheng ◽  
Joris Cipi ◽  
Shan Ma ◽  
Brian P. Hafler ◽  
Rahul N. Kanadia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Geographic Atrophy ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Photoreceptor Outer Segment ◽  
Metabolic Adaptations ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Disease Stages

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. While the histopathology of the different disease stages is well characterized, the cause underlying the progression, from the early drusen stage to the advanced macular degeneration stage that leads to blindness, remains unknown. Here, we show that photoreceptors (PRs) of diseased individuals display increased expression of two key glycolytic genes, suggestive of a glucose shortage during disease. Mimicking aspects of this metabolic profile in PRs of wild-type mice by activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) caused early drusen-like pathologies, as well as advanced AMD-like pathologies. Mice with activated mTORC1 in PRs also displayed other early disease features, such as a delay in photoreceptor outer segment (POS) clearance and accumulation of lipofuscin in the retinal-pigmented epithelium (RPE) and of lipoproteins at the Bruch’s membrane (BrM), as well as changes in complement accumulation. Interestingly, formation of drusen-like deposits was dependent on activation of mTORC1 in cones. Both major types of advanced AMD pathologies, including geographic atrophy (GA) and neovascular pathologies, were also seen. Finally, activated mTORC1 in PRs resulted in a threefold reduction in di-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)–containing phospholipid species. Feeding mice a DHA-enriched diet alleviated most pathologies. The data recapitulate many aspects of the human disease, suggesting that metabolic adaptations in photoreceptors could contribute to disease progression in AMD. Identifying the changes downstream of mTORC1 that lead to advanced pathologies in mouse might present new opportunities to study the role of PRs in AMD pathogenesis.

scholarly journals Oxidative Stress, Hypoxia, and Autophagy in the Neovascular Processes of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janusz Blasiak ◽  
Goran Petrovski ◽  
Zoltán Veréb ◽  
Andrea Facskó ◽  
Kai Kaarniranta
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Pigment Epithelium ◽  
Retinal Pigment ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The Body ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Rich

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe and irreversible loss of vision in the elderly in developed countries. AMD is a complex chronic neurodegenerative disease associated with many environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors. Oxidative stress and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) seem to play a pivotal role in AMD pathogenesis. It is known that the macula receives the highest blood flow of any tissue in the body when related to size, and anything that can reduce the rich blood supply can cause hypoxia, malfunction, or disease. Oxidative stress can affect both the lipid rich retinal outer segment structure and the light processing in the macula. The response to oxidative stress involves several cellular defense reactions, for example, increases in antioxidant production and proteolysis of damaged proteins. The imbalance between production of damaged cellular components and degradation leads to the accumulation of detrimental products, for example, intracellular lipofuscin and extracellular drusen. Autophagy is a central lysosomal clearance system that may play an important role in AMD development. There are many anatomical changes in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), Bruch’s membrane, and choriocapillaris in response to chronic oxidative stress, hypoxia, and disturbed autophagy and these are estimated to be crucial components in the pathology of neovascular processes in AMD.

scholarly journals Antioxidant supplements in age-related macular degeneration: are they actually beneficial?

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 251584142110304
Author(s):  
Mousumi Banerjee ◽  
Rohan Chawla ◽  
Atul Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Visual Loss ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Inappropriate Use ◽  
Age Related ◽  
False Sense ◽  
Antioxidant Supplements

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is one of the prominent causes of central visual loss in the older age group in the urbanized, industrialized world. In recent years, many epidemiological studies and clinical trials have evaluated the role of antioxidants and micronutrients to prevent the progression of ARMD. In this article, we review some of these major studies. In addition, we review the absorption and bioavailability and possible undesirable effects of these nutrients after ingestion. The role of genotypes and inappropriate use of these supplements are also discussed. From all the above evidence, we conclude that it may not be prudent to prescribe these formulations without a proper assessment of the individual’s health and dietary status. The effectiveness of all the components in antioxidant formulations is controversial. Thus, these supplements should not be prescribed just for the purpose of providing patients some kind of therapy, which may give a false sense of mental satisfaction.

scholarly journals Current understanding of Age-related macular degeneration

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Swathi Kanduri ◽  
Monica Liliana Acosta ◽  
Trevor Sherwin ◽  
Charles Ninian John McGhee ◽  
Colin R Green
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Developed Countries ◽  
Irreversible Blindness

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly population 50 years of age or older in the developed countries. This review discusses the traditional clinical and histopathological presentation of AMD, epidemiology and genetics component in relation to the current understanding of the vascular nature of the disease. Therapeutic approaches to treat the disease are also included in the review.

scholarly journals The Role of the Immune Response in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott M. Whitcup ◽  
Akrit Sodhi ◽  
John P. Atkinson ◽  
V. Michael Holers ◽  
Debasish Sinha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Annual Conference ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Response Task

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in developed countries; with the aging population, the negative health impacts and costs of the disease will increase dramatically over the next decade. Although the exact cause of AMD is unknown, genetic studies have implicated the complement system as well as other immune responses in disease pathogenesis and severity. Furthermore, histologic studies have shown the presence of macrophages, lymphocytes, and mast cells, as well as fibroblasts, in both atrophic lesions and with retinal neovascularization. This review summarizes discussions from the fifth annual conference of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Initiative for Macular Research by the Inflammation and Immune Response Task Force. These deliberations focused on the role of inflammatory immune responses, including complement, inflammasomes, adaptive immune responses, and para-inflammation, unanswered questions and studies to address these questions, and potential immune-related therapeutic targets for AMD.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document