Gut Microbiota and Serotonin - Biochemical Pathways in Age-Related Macular Disease

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease and is a major cause of blindness in the entire world. Current studies show a tight connection between gut microbiota and AMD. This literature review shows the positive role played by gut microbiota, which is essential in providing the optimal serotonin level in retina protection against the noxious action of various factors of the environment. Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter derived from tryptophan which is poorly expressed in the retina, but it may provide protection against retinal damage, such as light-induced retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, due to the fact that certain serotonin receptor agonists and antagonists of those 7 classes and 17 subtypes of 5-HT receptors help prevent serum deprivation, anoxia and oxidative damage. Our study also shows the role played by other diet-related factors, which protect retina against oxidative stress and delay the onset of AMD.

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Gut microbiota modify risk for dietary glycemia-induced age-related macular degeneration

Gut Microbes ◽

10.1080/19490976.2018.1435247 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Sheldon Rowan ◽

Allen Taylor

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Macular Degeneration ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Age Related

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Change in vision-related quality of life and influencing factors in Asians receiving treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration

British Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310532 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 102 (3) ◽

pp. 377-382 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Eva K Fenwick ◽

Gemmy Chui Ming Cheung ◽

Alfred TL Gan ◽

Gavin Tan ◽

Shu Yen Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Visual Acuity ◽

Macular Degeneration ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Reading Scores ◽

Related Factors ◽

Age Related ◽

Related Quality ◽

The Impact

AimTo assess the change in vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) after treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and factors influencing this change in an Asian population.MethodsIn this longitudinal study, 116 patients (mean age±SD=66.5±9.9 years; 59.5% male) who underwent treatment for nAMD were recruited from a tertiary eye centre in Singapore. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI) questionnaire were evaluated at baseline and month 12. We defined three categories of BCVA change in the treated eye: BCVA gain ≥2 lines; no change in BCVA; BCVA loss ≥2 lines. The main outcome measures were the Rasch-derived IVI Reading, Mobility, and Emotional Scores. Multivariable linear regression analyses assessed the influence of sociodemographic, clinical and treatment-related factors on change in VRQoL.ResultsFollowing treatment, mean treated-eye BCVA improved by almost 2 lines (−0.22±0.40 logMAR, p<0.001) and 43% (n=50) patients reported a gain in BCVA of ≥2 lines. Mean±SD scores for Reading, Mobility and Emotional demonstrated positive changes of 0.43±1.73, 0.45±1.54 and 0.66±1.6, respectively (p<0.001 for all). In multivariable models, a ≥2 line improvement in BCVA was independently associated with a 47% (β=0.20; CI 0.01 to 0.39) increase in Reading Scores, but was not independently associated with Mobility or Emotional Scores.ConclusionNearly half of patients undergoing treatment for nAMD reported a 2-line improvement in vision which was, in turn, associated with substantial positive increases in Reading Scores. Improvements in Mobility and Emotional Scores appear to be driven by factors other than visual acuity.

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NLRP3 Inflammasome: Activation and Regulation in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Mediators of Inflammation ◽

10.1155/2015/690243 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Jiangyuan Gao ◽

Ruozhou Tom Liu ◽

Sijia Cao ◽

Jing Z. Cui ◽

Aikun Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Macular Degeneration ◽

Pigment Epithelium ◽

Retinal Pigment ◽

The Elderly ◽

Geographic Atrophy ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Inflammasome Activation ◽

Related Factors ◽

Rpe Cells ◽

Age Related

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in the elderly in industrialized countries. AMD is a multifactorial disease influenced by both genetic and environmental risk factors. Progression of AMD is characterized by an increase in the number and size of drusen, extracellular deposits, which accumulate between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and Bruch’s membrane (BM) in outer retina. The major pathways associated with its pathogenesis include oxidative stress and inflammation in the early stages of AMD. Little is known about the interactions among these mechanisms that drive the transition from early to late stages of AMD, such as geographic atrophy (GA) or choroidal neovascularization (CNV). As part of the innate immune system, inflammasome activation has been identified in RPE cells and proposed to be a causal factor for RPE dysfunction and degeneration. Here, we will first review the classic model of inflammasome activation, then discuss the potentials of AMD-related factors to activate the inflammasome in both nonocular immune cells and RPE cells, and finally introduce several novel mechanisms for regulating the inflammasome activity.

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Gut microbiota and age-related macular degeneration: A growing partnership

Survey of Ophthalmology ◽

10.1016/j.survophthal.2021.11.009 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mário Lima-Fontes ◽

Luís Meira ◽

Pedro Barata ◽

Manuel Falcão ◽

Ângela Carneiro

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Macular Degeneration ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Age Related

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The Role of Diet, Micronutrients and the Gut Microbiota in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: New Perspectives from the Gut-Retina Axis

10.20944/preprints201810.0369.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Emanuele Rinninella ◽

Maria Cristina Mele ◽

Nicolò Merendino ◽

Marco Cintoni ◽

Gaia Anselmi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Macular Degeneration ◽

Potential Role ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Low Grade ◽

Age Related ◽

The Impact ◽

Low Grade Inflammation

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex multifactorial disease and the primary cause of legal and irreversible blindness among individuals aged >=65 years in developed countries. Globally, it affects 30-50 million individuals, with an estimated increase of approximately 200 million by 2020 and approximately 300 million by 2040. Currently, the neovascular form may be able to be treated with the use of anti-VEGF drugs, while no effective treatments are available for the dry form. Many observational studies, such as AREDS-1 and AREDS 2, have shown a potential role of micronutrient supplementation in lowering the risk of progression of the early stages of AMD. Recently, low-grade inflammation, sustained by dysbiosis and a leaky gut, has been shown to contribute to the development of AMD. Given the ascertained influence of the gut microbiota in systemic low-grade inflammation and its potential modulation by macro- and micro-nutrients, a potential role of diet in AMD has been proposed. This review discusses the role of the gut microbiota in the development of AMD. Using PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus, we searched for recent scientific evidence discussing the impact of dietary habits (high fat and high glucose or fructose diets), micronutrients (vitamins C, E, and D, zinc, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin) and omega-3 fatty acids on the modulation of the gut microbiota and their relationship with AMD risk and progression.

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The Role of Diet, Micronutrients and the Gut Microbiota in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: New Perspectives from the Gut–Retina Axis

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10111677 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1677 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Emanuele Rinninella ◽

Maria Mele ◽

Nicolò Merendino ◽

Marco Cintoni ◽

Gaia Anselmi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Macular Degeneration ◽

Potential Role ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Low Grade ◽

Age Related ◽

The Impact ◽

Low Grade Inflammation

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex multifactorial disease and the primary cause of legal and irreversible blindness among individuals aged ≥65 years in developed countries. Globally, it affects 30–50 million individuals, with an estimated increase of approximately 200 million by 2020 and approximately 300 million by 2040. Currently, the neovascular form may be able to be treated with the use of anti-VEGF drugs, while no effective treatments are available for the dry form. Many studies, such as the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and AREDS 2, have shown a potential role of micronutrient supplementation in lowering the risk of progression of the early stages of AMD. Recently, low-grade inflammation, sustained by dysbiosis and a leaky gut, has been shown to contribute to the development of AMD. Given the ascertained influence of the gut microbiota in systemic low-grade inflammation and its potential modulation by macro- and micro-nutrients, a potential role of diet in AMD has been proposed. This review discusses the role of the gut microbiota in the development of AMD. Using PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus, we searched for recent scientific evidence discussing the impact of dietary habits (high-fat and high-glucose or -fructose diets), micronutrients (vitamins C, E, and D, zinc, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin) and omega-3 fatty acids on the modulation of the gut microbiota and their relationship with AMD risk and progression.

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Adalékok az időskori maculadegeneráció – etiopatogeneziséből fakadó – gyógyszeres intervenciójához

Orvosi Hetilap ◽

10.1556/650.2015.30207 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 156 (46) ◽

pp. 1847-1858 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tamás Fischer

Keyword(s):

Endothelial Dysfunction ◽

Macular Degeneration ◽

Vascular Disease ◽

Serotonin Receptor ◽

Vascular System ◽

Angiotensin Receptor Blockers ◽

Alternative Pathway ◽

Specific Inhibitor ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Age Related

It is of great therapeutic significance that disordered function of the vascular endothelium which supply the affected ocular structures plays a major role in the pathogenesis and development of age-related macular degeneration. Chronic inflammation is closely linked to diseases associated with endothelial dysfunction, and age-related macular degeneration is accompanied by a general inflammatory response. According to current concept, age-related macular degeneration is a local manifestation of systemic vascular disease. This recognition could have therapeutic implications because restoration of endothelial dysfunction can restabilize the condition of chronic vascular disease including age-related macular degeneration as well. Restoration of endothelial dysfunction by pharmaacological or non pharmacological interventions may prevent the development or improve endothelial dysfunction, which result in prevention or improvement of age related macular degeneration as well. Medicines including inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system (converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers and renin inhibitors), statins, acetylsalicylic acid, trimetazidin, third generation beta-blockers, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonists, folate, vitamin D, melatonin, advanced glycation end-product crosslink breaker alagebrium, endothelin-receptor antagonist bosentan, coenzyme Q10; “causal” antioxidant vitamins, N-acetyl-cysteine, resveratrol, L-arginine, serotonin receptor agonists, tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockers, specific inhibitor of the complement alternative pathway, curcumin and doxycyclin all have beneficial effects on endothelial dysfunction. Restoration of endothelial dysfunction can restabilize chronic vascular disease including age-related macular degeneration as well. Considering that the human vascular system is consubstantial, medicines listed above should be given to patients (1) who have no macular degeneration but have risk factors for the disease and are older than 50 years; (2) who have been diagnosed with unilateral age-related macular degeneration in order to prevent damage of the contralateral eye; (3) who have bilateral age-related macular degeneration in order to avert deterioration and in the hope of a potential improvement. However, randomised prospective clinical trials are still needed to elucidate the potential role of these drug treatments in the prevention and treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Orv. Hetil., 2015, 156(46), 1847–1858.

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Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) – pathophysiological and clinical features and therapeutic concepts

Therapeutische Umschau ◽

10.1024/0040-5930.58.1.28 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 28-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ursula Körner-Stiefbold

Keyword(s):

Macular Degeneration ◽

Clinical Features ◽

Altersbedingte Makuladegeneration ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Genetische Faktoren ◽

Age Related ◽

Therapeutic Concepts

Die altersbedingte Makuladegeneration (AMD) ist eine der häufigsten Ursachen für einen irreversiblen Visusverlust bei Patienten über 65 Jahre. Nahezu 30% der über 75-Jährigen sind von einer AMD betroffen. Trotz neuer Erkenntnisse in der Grundlagenforschung ist die Ätiologie, zu der auch genetische Faktoren gehören, noch nicht völlig geklärt. Aus diesem Grund sind die Behandlungsmöglichkeiten zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt noch limitiert, so dass man lediglich von Therapieansätzen sprechen kann. Die derzeit zur Verfügung stehenden Möglichkeiten wie medikamentöse, chirurgische und laser- und strahlentherapeutische Maßnahmen werden beschrieben.

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