Accumulated DNA damage in the retina is a key contributor to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and targeting specific retinal cell types may lead to treatments that slow or stop progression, according to a United States research team.
The study reveals how DNA damage, a hallmark of ageing, compromises the retina’s function and accelerates vision loss.
“Our findings highlight the critical role DNA damage repair plays in maintaining retina health for good vision,” said Associate Professor Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, from University of California.1
“Because age is the strongest risk factor for AMD, gaining deeper insights into the underlying biology of ageing in the eye is essential for developing effective therapies.”
The team compared a mouse model with reduced levels of ERCC1-XPF, a DNA repair enzyme, with both young, healthy mice and naturally ageing mice. By three months of age, the model showed signs of visual impairment, structural alterations in the retina, abnormal blood vessel formation, and shifts in gene expression and metabolism, as well as mitochondrial dysfunction in the retinal pigment epithelium. All these changes mirror those seen in natural human eye ageing.
Because age is the strongest risk factor for AMD, gaining deeper insights into the underlying biology of ageing in the eye is essential for developing effective therapies.
Reference
University of California, Irvine, UC Irvine-co-led study finds DNA damage is key factor in age-related macular degeneration (media release 3 Dec 2024) available at: news.uci.edu/2024/12/03/uc-irvine-co-led-study-finds-dna-damage-is-key-factor-in-age-related-macular-degeneration/ [accessed Dec 2024].
