Gene variant increases risk of blindnessJuly 19, 2007Researchers have found a gene variant that can more than double the risk of developing the degenerative eye disease, age-related macular degeneration. The macula lies at the centre of the retina and is essential for detailed central vision. Degeneration of the macula interferes with important tasks such as reading and driving. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the cause of which is poorly understood, is the leading cause of visual loss in older people and the commonest cause of blindness in the USA and European countries.
The researchers based their findings on studies of patients with AMD (603 from England and 244 from Scotland) who were compared with 701 unaffected people. They found that a variant in the complement C3 gene influenced the risk of developing AMD. For the 30% of the population who carry one copy of the so-called 'fast' variant the risk of AMD was increased by 70%, and for the 4% of people with two copies of the 'fast' variant the risk of AMD was more than doubled. AMD can take two forms called 'wet' (also called choroidal neovascularisation or CNV) and 'dry' (also called geographic atrophy or GA). The 'fast' variant in the C3 gene increases the risk of both forms of the disease. The complement C3 gene has a central role in the immune system. The results of this research provide strong evidence that inflammation is an important part of the disease process in AMD. The goal of this type of research is to achieve a full understanding of the causes of AMD, which should lead to the development of better treatment and strategies for prevention of this common and debilitating disease. Professor John Yates, at the University of Cambridge, said: "AMD is devastating for those who lose their site and we hope that a better understanding of what causes the disease will eventually lead to better treatment and perhaps prevention". The initial studies were carried out by a team of researchers led by Professor Yates and Professor Tony Moore at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Further work to confirm the initial findings was carried out by researchers in Scotland led by Professor Alan Wright, Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit, Edinburgh. University of Cambridge | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Macular Degeneration Current Events and Macular Degeneration News Articles Sunlight exposure plus low antioxidant levels may place older adults at risk for eye disease A European study suggests that the combination of low plasma levels of antioxidants and blue light exposure from the sun is associated with certain forms of the eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Case Western Reserve University research finds drug candidate slows age-related macular degeneration Research results from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine show that the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is markedly slowed in new laboratory-engineered mice when they received treatments of retinylamine, a trial drug that has been tested in a medical school lab. Receptor could halt blinding diseases, stop tumor growth, preserve neurons after trauma An international team of researchers has discovered what promises to be the on-off switch behind several major diseases. Discovery of natural compounds that could slow blood vessel growth Using computer models and live cell experiments, biomedical engineers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have discovered more than 100 human protein fragments that can slow or stop the growth of cells that make up new blood vessels. Iron-moving malfunction may underlie neurodegenerative diseases, aging A glitch in the ability to move iron around in cells may underlie a disease known as Type IV mucolipidosis (ML4) and the suite of symptoms---mental retardation, poor vision and diminished motor abilities---that accompany it, new research at the University of Michigan shows. Eat oily fish at least once a week to protect your eyesight in old age Eating oily fish once a week may reduce age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which is the major cause of blindness and poor vision in adults in western countries and the third cause of global blindness, according to a study published today in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Hyperactive immune resistance brings blindness in old age Age-dependent macular degeneration (AMD) is the commonest cause of blindness in the western industrialised nations. Hereditary changes in the regulation of the immune system influence the risk of contracting AMD. Telescope embedded in glasses lens promises to make driving easier for visually impaired Glasses embedded with a telescope promise to make it easier for people with impaired vision to drive and do other activities requiring sharper distance vision. Retina transplants show promise in patients with retinal degeneration Preliminary research shows encouraging results with transplantation of retinal cells in patients with blindness caused by retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). New oral angiogenesis inhibitor offers potential nontoxic therapy for a wide range of cancers The first oral, broad-spectrum angiogenesis inhibitor, specially formulated through nanotechnology, shows promising anticancer results in mice, report researchers from Children's Hospital Boston. More Macular Degeneration Current Events and Macular Degeneration News Articles |
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