Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Potential Role for Proteoglycans

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a retinal disease evident after the age of 50 that damages the macula in the centre of retina. It leads to a loss of central vision with retained peripheral vision but eventual blindness occurs in many cases. The initiation site of AMD development is Bruch’s...

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Main Authors: Othman Al Gwairi, Lyna Thach, Wenhua Zheng, Narin Osman, Peter J. Little
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Journal of Ophthalmology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2913612
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author Othman Al Gwairi
Lyna Thach
Wenhua Zheng
Narin Osman
Peter J. Little
author_facet Othman Al Gwairi
Lyna Thach
Wenhua Zheng
Narin Osman
Peter J. Little
author_sort Othman Al Gwairi
collection DOAJ
description Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a retinal disease evident after the age of 50 that damages the macula in the centre of retina. It leads to a loss of central vision with retained peripheral vision but eventual blindness occurs in many cases. The initiation site of AMD development is Bruch’s membrane (BM) where multiple changes occur including the deposition of plasma derived lipids, accumulation of extracellular debris, changes in cell morphology, and viability and the formation of drusen. AMD manifests as early and late stage; the latter involves cell proliferation and neovascularization in wet AMD. Current therapies target the later hyperproliferative and invasive wet stage whilst none target early developmental stages of AMD. In the lipid deposition disease atherosclerosis modified proteoglycans bind and retain apolipoproteins in the artery wall. Chemically modified trapped lipids are immunogenic and can initiate a chronic inflammatory process manifesting as atherosclerotic plaques and subsequent artery blockages, heart attacks, or strokes. As plasma derived lipoprotein deposits are found in BM in early AMD, it is possible that they arise by a similar process within the macula. In this review we consider aspects of the pathological processes underlying AMD with a focus on the potential role of modifications to secreted proteoglycans being a cause and therefore a target for the treatment of early AMD.
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spelling doaj-art-b2b51303e35f4acc82941774d2d96b102025-08-20T02:23:24ZengWileyJournal of Ophthalmology2090-004X2090-00582016-01-01201610.1155/2016/29136122913612Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Potential Role for ProteoglycansOthman Al Gwairi0Lyna Thach1Wenhua Zheng2Narin Osman3Peter J. Little4School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, AustraliaSchool of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, AustraliaFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, MacauSchool of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, AustraliaSchool of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, AustraliaAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a retinal disease evident after the age of 50 that damages the macula in the centre of retina. It leads to a loss of central vision with retained peripheral vision but eventual blindness occurs in many cases. The initiation site of AMD development is Bruch’s membrane (BM) where multiple changes occur including the deposition of plasma derived lipids, accumulation of extracellular debris, changes in cell morphology, and viability and the formation of drusen. AMD manifests as early and late stage; the latter involves cell proliferation and neovascularization in wet AMD. Current therapies target the later hyperproliferative and invasive wet stage whilst none target early developmental stages of AMD. In the lipid deposition disease atherosclerosis modified proteoglycans bind and retain apolipoproteins in the artery wall. Chemically modified trapped lipids are immunogenic and can initiate a chronic inflammatory process manifesting as atherosclerotic plaques and subsequent artery blockages, heart attacks, or strokes. As plasma derived lipoprotein deposits are found in BM in early AMD, it is possible that they arise by a similar process within the macula. In this review we consider aspects of the pathological processes underlying AMD with a focus on the potential role of modifications to secreted proteoglycans being a cause and therefore a target for the treatment of early AMD.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2913612
spellingShingle Othman Al Gwairi
Lyna Thach
Wenhua Zheng
Narin Osman
Peter J. Little
Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Potential Role for Proteoglycans
Journal of Ophthalmology
title Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Potential Role for Proteoglycans
title_full Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Potential Role for Proteoglycans
title_fullStr Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Potential Role for Proteoglycans
title_full_unstemmed Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Potential Role for Proteoglycans
title_short Cellular and Molecular Pathology of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Potential Role for Proteoglycans
title_sort cellular and molecular pathology of age related macular degeneration potential role for proteoglycans
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2913612
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AT wenhuazheng cellularandmolecularpathologyofagerelatedmaculardegenerationpotentialroleforproteoglycans
AT narinosman cellularandmolecularpathologyofagerelatedmaculardegenerationpotentialroleforproteoglycans
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