Improved approaches for macular degeneration offer hope for effective recovery.
Hitting Macular Degeneration Where It Hurts:
New research on mice offers a glimmer of hope for a more lasting treatment for macular degeneration using MDM2 inhibitors, aiming to suppress the troublesome blood vessels that lead to vision loss.
The Researchers from the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine and their colleagues share their findings in the latest online issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Senior author Sai Chavala, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Cell Biology & Physiology at the UNC School of Medicine says:
"We believe we may have found a promising treatment for macular degeneration. Our hope is that MDM2 inhibitors could minimize the treatment burden on both patients and healthcare providers."
Macular degeneration is an eye condition causing vision loss, primarily among the older population in the US, affecting around 11 million Americans.
Macular degeneration damages the macula, the region responsible for providing sharp, central vision. As the disease advances, individuals find it increasingly challenging to perform everyday tasks like driving, reading, and watching TV.
When macular degeneration develops past the age of 50, it is known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
AMD initially presents as the "dry" form, which can cause blurred vision or blind spots. Approximately 1 in 5 people with AMD progress to the "wet" form, where abnormal blood vessels grow in the eye, leaking fluid or blood, resulting in vision loss.
Current treatment options involve an antibody, anti-VEGF, which is injected into the eye. However, the injections must be administered every 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the brand, making it expensive, time-consuming, and potentially risky for the patient due to infection.
In June 2011, an FDA panel approved an anti-VEGF treatment for wet AMD that requires an injection only every eight weeks.
The excitement surrounding this new mouse study stems from the possibility of a more long-lasting treatment, reducing the need for multiple injections.
Prof. Chavala, also the Director of the UNC School of Medicine's Laboratory for Retinal Rehabilitation and a practitioner at the Kittner Eye Center at UNC Health Care, adds:
"Such a treatment would decrease patients' overall risk of eye infections and potentially lower the economic burden of this condition through reduced treatment costs."
Some advantages of MDM2 inhibitors over anti-VEGF lie in their direct targeting of leaky blood vessels rather than growth factors that lead to abnormal blood vessels. This could potentially offer a more long-lasting effect, as stated by the researchers.
For their study, the team explored the effect of MDM2 inhibitors in cell cultures and mice with macular degeneration. They discovered that the drug activates a protein called p53, a vital regulator protein that decides whether a cell lives or dies. Prof. Chavala says,
"By activating p53, we can initiate the cell death process in these abnormal blood vessels."
Compared to low-dose radiation treatments currently being tested for wet AMD, MDM2 inhibitors might offer additional benefits as they activate p53 without causing DNA damage while remaining injectable.
Prof. Chavala is the founder of a company planning to commercialize new treatments for eye diseases and has filed a patent for using MDM2 inhibitors to treat them.
In 2010, researchers reported that omega-3-rich foods may protect seniors from AMD. However, it is important to note that direct evidence linking MDM2 inhibitors to macular degeneration treatment remains unestablished. Anti-VEGF treatments remain the current primary and effective option for managing this condition.
- The study on mice offers a potential solution for a longer-lasting treatment of macular degeneration using MDM2 inhibitors.
- MDM2 inhibitors aim to suppress the troublesome blood vessels that lead to vision loss in macular degeneration.
- The researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine believe they have found a promising treatment for macular degeneration.
- Macular degeneration is an eye condition causing vision loss, primarily among the older population in the US.
- Around 11 million Americans are affected by macular degeneration.
- Macular degeneration damages the macula, the region responsible for providing sharp, central vision.
- As the disease advances, individuals find it increasingly challenging to perform everyday tasks.
- Macular degeneration that develops past the age of 50 is known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
- AMD initially presents as the "dry" form, which can cause blurred vision or blind spots.
- Approximately 1 in 5 people with AMD progress to the "wet" form.
- In the wet form, abnormal blood vessels grow in the eye, leaking fluid or blood, resulting in vision loss.
- Current treatment options for AMD involve an antibody, anti-VEGF, which is injected into the eye.
- The injections for anti-VEGF treatment must be administered every 4 to 8 weeks.
- The frequency of injections makes the treatment expensive, time-consuming, and potentially risky for the patient.
- An FDA panel approved an anti-VEGF treatment for wet AMD that requires an injection only every eight weeks in June 2011.
- The excitement surrounding the new mouse study stems from the possibility of a more long-lasting treatment, reducing the need for multiple injections.
- Such a treatment would decrease patients' overall risk of eye infections and potentially lower the economic burden of this condition through reduced treatment costs.
- MDM2 inhibitors directly target leaky blood vessels rather than growth factors that lead to abnormal blood vessels.
- This direct targeting could potentially offer a more long-lasting effect.
- The team explored the effect of MDM2 inhibitors in cell cultures and mice with macular degeneration.
- They discovered that the drug activates a protein called p53, a vital regulator protein that decides whether a cell lives or dies.
- By activating p53, the abnormal blood vessels can go through the cell death process.
- Compared to low-dose radiation treatments currently being tested for wet AMD, MDM2 inhibitors might offer additional benefits.
- MDM2 inhibitors activate p53 without causing DNA damage.
- MDM2 inhibitors remain injectable, providing another advantage over current treatments.
- Prof. Chavala is the founder of a company planning to commercialize new treatments for eye diseases.
- He has filed a patent for using MDM2 inhibitors to treat macular degeneration.
- Researchers reported in 2010 that omega-3-rich foods may protect seniors from AMD.
- It is important to note that direct evidence linking MDM2 inhibitors to macular degeneration treatment remains unestablished.
- Anti-VEGF treatments remain the current primary and effective option for managing macular degeneration.
