title: New therapeutic targets in atrophic age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in developed countries. There is no effective treatment for the most prevalent atrophic (dry) form of AMD. Atrophic AMD is triggered by abnormalities in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) that lies beneath the photoreceptor cells and normally provides critical metabolic support to these light-sensing cells. Secondary to RPE dysfunction, macular rods and cones degenerate leading to the irreversible loss of vision. Oxidative stress, formation of drusen, accumulation of lipofuscin, local inflammation and reactive gliosis represent the pathologic processes implicated in pathogenesis of atrophic AMD. This review discusses potential target areas for small-molecule and biologic intervention, which may lead to development of new therapeutic treatments for atrophic AMD.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute Annex, New York, NY 10032, USA. kep4@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petrukhin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001284:Atrophy; D002470:Cell Survival; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology; D003170:Complement Pathway, Alternative / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005911:Gliosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000378:metabolism; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000473:pathology; D015593:Retinal Drusen / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D002614:Chelating Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D008062:Lipofuscin