title: Smoking mice: a potential model for studying accumulation of drusen-like material on Bruch's membrane.
abstract: Currently, there are no animal models that can be used to test pharmacological efficacy of drugs that are under development for treating dry AMD. We suggest measuring the accumulation of a panel of drusen-like proteins on Bruch's membrane in mice as a surrogate endpoint to test pharmacological modulation of the course of drusen formation. We further suggest that the buildup of proteins on Bruch's membrane in the RPE/choroid in "smoking mice" can be used as a surrogate model for pharmacological studies and that using these mice will significantly decrease the time frame for demonstrating pharmacological efficacy of lead compounds.
authors.affiliation: Forsythe Laboratory for the Investigation of the Aging Retina, Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. alwang0526@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ai Ling
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Arthur H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Neufeld
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D016570:Bruch Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D015593:Retinal Drusen / Q000473:pathology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers