title: The NLRP3 Inflammasome and its Role in Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
abstract: Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness among people of 65 years and older in developed countries (Klein and Klein, Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 54:7395-7401, 2013). Recent advances in dry AMD research points towards an important role of the inflammatory response in the development of the disease. The presence of inflammatory cells, antibodies, complement factors and pro-inflammatory cytokines in AMD retinas and drusen indicates that the immune system could be an important driving force in dry AMD. The NLRP3 inflammasome has been proposed as an integrator of process associated with AMD and the induction of inflammation. Herein we summarize the most recent studies that attempt to understand the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in AMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, 32610-0001, Gainesville, FL, USA. ildefons@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Cristhian J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Ildefonso
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, 32610-0001, Gainesville, FL, USA. biswal@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Manas R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Biswal
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, 32610-0001, Gainesville, FL, USA. ahmed1@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Chulbul M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, 32610-0001, Gainesville, FL, USA. lewin@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Alfred S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lewin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D058847:Inflammasomes; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; C453881:NLRP3 protein, human
keywords: Blindness; Complement system proteins; Cytokines; Immune system; Immunity; Inflammasomes; Inflammation; Macular degeneration