A New Approach to Fighting Dry Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, particularly the "dry" form of the disease. While there have been significant advancements for "wet" AMD, there remains a critical need for therapies to treat the atrophic form of dry AMD, where the light-sensing cells in the eye slowly die.

Our review article, "Cell Death in AMD: The Rationale for Targeting Fas," explores a new way to protect these precious cells. The paper reviews the current understanding of how cells die in AMD and presents a rationale for targeting the Fas receptor, a protein that drives both cell death and inflammation.

We demonstrated in an acute mouse model of dry AMD, where RPE cells were exposed to cigarette smoke, a major risk factor for the disease, that we could protect the retina from damage. We showed that genetic or pharmacological inhibition of the Fas receptor prevented damage to the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE). In these experiments, the Fas inhibitor ONL1204 also significantly reduced the activity of caspase-8, a key protein involved in the cell death process.

This research highlights that targeting the Fas receptor may be an effective strategy not only for preventing cell death but also for reducing the underlying inflammation associated with dry AMD. By tackling both these processes simultaneously, we can provide a more comprehensive approach to preserving vision in this devastating disease.

For more information, please see the full publication here.