Researchers unveil pioneering approach to combat age-related vision loss
Key Takeaways
- Researchers have found that levels of the protein IRAK-M decrease with aging and further decline in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
- Boosting levels of IRAK-M in retinal cells could offer a new and highly effective therapy for AMD.
Researchers from Cirrus Therapeutics, the University of Bristol, and London’s Global University Institute of Ophthalmology have published a study in the journal Science Translational Medicine that could provide the basis for a new approach to treating AMD. The researchers found that levels of the protein IRAK-M decline during the aging process and are further reduced in AMD. They further found that rare genetic variants in the gene that encodes for IRAK-M are associated with an increased likelihood of developing AMD and that eliminating the gene in mice increased incidence of retinal degeneration at earlier ages. Importantly, the researchers also found that boosting the levels of IRAK-M in retinal cells significantly protected against retinal degeneration and thus could offer a new treatment approach for AMD. Cirrus Therapeutics recently spun out of the University of Bristol to develop therapies related to this discovery.
Dr. Jian Liu, first author on the paper, said, “Since age stands as a primary risk factor for AMD, the gradual decrease of IRAK- M levels with age, which further declines in AMD, is a key way to identify the potential markers of early AMD progression and ultimately a new way of treatment.” Dr. Andrew Dick co-founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of Cirrus Therapeutics, added, “This discovery represents the first pathway-agnostic approach toward AMD, offering a comprehensive treatment option for the millions of people who suffer from this debilitating condition.”
Edited by Miriam Kaplan, PhD
Sources:
Liu, J et al, “Replenishing IRAK-M expression in retinal pigment epithelium attenuates outer retinal degeneration.” Science Translational Medicine, June 5, 2024; DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi4125
Cirrus Therapeutics, Medical Xpress, June 5, 2024; see source article