Innate immune biology in age-related macular degeneration

Karina Ascunce; Rahul M Dhodapkar; Deven Huang; Brian P Hafler

doi:10.3389/fcell.2023.1118524

Innate immune biology in age-related macular degeneration

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2023 Feb 28:11:1118524. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1118524. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Karina Ascunce¹, Rahul M Dhodapkar², Deven Huang³, Brian P Hafler^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.
² Department of Ophthalmology, Roski Eye Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
³ Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT, United States.
⁴ Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.
⁵ Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a neurodegenerative disease and a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the developed world. While not classically described as an inflammatory disease, a growing body of evidence has implicated several components of the innate immune system in the pathophysiology of age-related macular degeneration. In particular, complement activation, microglial involvement, and blood-retinal-barrier disruption have been shown to play key roles in disease progression, and subsequent vision loss. This review discusses the role of the innate immune system in age-related macular degeneration as well as recent developments in single-cell transcriptomics that help advance the understanding and treatment of age-related macular degeneration. We also explore the several potential therapeutic targets for age-related macular degeneration in the context of innate immune activation.

Keywords: age-related macular degeneration (AMD); innate immunity; neurodegeneration; neuroimmune biology; neuroinflammation.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

R01 EY034234/EY/NEI NIH HHS/United States