Biomedicines

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. David Pei-Cheng Lin

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Guest Editor

Department of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chug Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
Interests: age-related macular degeneration; vision protection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Age-related macular degeneration is among the leading causes of blindness in the aged population. Studies performed over the previous decade have unveiled novel insights into the risk factors and pathogenesis of AMD. However, the most prominent advance in AMD treatment is only limited to the use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies against neovascular AMD. For dry AMD, effective treatments remain elusive in terms of the prevention or elimination of geographical atrophy and drusen formation. The scope of this Special Issue will encompass the causes, pathogenesis and diagnosis of AMD, as well as potential methods of intervention. Potential sub-topics are listed below, with updates on experimental treatment modalities, including cell therapy and therapeutics with cellular derivatives, including extracellular vesicles and secretome, and artificial intelligence-related techniques for AMD management being particularly welcome.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Nonexudative or dry AMD
Exudative or wet AMD
Non-neovascular AMD
Neovascular AMD
Pathogenesis
Risk factors
Diagnosis
Prevention
Treatments, including cell therapy and therapeutics with cellular derivatives
Artificial intelligence-related techniques for AMD management

Prof. Dr. David Pei-Cheng Lin
Guest Editor

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Keywords

age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
risk factors
prevention
pathogenesis
intervention

Published Papers (1 paper)

Research

20 pages, 1323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CFH (rs1061170, rs1410996), KDR (rs2071559, rs1870377) and KDR and CFH Serum Levels in AMD Development and Treatment Efficacy

by Dzastina Cebatoriene, Alvita Vilkeviciute, Greta Gedvilaite, Akvile Bruzaite, Loresa Kriauciuniene, Dalia Zaliuniene and Rasa Liutkeviciene

Biomedicines 2024, 12(5), 948; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12050948 - 24 Apr 2024

Viewed by 227

Abstract

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major global health problem as it is the leading cause of irreversible loss of central vision in the aging population. Av-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies have been shown to be effective, but they do not respond optimally to all patients. Objective. This study investigates the genetic factors associated with susceptibility to AMD and response to treatment, focusing on key polymorphisms in the CFH (rs1061170, rs1410996) and KDR (rs2071559, rs1870377) genes and the association of CFH and KDR serum levels in patients with AMD. Results. A cohort of 255 patients with early AMD, 252 patients with exudative AMD, and 349 healthy controls underwent genotyping analysis, which revealed significant associations between CFH polymorphisms and the risk of exudative AMD. The CFH rs1061170 CC genotype was associated with an increased risk of early AMD (p = 0.046). For exudative AMD, the CFH rs1061170 TC + CC genotype increased odds (p < 0.001), while the rs1410996 GA + AA genotype decreased odds (p < 0.001). Haplotypes of CFH SNPs were associated with decreased odds of AMD. In terms of response to treatment, none of the SNPs were associated with the response to anti-VEGF treatment. We also found that both early and exudative AMD patients had lower CFH serum levels compared to the control group (p = 0.038 and p = 0.006, respectively). Exudative AMD patients with the CT genotype of CFH rs1061170 had lower CFH serum levels compared to the control group (p = 0.035). Exudative AMD patients with the GG genotype of CFH rs1410996 also had lower CFH serum levels compared to the control group (p = 0.021). Conclusions. CFH polymorphisms influence susceptibility to AMD but do not correlate with a response to anti-VEGF therapy. Further research is imperative to fully evaluate the developmental significance, treatment efficacy, and predictive role in influencing susceptibility to anti-VEGF therapy for KDR and CFH. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Causes, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Intervention)

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