Macular degeneration is the physical breakdown of the central portion of the retina called the macula. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD/ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness. AMD is a complex disease caused by the combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Using genome linkage scan and association studies, multiple potentially causative genes have been identified. In AMD, there are two phenotypes, atrophic/ dry and neovascular/ wet. The former is characterized by the geographic atrophy due to death of retinal pigment epithelium, and the latter is usually characterized by the abnormal growth of new blood vessels under the macula, which causes severe loss of vision. While wet AMD can be treated by the inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor or photodynamic therapy, so far there are no available treatments for dry AMD.
Schultz DW, Klein ML, Humpert AJ, Luzier CW, Persun V, Schain M, Mahan A, Runckel C, Cassera M, Vittal V, Doyle TM, Martin TM, Weleber RG, Francis PJ, Acott TS
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Analysis of the ARMD1 locus: evidence that a mutation in HEMICENTIN-1 is associated with age-related macular degeneration in a large family.
Rivera A, Fisher SA, Fritsche LG, Keilhauer CN, Lichtner P, Meitinger T, Weber BH
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Hypothetical LOC387715 is a second major susceptibility gene for age-related macular degeneration, contributing independently of complement factor H to disease risk.
Zareparsi S, Buraczynska M, Branham KE, Shah S, Eng D, Li M, Pawar H, Yashar BM, Moroi SE, Lichter PR, Petty HR, Richards JE, Abecasis GR, Elner VM, Swaroop A
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Toll-like receptor 4 variant D299G is associated with susceptibility to age-related macular degeneration.
Seddon JM, Yu Y, Miller EC, Reynolds R, Tan PL, Gowrisankar S, Goldstein JI, Triebwasser M, Anderson HE, Zerbib J, Kavanagh D, Souied E, Katsanis N, Daly MJ, Atkinson JP, Raychaudhuri S
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Rare variants in CFI, C3 and C9 are associated with high risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration.
