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Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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Para-inflammation in the aging retina.

Heping Xu¹, Mei Chen, John V Forrester

¹Immunology and Infection, Division of Applied Medicine, University of Aberdeen School of Medicine, Foresterhill, UK. h.xu@abdn.ac.uk

Progress in Retinal and Eye Research

|June 30, 2009

Summary

Para-inflammation, a state between basal and inflammatory responses, contributes to aging retina diseases. Understanding this adaptive tissue response is key to preventing age-related retinal pathologies.

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Area of Science:

Ophthalmology and immunology
Cellular and molecular biology

Background:

Para-inflammation is a tissue's adaptive response to stress, intermediate between basal and overt inflammatory states.
Chronic para-inflammation is implicated in diseases like obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and neurodegeneration.
Para-inflammation is increasingly recognized in the aging retina, potentially contributing to age-related pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce the concept of para-inflammation to the retinal research community.
To highlight its role as a state between non-inflammatory cell removal and destructive inflammation.
To discuss its contribution to age-related retinal diseases.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature and studies on para-inflammation in various tissues and the aging retina.
Analysis of microarray data showing gene expression changes in the aging retina.
Observation of para-inflammatory markers in aged mouse retinas and choroidal tissues.

Main Results:

In diabetes and atherosclerosis, para-inflammation involves leukocytes and endothelial cells responding to metabolic dysregulation.
In the aging retina, oxidized lipoproteins and free radicals trigger para-inflammation, leading to microglial activation and blood-retinal barrier breakdown.
Aging choroid shows increased thickness, macrophage accumulation, melanocyte abnormalities, and fibrosis, indicative of para-inflammatory changes.

Conclusions:

Para-inflammation is a significant factor in the aging retina, manifesting at both neuroretinal and choroidal levels.
Understanding retinal para-inflammation is crucial for elucidating the pathogenesis of age-related retinal diseases.
Further research into para-inflammation can inform strategies for preventing and treating conditions like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration.