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Age-related alterations in retinal neurovascular and inflammatory transcripts
Colleen A Van Kirk1, Heather D VanGuilder, Megan Young
1Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
Molecular Vision
|June 3, 2011
Summary
Aging significantly alters retinal gene expression, particularly for inflammation and microvascular pathways, mirroring some diabetes effects. However, aging and diabetes do not present identical retinal molecular changes, suggesting distinct yet overlapping processes.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Gerontology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Aging causes retinal structural and functional changes, impacting neurons and microvasculature via inflammatory pathways.
- Diabetes shares similarities with aging, including visual impairment and vascular dysfunction, leading to the hypothesis of advanced aging in diabetic pathologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of aging on retinal mRNA expression of neurovascular and inflammatory genes.
- To compare age-related gene expression patterns with those previously observed in diabetes.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative PCR was used to assess the relative expression of 36 diabetes-regulated genes in rat retinas across three age groups (3, 12, and 26 months).
- Serum glucose levels were measured at sacrifice.
Main Results:
- Eleven inflammation- and microvascular-related genes, previously upregulated in diabetic rats, showed progressively increasing expression in aged normoglycemic rats.
- Specific neuronal and inflammation-related genes exhibited expression patterns that differed from those seen in diabetes.
Conclusions:
- Retinal molecular changes in aging and diabetes share common para-inflammatory pathways, supporting the advanced aging hypothesis.
- Aging and diabetes induce distinct, non-superimposable retinal genomic responses.
- Age-related gene expression changes indicate para-inflammation contributing to functional decline and suggest potential additive effects with diabetes.
