Aerobic Glycolysis Hypothesis Through WNT/Beta-Catenin Pathway in Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by molecular mechanisms responsible for the initiation of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Inflammatory processes are associated with upregulation of the canonical WNT/beta-catenin pathway in exudative AMD. We focus this review on the link between WNT/beta-catenin pathway activation and neovascular progression in exudative AMD through activation of aerobic glycolysis for production of angiogenic factors. Increased WNT/beta-catenin pathway involves hexokinase 2 (HK2) and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2). WNT/beta-catenin pathway stimulates PI3K/Akt pathway and then HIF-1alpha which activates glycolytic enzymes: glucose transporter (Glut), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A), and monocarboxylate lactate transporter (MCT-1). This phenomenon is called aerobic glycolysis or the Warburg effect. Consequently, phosphorylation of PDK-1 inhibits the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH). Thus, a large part of pyruvate cannot be converted into acetyl-CoA in mitochondria and only a part of acetyl-CoA can enter the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Cytosolic pyruvate is converted into lactate through the action of LDH-A. In exudative AMD, high level of cytosolic lactate is correlated with increase of VEGF expression, the angiogenic factor of CNV. Photoreceptors in retina cells can metabolize glucose through aerobic glycolysis to protect them against oxidative damage, as cancer cells do.