The following is a summary of “Association of NLRPs with pathogenesis of dry age-related macular degeneration,” published in the November 2023 issue of Opthalmology by Zeng et al.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), particularly its dry subtype, remains a prevalent cause of vision loss, with NOD-like receptors (NLRs) emerging as potential therapeutic targets.

Researchers performed a retrospective study to investigate the role of NLRs in the pathogenesis of dry AMD from a chronic inflammation perspective.

They engaged 13 individuals diagnosed with dry AMD, 10 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals, and 8 patients with wet AMD as controls. RT-qPCR was utilized to compare NLR mRNA expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) among the three groups to analyze statistical differences in expression contents.

The results showed a notable decrease in relative RNA expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization-like receptor protein 12 (NLRP12), responsible for inflammation regulation, in dry AMD patients compared to normal individuals and those with wet AMD. Additionally, NLRX1, known for its anti-inflammatory role, showed reduced levels in dry AMD patients versus those with wet AMD. Conversely, the proinflammatory NLRP3 exhibited significant expression in wet AMD cases.

Investigators concluded that NLRP12’s reduced expression in dry AMD could lead to new therapeutic approaches, while NLRP3 may play a more prominent role in wet AMD.

Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10792-023-02889-7