Increased VEGF-A promotes multiple distinct aging diseases of the eye through shared pathomechanisms.

ABSTRACT: While increased VEGF-A has been associated with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), it is not known whether VEGF-A may also promote other age-related eye diseases. Here, we show that an increase in VEGF-A is sufficient to cause multiple distinct common aging diseases of the eye, including cataracts and both neovascular and non-exudative AMD-like pathologies. In the lens, increased VEGF-A induces age-related opacifications that are associated with ERK hyperactivation, increased oxidative damage, and higher expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome effector cytokine IL-1β. Similarly, increased VEGF-A induces oxidative stress and IL-1β expression also in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Targeting NLRP3 inflammasome components or Il1r1 strongly inhibited not only VEGF-A-induced

SUBMITTER: Marneros AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4772957 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature