Repurposing an orally available drug for the treatment of geographic atrophy.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Chronic oxidative stress and subacute inflammation have been implicated as causes of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In this study, we tested whether an orally available 5-OH-tryptamine (5HT) 1a receptor agonist, xaliproden, could protect against retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell damage in culture and in a mouse model of geographic atrophy.

Methods

Paraquat was used to create mitochondrial oxidative stress in ARPE-19 cells, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was used to stimulate the production of inflammatory cytokines in these cells. The production of antioxidant proteins, metallothionein, and inflammatory cytokines was assayed with quantitative real-time PCR. Cell survival was analyzed with microscopy and a cell titer assay. Integrity of the RPE monol

SUBMITTER: Ahmed CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4818958 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature