We’d like to congratulate our team members for their hard work on their two recent publications on 1) the genetic polymorphisms and 2) autophagy mechanisms of wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD).
1) Variations in pigmentary genes MC1R and DCT were found to be associated with wAMD. Melanin pigment is known to protect retinal function and changes in its regulation may play a role in the development of wAMD.
2) One of the main characteristics of AMD is the formation of retinal waste deposits called drusen. Amyloid beta, better known for its role in Alzheimer’s disease, is one of their constituents. Our study determined that amyloid beta has a role in the activation of secretory autophagy in retinal pigment epithelium cells and the subsequent formation of drusen in the retinal extracellular space.
Pigmentary genetics: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrep.2026.102477
Secretory autophagy: https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202502464RRR
