Aging induces cell loss and a decline in phagosome processing in the mouse retinal pigment epithelium

JYW Ma; U Greferath; JHC Wong; LJ Fothergill; AI Jobling; KA Vessey; EL Fletcher

Journal article

Aging induces cell loss and a decline in phagosome processing in the mouse retinal pigment epithelium

JYW Ma, U Greferath, JHC Wong, LJ Fothergill, AI Jobling, KA Vessey, EL Fletcher

Neurobiology of Aging | Published : 2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.03.003

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Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss and dysfunction in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) with age is known to contribute to disease development. The aim of this study was to investigate how the C57BL/6J mouse RPE changes with age. RPE structure was found to change with age and eccentricity, with cell size increasing, nuclei lost, and tight junctions altered in the peripheral retina. Phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments (POS) by the RPE was investigated using gene expression analysis and histology. RNA-Seq transcriptomic gene profiling of the RPE showed a downregulation of genes involved in phagosome processing and histological anal..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Jessica Ma Author

Una Greferath Author

Linda Fothergill Author

Andrew Jobling Author

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Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council [National Health and Medical Research Council: Synergy Grant; APP1181010]; National Health and Medical Research Council [National Health and Medical Research Council; APP1138253]; National Health and Medical Research Council [Award number: National Health and Medical Research Council; APP2011200].