New discovery may help stop age-related eye disease at molecular level

Washington, Jan 5 (ANI): Researchers at University College London say their new findings may help stop age-related macular degeneration at the molecular level.

The researchers say that they have gleaned a key insight into the molecular beginnings of the No. 1 cause of vision loss in the elderly by determining how two key proteins interact to naturally prevent the onset of the condition.

They have found how a common blood protein linked to the eye condition reins in another protein that, when produced in vastly increased amounts in the presence of inflammation or infection, can damage the eye.

"By starting to understand these interactions in greater detail, we can begin to devise methods that will ultimately prevent the development of blindness in the elderly," said Zuby Okemefuna, the lead author of the study.

The study to be published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. (ANI)