By reprogramming the cells of the immune system, being overweight is one of the main non-genetic risk factors for the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), just after smoking.
That’s according to a study published in the journal Science, finding that life stressors disrupt the DNA architecture of inflammatory cells and make them destructive to the eye during aging.
By studying the genes responsible for AMD, scientists realized that variations and mutations only increased the risk of contracting the disease, but did not cause it. It is this assumption that led researchers to think that other factors such as environment and lifestyle should be taken into consideration.
Normally, immune cells keep the eye healthy, but become activated following encounters with pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.
This study demonstrated that immune cells are also activated when the body is exposed to stressors such as excess fat in obesity.
AMD is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, affecting approximately 196 million people in 2020.
This project was led by Dr. Przemyslaw (Mike) Sapieha and led by his postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Masayuki Hata, from the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center and the University of Montreal.