potential new treatment for macular degeneration
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

The leading cause of vision loss among the elderly

Potential new treatment For Macular Degeneration

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today Potential new treatment For Macular Degeneration

Researchers at the University of Virginia
London - Egypt Today

Researchers at the University of Virginia in the US have discovered a critical trigger for macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss among the elderly. The finding may allow doctors to halt the inflammation early on, potentially saving millions of patients from blindness.

Researchers say they have found one of the very early events that trigger the inflammation, which ultimately damages cells in the retina and causes blindness. By being able to interfere in the very early stage of the onset of macular degeneration, doctors would be able to provide effective treatment for the disease.

The new research has identified an enzyme called cGAS as being responsible for triggering the onset of macular degeneration. The same enzyme also plays an important role in the body’s immune system against infections.

The researchers noted that cGAS may be an alarm not just for pathogens but for other harmful problems that warrant responses from the immune system. Because the target is an enzyme, researchers say they could develop small molecules that could block it. There are many drugs already on the market that target specific enzymes, such as the statins, which are used to lower cholesterol levels, the team pointed out.

The promising new lead comes as good news for researchers seeking to develop new treatments for dry macular degeneration, as clinical trials in recent years have come to dead end after dead end. Over 200 million people around the world are estimated to have macular degeneration.

The UVA researchers expect the development of a drug to inhibit cGAS will take several years, and that drug would then need to go through extensive testing to determine its safety and effectiveness for combating macular degeneration. The researchers also hope to develop a way to detect the levels of the enzyme in patients' eyes, which would let them determine when best to administer a treatment that blocks cGAS

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

potential new treatment for macular degeneration potential new treatment for macular degeneration



GMT 09:23 2019 Friday ,30 August

Testing

GMT 17:09 2017 Friday ,29 December

At least 14 dead in Mumbai fire

GMT 13:44 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Nine-time champion Loeb set for 2018 cameo

GMT 13:08 2017 Tuesday ,26 September

Bahrain's aluminum industry thriving, manned by 12,184

GMT 08:50 2017 Sunday ,03 December

Reza Zarrab, the star witness unnerving Ankara

GMT 18:26 2018 Friday ,14 December

Mashrou’ Leila headline Apple event in Dubai

GMT 12:35 2018 Thursday ,01 November

UN chief appoints new special envoy for Syria

GMT 12:41 2016 Friday ,09 December

Blatter blasts Infantino over lack of respect

GMT 03:22 2011 Thursday ,05 May

The Leela Palace New Delhi opens

GMT 10:13 2015 Saturday ,03 January

Fashion East reveals AW15 men's presentation line-up

GMT 13:24 2017 Sunday ,13 August

Plane makes emergency landing at Cairo airport

GMT 11:06 2016 Thursday ,15 September

WADA urges Russia to stop doping hacks

GMT 14:05 2014 Thursday ,18 December

Airbnb in Amsterdam tourist tax deal, first in Europe

GMT 09:26 2016 Monday ,29 August

Egypt seeks tougher penalties

GMT 09:08 2018 Wednesday ,10 January

Federer eyes fresh 'fairytale' as Slam rivals struggle
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday