[Pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration - dialogue between autophagy and inflammasomes] .

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration is a condition affecting central vision, and is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the western countries. For a long time, inflammation has been associated with the pathogenesis of the condition, and according to current knowledge, inflammation in the retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) results from an impairment of intracellular cleansing systems. In combination with the degeneration of RPE cells, this eventually leads to the destruction of light-sensing cells. By influencing the accumulation or elimination of waste material or the inflammatory reaction following its accumulation we may in the future possibly slow the progression of the disease or, in the best case, even cure it.