There is a significant association between advanced AMD and a variant of the LIPC gene – AMD gene?

“the finding could lead to insights regarding (AMD) disease progression”

In May, 2010, at a Fort Lauderdale, Florida Conference Of Vision Research for Ophthalmologists, it was announced that a gene had been significantly linked to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Researcher, ophthalmologist and study author, Johanna M. Seddon, M.D. said “the finding could lead to insights regarding (AMD) disease progression.”

A variant in the hepatic lipase (LIPC) gene is involved in encoding triglyceride and high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol function. LIPC is a critical enzyme in HDL metabolism. And since the study (and other previous research) shows that cholesterol biosynthesis could be involved in AMD, it suggests that people at a genetic risk for AMD should take measures to control their cholesterol.

Although there is much more to study in terms of LIPC’s role in cholesterol uptake in the retina, Dr. Seddon findings seem to echo what The Macula Center’s Dr. Deupree has been telling his patients for years: Refrain from smoking, eat dark green leafy vegetables, eat food rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and exercise.

At the very least, the study results demonstrate that cholesterol biosynthesis may be involved in AMD and supports data and Dr. Deupree’s belief that cholesterol plays a role in the pathology that leads to AMD.

Log on to www.MaculaCenter.com frequently to stay updated on new retina disease research.

Ref: Fran Lowry; TMC, 7-2010