Promotion of the removal of cholesterol from retinal epithelium cells, a potential therapy for treating age related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is most common cause of severe visual impairment in the elderly population in the western world. In the early stage of AMD, focal and diffuse extracellular deposits of debris accumulate between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and a thin membrane, called Bruch’s membrane.  Pathological analyses show the deposits contain a variety of lipids, suggesting a dysregulation of lipid trafficking from RPE cells to Bruch’s membrane. In this project we plan to identify compounds for promoting the removal of cholesterol from the RPE cells, which will offer therapeutic potential for treating AMD patients.