TY - JOUR
T1 - Regulation of age-related macular degeneration-like pathology by complement factor H
AU - Toomey, Christopher B.
AU - Kelly, Una
AU - Saban, Daniel R.
AU - Rickman, Catherine Bowes
PY - 2015/6/9
Y1 - 2015/6/9
N2 - Complement factor H (CFH) is a major susceptibility gene for agerelated macular degeneration (AMD); however, its impact on AMD pathobiology is unresolved. Here, the role of CFH in the development of AMD pathology in vivo was interrogated by analyzing aged Cfh+/- and Cfh-/- mice fed a high-fat, cholesterol-enriched diet. Strikingly, decreased levels of CFH led to increased sub-retinal pigmented epithelium (sub-RPE) deposit formation, specifically basal laminar deposits, following high-fat diet. Mechanistically, our data show that deposits are due to CFH competition for lipoprotein binding sites in Bruch's membrane. Interestingly and despite sub-RPE deposit formation occurring in both Cfh+/- and Cfh-/- mice, RPE damage accompanied by loss of vision occurred only in old Cfh+/- mice. We demonstrate that such pathology is a function of excess complement activation in Cfh+/- mice versus complement deficiency in Cfh-/- animals. Due to the CFH-dependent increase in sub-RPE deposit height, we interrogated the potential of CFH as a previously unidentified regulator of Bruch's membrane lipoprotein binding and show, using human Bruch's membrane explants, that CFH removes endogenous human lipoproteins in aged donors. Thus, advanced age, high-fat diet, and decreased CFH induce sub-RPE deposit formation leading to complement activation, which contributes to RPE damage and visual function impairment. This new understanding of the complicated interactions of CFH in AMD-like pathology provides an improved foundation for the development of targeted therapies for AMD.
AB - Complement factor H (CFH) is a major susceptibility gene for agerelated macular degeneration (AMD); however, its impact on AMD pathobiology is unresolved. Here, the role of CFH in the development of AMD pathology in vivo was interrogated by analyzing aged Cfh+/- and Cfh-/- mice fed a high-fat, cholesterol-enriched diet. Strikingly, decreased levels of CFH led to increased sub-retinal pigmented epithelium (sub-RPE) deposit formation, specifically basal laminar deposits, following high-fat diet. Mechanistically, our data show that deposits are due to CFH competition for lipoprotein binding sites in Bruch's membrane. Interestingly and despite sub-RPE deposit formation occurring in both Cfh+/- and Cfh-/- mice, RPE damage accompanied by loss of vision occurred only in old Cfh+/- mice. We demonstrate that such pathology is a function of excess complement activation in Cfh+/- mice versus complement deficiency in Cfh-/- animals. Due to the CFH-dependent increase in sub-RPE deposit height, we interrogated the potential of CFH as a previously unidentified regulator of Bruch's membrane lipoprotein binding and show, using human Bruch's membrane explants, that CFH removes endogenous human lipoproteins in aged donors. Thus, advanced age, high-fat diet, and decreased CFH induce sub-RPE deposit formation leading to complement activation, which contributes to RPE damage and visual function impairment. This new understanding of the complicated interactions of CFH in AMD-like pathology provides an improved foundation for the development of targeted therapies for AMD.
KW - Age-related macular degeneration
KW - Complement
KW - Factor H
KW - Lipoprotein
KW - Retinal pigmented epithelium
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U2 - 10.1073/pnas.1424391112
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1424391112
M3 - Article
C2 - 25991857
AN - SCOPUS:84931291540
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 112
SP - E3040-E3049
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 23
ER -