Topical anakinra (Kineret), an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist generally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, may be effective in treating dry eye disease.

 

This surprising discovery was made by American researchers who had found that dry eye disease is associated with an overexpression of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 (IL-1).

 

The study on topical anakinra involved 75 patients, divided into three groups. One group was treated with a basic lubricant, another with a solution containing 2.5% of anakinra and the third with a solution containing 5% of anakinra. Treatment with anakinra was well tolerated by patients and much more effective than artificial tears. At 2.5%, anakinra was four times more likely to eliminate corneal staining and six times more effective in reducing symptoms.

 

“We have never seen results such as this before in a trial to treat dry eye disease,” said Dr. Reza Dana, lead researcher. “We possibly have found a safe, well tolerated eye drop that can treat the underlying cause of dry eye rather than just temporarily mask the symptoms.”

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130418162310.htm

Combining two treatments are effective in defeating certain inherited disorders that cause blindness.

 

In 2010, András Komáromy and colleagues at Michigan State University succeeded in reversing vision loss in puppies with achromatopsia by replacing the mutant gene associated with this disease. However, this treatment had only worked on dogs less than a year old. The researchers wondered whether this was due to the fact that the photoreceptor cells of older dogs were too degenerated. This gave rise to the idea of a second study.

 

“How about if we selectively destroy the light-sensitive part of the cones and let it grow back before performing gene therapy? Then you’d have a younger, less degenerated cell that may be more responsive to therapy,” explained professor Komáromy.

 

They were astounded by the results. “All seven dogs that got the combination treatment responded, regardless of age,” said András Komáromy. “Based on our results, we are proposing a new concept of retinal therapy. One treatment option alone might not be enough to reverse vision loss, but a combination therapy can maximize therapeutic success.”

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130409110008.htm

German researchers have discovered that genes controlling blood vessel growth in the retina of mice are “switched on” by the protein serum response factor (SRF).

 

This is a major finding, as many severe eye diseases are caused by the retina containing either too few or too many blood vessels. The results of the study therefore provide a starting point for the development of treatments for defective retinae and vitreous bodies.

 

The researchers at the University of Tübingen discovered that by eliminating this protein, they could artificially induce a certain disease profile in newborn and adult mice. Among the most interesting aspects of this research are the fact that this procedure produced different results depending on the age of the mouse and the resemblance to human diseases.

 

When the SRF was switched off in embryos or newborns, the blood vessels in the retinae were not fully developed. Their eye problems resembled vitreoretinopathy or Norrie disease. In adult mice, however, the procedure produced too many blood vessels in the retina, leading to a condition similar to that found in people with AMD.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130408133509.htm

The four gene variants linked to the development of AMD do not influence how patients respond to treatment using Lucentis and Avastin.

 

The gene variants CFH, ARMS2, HTRA1 and C3 encourage the onset of AMD. Researchers wanted to find out whether they also affected patient response to drugs used to treat the “wet” form of the disease. This would have allowed them to tailor treatment based on a patient’s genetic profile.

 

The researchers also studied the genotypes of 73% of the 1,149 participants in the Comparison of AMD Treatment Trials (CATT). Then the patients’ gene types were compared to their responses to treatment. Unfortunately, they did not find an association among the genes and the treatment responses. These results confirm those from a study conducted in 2012 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

 

“Our genetic research team remains hopeful that gene variants that predict patient response to AMD treatments will be identified soon,” said Dr. Stephanie Hagstrom, lead researcher in the CATT study. This would enable a significant advance in ophthalmologists’ ability to individualize treatment. 

 

Source: http://www.aao.org/newsroom/release/20130213.cfm

Research on vision loss has always focused heavily on biochemical processes. However, two Swedish researchers are now stressing the importance of biomechanical processes.

 

“We have not previously understood the mechanisms behind glaucoma and retinal detachment, but we knew that these diseases had a strong mechanical component,” explained researchers Fredrik Ghosh and Linnéa Taylor at the Lund University. “Our findings could form an initial explanation as to why we develop these diseases.”

 

The researchers used technological innovations to grow retinal tissue from pigs in a mechanical state similar to that present in the living eye. This allowed them to perform longer studies before the retina lost its structure and the cells died.

 

“This gives us new tools to understand in a more concrete manner how biomechanical factors in the central nervous system influence the health of cells when we are healthy and when we suffer from diseases,” said the researchers.

 

The results show that when the biomechanical balance is disturbed, as happens in glaucoma and retinal detachment, the normal function of the retina is lost, resulting in serious vision loss.

 

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130403104102.htm