Scientists from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, working with international partners, have made a major discovery that could help prevent or slow down age-related macular degeneration (AMD)—one of the most common causes of vision loss in people over 50.
Their study, published in Nature Communications, focuses on a blood molecule called apolipoprotein M (ApoM) and its role in eye health and cholesterol management.
Age-related macular degeneration is a condition that affects the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision. As people age, cholesterol and other substances can build up under the retina, leading to inflammation and damage to the cells that help us see. In early stages, a person might not notice any changes, but over time, AMD can cause serious vision loss.
There are two types: dry and wet. Dry AMD is more common and causes slow vision loss, while wet AMD involves the growth of abnormal blood vessels and can damage the eye more quickly. Current treatments only help with late-stage disease, and they can’t restore lost vision.
The research team, led by eye doctor Rajendra Apte and heart specialist Ali Javaheri, studied how cholesterol is processed in the body and how that affects the eyes.
They focused on ApoM, a molecule that plays a role in clearing bad cholesterol from the body. ApoM is part of the “good” cholesterol system and is known to help reduce inflammation. However, levels of ApoM naturally go down as we age.
The researchers found that people with AMD had lower ApoM levels in their blood compared to healthy people. Previous studies had already shown that people with heart failure also have low ApoM. This suggested that ApoM might play a key role in both eye and heart health, especially since both the eye’s retina and the heart muscle are sensitive to cholesterol build-up.
Using mice that had features of AMD, the researchers boosted ApoM levels either by changing their genes or by giving them blood plasma from other mice. The results were promising. The mice had healthier retinas, better-functioning light-sensing cells, and fewer harmful cholesterol deposits.
The study also found that ApoM helps break down cholesterol inside cell parts called lysosomes, which are responsible for clearing out waste. But for ApoM to work properly, it must be connected to another molecule called sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). Together, they help keep cholesterol under control and reduce inflammation.
This finding suggests that boosting ApoM in older adults could become a new way to treat or even prevent AMD—before vision is lost. It might also help patients with heart failure, since the same cholesterol problems affect both the eye and the heart.
Drs. Apte and Javaheri have started a company called Mobius Scientific to develop treatments based on this discovery. With support from Washington University’s Office of Technology Management, the company hopes to turn this research into real solutions for patients in the future.
In summary, this study opens a new path in the fight against age-related blindness. Instead of only treating the symptoms in the late stages of AMD, we may soon be able to stop the disease much earlier by restoring healthy cholesterol processing through increasing ApoM levels. This could help protect vision and heart health in millions of aging adults around the world.
If you care about eye health, please read studies about how vitamin B may help fight vision loss, and MIND diet may reduce risk of vision loss disease.
For more information about eye disease, please see recent studies about how to protect your eyes from glaucoma, and results showing this eye surgery may reduce dementia risk.
The research findings can be found in Nature Communications.
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