cGAS pathway and retinal damage in age-related macular degeneration
cGAS signaling in oxidative retinal damage
This research looks at whether the immune sensor cGAS causes oxidative damage that harms retinal cells in people with age-related macular degeneration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11302638 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As someone concerned about AMD, this project studies how oxidative stress makes bits of DNA escape inside retinal cells and trigger the cGAS-STING immune pathway. The team will use both acute and slow mouse models that mimic retinal oxidative damage to trace how self-DNA moves into the cell fluid and which signals lead to cell loss. They will identify which parts of the cGAS-STING response are harmful and test targets that might be blocked to protect retinal structure and function. Although most work is in the lab with mice and tissue samples, the goal is to point toward treatments that could later be tested in people with dry (atrophic) AMD.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with early-stage or atrophic (dry) age-related macular degeneration or those at high risk of retinal oxidative damage would be the most relevant candidates for future clinical work stemming from this research.
Not a fit: People with neovascular (wet) AMD or unrelated eye diseases are less likely to benefit from this specific cGAS-targeting approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that slow or prevent vision loss in dry (atrophic) AMD by blocking harmful cGAS-STING immune signaling.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab studies have linked cGAS-STING activation to retinal damage in animal models, but directly targeting this pathway as a therapy for AMD is still novel and untested in humans.
Where this research is happening
Columbus, UNITED STATES
- Ohio State University — Columbus, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kerur, Nagaraj — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Kerur, Nagaraj
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.