Genetic Determinants Highlight the Existence of Shared Etiopathogenetic Mechanisms Characterizing Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Neurodegenerative Disorders

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) showed several processes and risk factors in common with neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs). The present work explored the existence of genetic determinants associated with AMD, which may provide insightful clues concerning its relationship with NDDs and their possible application into the clinical practice. In this study, 400 AMD patients were subjected to the genotyping analysis of 120 genetic variants by OpenArray technology. As the reference group, 503 samples representative of the European general population were utilized. Statistical analysis revealed the association of 23 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with AMD risk. The analysis of epistatic effects revealed that ARMS2, IL6, APOE, and IL2RA could contribute to AMD and neurodegenerative processes by synergistic modulation of the expression of disease-relevant genes. In addition, the bioinformatic analysis of the associated miRNA variants highlighted miR-196a, miR-6796, miR-6499, miR-6810, miR-499, and miR-7854 as potential candidates for counteracting AMD and neurodegenerative processes. Finally, this work highlighted the existence of shared disease mechanisms (oxidative stress, immune-inflammatory response, mitochondrial dysfunction, axonal guidance pathway, and synaptogenesis) between AMD and NDDs and described the associated SNPs as candidate biomarkers for developing novel strategies for early diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of such disorders in a progressive aging population.