# Immunologic Determinants of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

> **NIH NIH R01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $455,858

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the major cause of visual impairment and blindness
in persons >65 years of age in the United States and the 3rd leading cause of blindness
worldwide. Several lines of evidence implicate immune activation and inflammation in the
pathogenesis of AMD, including biomarkers of systemic inflammation as risk factors for
AMD, complement deposition in drusen, complement and chemokine genetic polymorphisms as
risk factors for AMD and circulating activated monocytes in patients with AMD. Antiretroviral
(ART)-treated, immune-restored, HIV-infected persons have accentuated and accelerated
aging, an age-adjusted shortened lifespan due to age-related diseases, and immune system
changes similar to those seen in >70 year-old HIV-uninfected persons (immunosenescence).
Data from the Longitudinal Study of the Ocular Complications of AIDS (LSOCA) cohort show an
~4-fold increased prevalence and a 1.75-fold increased incidence of intermediate-stage AMD
vs. that seen in HIV-uninfected cohorts. Preliminary data from LSOCA suggest that monocyte
activation and systemic inflammation are risk factors for AMD. Cryopreserved blood specimens
from LSOCA will be evaluated for inflammatory biomarkers and chemokines as risk factors for
AMD, using nested case-control design and time-updated analyses. Blood biomarkers and
chemokines evaluated will be those known to be operative in ART-treated, HIV-infected persons
and in HIV-uninfected older persons focusing on those related to monocyte activation.
Biomarkers identified as relevant to AMD in the LSOCA cohort will be evaluated in HIV-
uninfected persons using cryopreserved specimens from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study
(AREDS) cohort. Levels of biomarkers and chemokines will be correlated with AMD risk gene
polymorphisms in both cohorts. A discovery-based approach will be used to identify plasma
proteomic risk factors for AMD in both the LSOCA and AREDS cohorts. These studies will lead
to an improved understanding of the roles of inflammation, immune activation, and immune-
senescence in the pathogenesis of AMD and of the biology of aging.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10296003
- **Project number:** 2R01EY025093-06A1
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Douglas A Jabs
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $455,858
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2016-03-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10296003

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10296003, Immunologic Determinants of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) (2R01EY025093-06A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10296003. Licensed CC0.

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