Olin K L, Morse L S, Murphy C, Paul-Murphy J, Line S, Bellhorn R W, Hjelmeland L M, Keen C L
Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis 95616.
Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1995 Apr;208(4):370-7. doi: 10.3181/00379727-208-43864.
Research into the mechanisms underlying the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of visual loss in the United States and Europe in people over 60 years old, has been limited in part by the lack of animal models for this disease. In the current study, we examined 62 elderly (> or = 20 years old) rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) for the presence and severity of macular drusen. Drusen were observed in 47% of the macaques; they were similar histologically and in clinical appearance to the drusen observed in humans with AMD. It has been proposed that excessive tissue free radical damage may contribute to the development of AMD. Thus, circulating levels of select components of the free radical defense system and plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), an estimate of lipid peroxides, were measured in the above animals. Macaques diagnosed with drusen were characterized by alterations in concentrations and activities of several components of the free radical defense system. Alterations were most evident with respect to those enzymes associated with copper. The concept that excessive oxidative lipid damage might be a factor contributing to the occurrence of this disease is suggested by the findings of higher plasma TBARS concentrations in animals with > 10 drusen compared with animals without drusen.
年龄相关性黄斑变性（AMD）是美国和欧洲60岁以上人群视力丧失的主要原因，对其发病机制的研究部分受到该疾病动物模型缺乏的限制。在当前研究中，我们检查了62只老年（≥20岁）恒河猴（猕猴）黄斑玻璃膜疣的存在情况和严重程度。在47%的猕猴中观察到了玻璃膜疣；它们在组织学和临床表现上与AMD患者中观察到的玻璃膜疣相似。有人提出，过多的组织自由基损伤可能促成AMD的发展。因此，我们检测了上述动物体内自由基防御系统特定成分的循环水平以及血浆硫代巴比妥酸反应性物质（TBARS，一种脂质过氧化物的指标）。被诊断患有玻璃膜疣的猕猴表现为自由基防御系统几种成分的浓度和活性发生改变。与铜相关的那些酶的改变最为明显。与没有玻璃膜疣的动物相比，有超过10个玻璃膜疣的动物血浆TBARS浓度更高，这一发现提示过多的氧化脂质损伤可能是导致该疾病发生的一个因素。
