MicroRNAs: Micromanagers for the pathology of age related macular degeneration

Inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and neovascularization are risky parameters which influence different phases in the pathogenesis of age related macular degeneration (AMD). Beside other mediators, this multitiered and complex event of retinal worsening has been exposed to be orchestrated by small non coding RNA fragments that bind to specific mRNAs and modulate their post transcriptional regulation and gene expression in retina. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been revealed which are expressed in retina and influence its functionality. These miRNA fragments play significant role in the development and maintenance of photoreceptors hence, dysregulation of them may augment severe retinal etiopathology. This comprehensive review summarizes the role and relevance of several known miRNAs along with their potential utilities as therapeutic targets in AMD pathogenesis

Prevalence and predictors of age related macular degeneration in the population of Punjab: North Indian age related macular degeneration epidemiology and molecular genetic study (NI-ARMEMS)

Background: Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is an ocular disease that is threatening elderly population of Punjab for vision impairment and blindness. Comprehensive understanding of the susceptible factors still remains to be explored in this region. Objective: To examine the risk variables which are independently associated with the risk of AMD along with the investigation of its prevalence in the population of Punjab. Methods: A case-control study by design involved 416 subjects (cases; 219, controls; 197) of age ranging from 45 to 75 years. Various risk factors were investigated for their role in consenting and confirmed AMD subjects along with controls. Results: In the univariate full factorial regression analysis, advancing age (≥66years), being a woman, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (>80mmHg), cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, body mass index (BMI) (23-29.9Kgm-2 and ≥30Kgm-2 ), sedentary life style, total cholesterol (>200mg/dl), low density lipoproteins (>100mg/dl), high density lipoproteins (≥40mg/dl), non-vegetarian diet and positive family history were found to be risky determinants. Multivariable stepwise regression analysis revealed age ≥66 years, DBP > 80mmHg, alcohol drinking and smoking as independent predictors for the risk of AMD. Conclusion: Considerable prevalence of dry AMD (20.5%) is evident in the population of Punjab which is mediated independently by age (≥66 years), DBP (>80 mmHg), alcohol drinking and smoking

Risk of depression in subjects with type 2 diabetes Is modulated by a genetic variant within DRD4 gene: North Indian diabetes-depression link exploration study (NIDDLES)

The role and relevance of DRD4 gene SNPs for the risk of depression in type 2 diabetes remains to be clarified. To investigate its association, present cross sectional study was conducted on 399 type 2 diabetics who were diagnosed for depression using primary health care questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) > 10 criteria. 191 subjects were depressed whereas, 208 subjects were found to be clinically non-depressed. Minor allele frequencies of two DRD4 SNPs rs1800955 and rs747302 were 0.45, 0.42 and 0.42, 0.34 in depressed and non depressed subjects respectively. C allele of rs747302 showed risk of depression (OR 1.41 95% CI 1.05- 1.87, P= 0.024) in comparison to G allele. It has been observed that carriers of CC genotype had approximately double the risk of depression (OR 1.96 95% CI 1.08- 3.56, P= 0.03) than GG carriers and this risk manifests in recessive mode