Murine<i>Ccl2/Cx3cr1</i>Deficiency Results in Retinal Lesions Mimicking Human Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Abstract

The authors concluded that Ccl2(-/-)/Cx3cr1(-/-) mice develop a broad spectrum of AMD abnormalities with early onset and high penetrance. These observations implicate certain chemokines and endoplasmic reticulum proteins in AMD pathogenesis. Similar to the mechanism of neurodegeneration caused by dysfunction of endoplasmic reticulum proteins, decreased chaperoning may cause misfolded protein accumulation, leading to drusen formation and retinal degeneration.