Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2007

Mentor: Yu-Guang He, MD
Department: Ophthalmology
Room number: E5-710
Mail Code: 9057
Phone number: (214) 648-3838
E-mail: yuguang.he@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title: Platelet-Activating Factor (PAF) in the Pathogenesis of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A

Project Type:
basic research;

Brief Description of Project:

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness for the elderly. Recently, a considerable amount of evidence has accrued which would link AMD to the inflammatory process. PAF is the most potent proinflammatory lipid mediator described and is produced by various cell types, including platelets, neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, and endothelial cells. It has been well established that PAF is involved in number of disease processes, including asthma, sepsis, cardiac infarction, cerebral ischemia, hypertension, gastric ulceration, etc.

Our research group has therefore hypothesis that PAF may play a pathogenic role in development of AMD. We have examined the expression of PAF receptor (PAF-R) in human eyes and cultured human retinal epithelial cells. We also had characterized several functions of these receptors, such as the effect of exogenous PAF and PAF-R antagonists on production of VEGF by human RPE cells and its effect on proliferation and apoptosis of RPE cells. These were very important initial steps to study the possible link between PAF and AMD.

For this proposed period, we plan to study the effects of oxidation and inflammation on expression of PAF and PAF receptors in human RPE cells. Achieve these goals will help us to identify exact pathogenic role of PAF and how we can control it.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

Last summer, MSIV, Ms. Maylon Hsu, worked in my Lab for 50 days. She and my research associates have developed a system to analyze the effect of PAF on the migration and proliferation of choroidal endothelial cells. The result has been submitted for publication. The abstract has been accepted for presentation in upcoming Annul Meeting in Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in May, 2007.

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