Investigating the Role of Glatiramer in Modulating Immune Effector Cells in a Model of Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting the wellbeing of the aging population. Dysregulation of the immune system is thought to play a vital role in the pathogenesis of AMD. We aim to investigate the potential therapeutic use of Glatiramer, a synthetic co-polymer that can weakly cross-react with neural autoantigens to safely stimulate the reparative effects of autoreactive T cells, in a murine model of advanced AMD.

This model, the laser-induced model of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) will assess the modulatory effect of glatiramer on T cells in relation to key pathological components including abnormal blood vessel growth, recruitment of bone marrow stem cells, local retinal repair cells (microglia) and scar tissue formation. We postulate that glatiramer, by recruiting T cells, will trigger a shift from cellular behaviour that is damaging to the retina to an environment that promotes retinal repair and therefore the preservation of vision.

Ultimately this study will lay the basis for identifying innovative therapeutic approaches that will target novel components of wet AMD. By recruiting T cells, glatiramer is in fact behaving like a vaccine such that the concept of vaccination to prevent AMD (neuroprotective autoimmunity) becomes a realistic possibility in the future.