CC chemokine
CC chemokine receptor-3 as new target for age-related macular degeneration.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex disease, which is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. CCR3 is a chemokine receptor present on basophils and eosinophils. The main role of CCR3 is to activate and recruit eosinophils to the site of inflammation and stimulate macrophage activation. These activated eosinophils can release reactive oxygen species which contribute to host tissue damage during chronic inflammatory responses. Although CCR3 is known for inflammation but its studies are lacking in AMD patients. Therefore, we sought to determine any possible association between CCR3 and inflammatory processes that occur in choroid neovascularization. In the study a total of 176 subjects were recruited on the basis of inclusion criteria. 115 AMD patients and 61 normal controls were used for the comparison. Real time PCR was carried out to analyze the single nucleotide polymorphism in CCR3 of AMD patients and normal controls. Genotype frequency was adjusted for possible confounders like cigarette smoking, alcohol, meat consumption and other risk factors to find the association of these with AMD. Chi-square test was used to determine the polymorphism of CCR3 in human AMD patients. The genotype distribution of CCR3 (rs3091250) polymorphism was found to be significantly different in AMD patients in the Indian population. Both the heterozygous (GT) and homozygous (TT) genotypes at rs3091250 SNP were found to be significantly more frequent in AMD patients as compared to the GG genotypes. There was no significant difference between AMD patients in wet and dry. A significant association between AMD and CCR3 (rs3091250) polymorphism localized on chromosome 3p21.3 was detected. The results suggested the possible contribution of rs3091250 allele in AMD. From the study it can be postulated that for early detection of CNV, CCR3 could be a novel marker which can be exploited as a new therapeutic entity through future studies.
Sharma N K, Gupta A , Prabhakar S , Singh R, Bhatt A K, Anand A. CC chemokine receptor-3 as new target for age-related macular degeneration. Gene 523 (2013) 106–111
