Diet, metabolomics, microbiome, and proteolytic processes related to retinal diseases

Authors: TAYLOR, ALLEN - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2018
Publication Date: 4/2/2018
Citation: Taylor, A. 2018. Diet, metabolomics, microbiome, and proteolytic processes related to retinal diseases [abstract]. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology 2018. 59(9):2974.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A plethora of literature attests to the advantages of consuming lower glycemia diets (LG) with respect to cardio vascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes and, more recently, age related macular degeneration (AMD). Intervention trials are required to prove the associations and to design new pharmacologic approaches for visual health. In order to justify them, we studied diet-AMD relationships in two models. As in humans, LG diets fed to mice protect against many features of AMD. Impressively, this benefit was observed even in Nrf2-/- mice, that are compromised with regard to antioxidant defenses. Specific metabolites that are associated with AMD features include pentosidine, glucosepane, fatty acids and microbial cometabolites such as serotonin. Mechanistic investigations into protein quality control pathways, including the ubiquitin and autophagic lysosomal pathways, indicate that both are involved in removal of glycatively modified proteins. Glycative stress compromises autophagosome assembly and proteolysis by autophagic and ubiquitin proteolytic pathways. P62 is a chaperone that chaperones glycated cargo to the autophagic pathways. We conclude that consuming LG diets and lower glycative stress provide multiple health benefits including enhanced protein quality control capacities, more beneficial microbiome composition, retention of normal lipid metabolism.