Anti-HIV Drugs Linked to Decreased Vision Loss

by Rajshri on  May 24, 2008 at 3:35 PM Drug News
  •   Print
  •   Share
  •   Comments
  •  Text 
Researchers from Harvard Medical School, Boston, and Inserm U848, France have revealed that anti-HIV drugs may be useful in reducing vision loss.

The study conducted using a mouse model has shown that anti-HIV drugs known as protease inhibitors may reduce the cause of some forms of vision loss.

Vision loss often occurs due to the death (by a process known as apoptosis) of nerve cells in the eye (known as photoreceptors) after retinal detachment.

During the study, mouse with retinal detachment were given HIV protease inhibitors by mouth.

The researchers found that the drugs decreased photoreceptor apoptosis or nerve cell death in the eye.

The analysis of mouse retinal cell cultures and those expressing decreased amounts of specific proteins showed that the HIV protease inhibitors disrupted two molecular pathways that caused cell death, both of which affect the cell compartments known as mitochondria.

As the same apoptotic cell death-inducing pathways were shown to be activated in human retinas after retinal detachment, the authors suggest that although the HIV protease inhibitors cannot reattach the retina, they might be of clinical benefit through their ability to prevent the photoreceptor apoptosis that has a central role in vision loss after retinal detachment.

Source-ANI
RAS/K

 Email Email   RSS Feeds RSS Feeds   Print this page Print   Save this page Save   Link Link   Syndicate Syndicate   Comments Comments   Bookmark and Share
 
Comment & Contribute
Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. Comments are normally moderated and are reviewed after they are posted.
* Your comment can be maximum of 2500 characters

Notify me when reply is posted
I agree to the terms and conditions
  
If you have a question about health related issues, you can now post it in our Ask An Expert section on our community website Medwonders.com and get answers from our panel of experts.
X

Medwonders Health Network

  • Health News Index
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
News Archive
Date :
Category :
Keyword :
  • News Quick Links
News Central Health Watch
Latest Health News Health In Focus
News Category (500+) Breaking Health News
Popular News Celebrating Life
Health News and Press Release Medindia - Exclusive
News Photo Gallery India Special
News Video Gallery Lifestyle and Wellness
News From Other Resources
Vision
Complete Medindia Resources
News Categories:  
Kidney Health Center

Drug Related News

» Revision in Quality Standards for Heparin » Acne Drug Users At High Risk of Developing Eye Infections
» Patients Who Take Antidepressants When in ICU More Likely to Die » New Tablet Coating Product by Ideal Cures, In Geneva
» Prednisolone Benefits Patients With Bell's Palsy » 'Orphan' Sleep Drug may Fight Cancer
» New Drugs for Fox Tapeworm Infection » Poor Quality Antimalarial Drugs Pose Threat
Read More >>