Changes in vision are one of the most common signs of aging. If you’re sitting in a dimly lit restaurant with someone over 60, you’ll hear a voice say, “Hold on, let me get my phone out. I need more light to read the menu!” But what if you could reverse that gradual decline in vision?
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine are currently exploring that possibility. Their latest research explores potential treatments aimed at slowing or even reversing the ‘aging’ of the eyes while helping to prevent conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
“We are showing the possibility of reversing age-related vision loss,” says Dr. Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, associate professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. The study included collaborators from the University of California, Irvine, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the University of Health and Medical Sciences in Potsdam, Germany. The survey results are scientific translational medicine It was published in a paper entitled “Retinal polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation reverses age-related visual acuity loss in mice.”
ELOVL2 gene and aging vision
This study builds on previous work that focused on elongation of very long chain fatty acid protein 2 (ELOVL2), a gene widely recognized as a marker of aging. “We showed that when this ELOVL2 enzyme is not active, vision deteriorates,” says Skowronska-Krawczyk, who is also affiliated with the Robert M. Branson Center for Translational Vision Research at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine.
In that initial study, increasing ELOVL2 activity in older mice increased levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the eyes and improved visual function.
The new study aimed to find a way to achieve similar results without relying on the ELOVL2 enzyme itself.
Why does vision deteriorate with age?
As the body ages, changes in lipid metabolism reduce the levels of very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs) in the retina. These molecules are essential for maintaining healthy vision. When their levels decrease, vision can worsen and the risk of AMD increases.
The ELOVL2 gene plays a central role in the production of both VLC-PUFA and DHA, making it an important factor in eye aging.
Fatty acid therapy restores vision in mice
To circumvent the limitations of ELOVL2, researchers tested whether providing the eyes with adequate fatty acids could help. They injected older mice with certain polyunsaturated fatty acids and observed improvements in visual performance.
“This is a proof of concept for turning lipid injections into a possible treatment,” Skowronska-Krawczyk says. “Importantly, we didn’t see the same effect with DHA.” Other studies have also raised questions about whether DHA alone can slow AMD progression.
“Our research really supports the fact that DHA alone cannot work, but we have other fatty acids that improve vision in older animals and appear to work,” she says. “We also showed at the molecular level that it actually reverses the hallmarks of aging.”
Macular degeneration risk and genetic relationship
Researchers also identified genetic variants in the ELOVL2 enzyme that are associated with faster progression of AMD. “We now actually know the genetic link between this disease and its aging aspects,” Skowronska-Krawczyk says. “So we could potentially identify people who are at high risk of developing vision loss.”
This discovery could lead to more targeted treatments and early intervention aimed at preventing severe vision loss.
Promising targets for anti-aging treatments
These findings strengthen the argument that ELOVL2 is a major factor in aging. “I feel pretty confident that this is one of the top aging genes to look at when thinking about anti-aging treatments,” Skowronska-Krawczyk says.
Outside the eye: association with immunosenescence
This research could have broader implications beyond vision. Professor Skowronska-Krawczyk, in collaboration with scientists at the University of California, San Diego, has also begun research into how lipid metabolism affects the aging immune system.
The study found that lack of ELOVL2 can accelerate aging of immune cells. It also suggests that lipid supplementation throughout the body can help counter age-related changes in the immune system, which may even play a role in blood cancers.
“In our initial research, we looked at potential treatments to address vision loss, but with the information we have since learned about immune aging, we hope that supplement therapy will also strengthen the immune system,” says Dr. Skowronska-Krawczyk.
