Australian Gene Research provides ideas for the prevention and treatment of degenerative eye diseases

Xinhua News Agency, Sydney, March 29 (Reporter Hao Yalin) Australian researchers have recently discovered that a genetic defect increases the risk of type 2 macular telangiectasia.

Type 2 macular telangiectasia is a degenerative retinal disease in which patients may experience difficulties in reading, distortion of seeing, and slow loss of vision.

Through genetic studies on 1067 type 2 macular telangiectasia patients and 3799 controls, researchers found some gene regions and gene mutations related to the risk of developing the disease, especially a gene called PHGDH in the body People who have a rare mutation are five times more likely to develop the disease than those who do not have this gene mutation.

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Professor Melanie Bachlow, who led the study, said that the research team found in previous studies that type 2 macular telangiectasia is related to changes in blood serine levels.

"The PHGDH gene is responsible for directing a key enzyme for the synthesis of serine.

According to the researchers, retinal diseases tend to get worse with age, so understanding the risk factors that lead to this disease will help to take interventions as soon as possible to delay the development of the disease.