Dongli Yang, M.D., Ph.D.
Research Projects

Aging is a complex phenomenon that probably affects all the cells in the body. Aging effects are particularly notable in the immune system and these effects have been correlated with increased risks of infection and degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Age-related macular degeneration is a degenerative eye disease, common in people over 65 years of age, in which low-grade inflammation is now recognized to play a role. The inflammatory response in AMD lesions is characterized by an infiltration of the blood–retina barrier including the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer, by leukocytes such as macrophages and lymphocytes. The RPE separates the neural retina from its major blood supply in the choroids and helps maintain an appropriate environment for photoreceptor function. The RPE is an important factor in the development of AMD; central vision decreases when RPE cells cease to function properly, causing photoreceptor degeneration or damage in the macula, the portion of the retina used for central vision.

In order to dissect the mechanisms of retinal inflammation and degeneration we have combined molecular biological, biochemical, immunohistochemical, physiological and biophysical approaches to test the hypothesis that RPE–leukocyte adhesion induces intracellular signaling molecules that promote RPE apoptosis and cytokine elaboration. The potential significance of our research is that better understanding RPE–leukocyte adhesion and signaling may lead to insights into the development of therapies aimed at new fundamental mechanisms of human retinal diseases including AMD.