Studying retinal ageing in a rapidly ageing fish

Dr Nicole Noel, Institute of Ophthalmology, UCL  - £25,000

This project investigated how the retina changes as turquoise killifish age, using this short-lived species as a model for understanding retinal ageing and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The research explored changes in the light-sensitive cells and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), helping researchers better understand the processes involved in retinal ageing.

What was the problem?

To better understand AMD, researchers need reliable ways to study how the disease develops, progresses and might be prevented.

Turquoise killifish naturally develop several features of retinal ageing and AMD, including vision loss, inflammation, photoreceptor degeneration and lipid deposits. They have a short lifespan, providing a unique opportunity to study retinal ageing over a much shorter timeframe than is possible in many other species.

What did the project achieve?

The team studied the retinas of turquoise killifish at different ages throughout their lives, looking for changes in photoreceptors – the light-sensitive cells that allow us to see.

They also used a technique called RNA sequencing to investigate changes in the proteins produced by RPE cells as they age. They found higher levels of a protein called ceramide in older RPE cells compared with younger cells. Ceramide can indicate that cells are under stress.

The research showed that turquoise killifish naturally develop several features associated with AMD, including photoreceptor degeneration, signs of stress in RPE cells and deposits in the retina. This demonstrates that turquoise killifish can provide a useful model for studying AMD and retinal ageing within a compressed timeframe of around six months.

What's next?

The data collected will be compared with data from humans to identify similarities in how proteins change during ageing. This could help researchers better understand the biological processes involved in retinal ageing and how AMD develops and progresses, potentially identifying new ways to prevent or treat the disease.