Seven new genetic risk factors associated with AMD
From the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The AMD Gene Consortium, a network of international investigators representing 18 research groups, has discovered seven new loci associated with an increased risk of AMD. The consortium also confirmed 12 loci identified in previous studies. With these latest findings, the consortium has now explained up to 65 percent of the genetics of AMD. As with the previously discovered 12 loci, these seven loci are scattered throughout the genome on many different chromosomes. Together, the 19 loci implicate a variety of biological functions, including regulation of the immune system, maintenance of cellular structure, growth and permeability of blood vessels, lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis. Nature Genetics, March 3, 2013