The site of the Media Sphera Publishers contains materials intended solely for healthcare professionals.
By closing this message, you confirm that you are a certified medical professional or a student of a medical educational institution.

Login
EN
+7 (495) 482-4118
+7 (495) 482-4329
+8 800 250-18-12
  • (toll-free number for subscriptions)
    Mon-Fri from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • © 1998-2026
+7 (495) 482-43-29
EN
All journals
Journal
Year
Year
Search result: 0

Yusef Yu.

Krasnov Research Institute of Eye Diseases

Avetisov K.S.

Krasnov Research Institute of Eye Disease

Khalatyan A.S.

Krasnov Research Institute of Eye Diseases

Shishparenok A.N.

Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry

Blinova V.G.

Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry

Gladilina Yu.A.

Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry

Zhdanov D.D.

Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry

Monocyte telomere length as a novel biomarker of macular atrophy and response to anti-VEGF therapy in age-related macular degeneration

Authors:

Yusef Yu., Avetisov K.S., Khalatyan A.S., Shishparenok A.N., Blinova V.G., Gladilina Yu.A., Zhdanov D.D.

More about the authors

Journal: Russian Annals of Ophthalmology. 2025;141(6): 52‑61

DOI: 10.17116/oftalma202514106152

Read: 547 times

Buy for 300₽
Contact the author
Table of contents

MONOCYTE TELOMERE LENGTH AS A NOVEL BIOMARKER OF MACULAR ATROPHY AND RESPONSE TO ANTI-VEGF THERAPY IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
MONOCYTE TELOMERE LENGTH AS A NOVEL BIOMARKER OF MACULAR ATROPHY AND RESPONSE TO ANTI-VEGF THERAPY IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

To cite this article:

Yusef Yu, Avetisov KS, Khalatyan AS, Shishparenok AN, Blinova VG, Gladilina YuA, Zhdanov DD. Monocyte telomere length as a novel biomarker of macular atrophy and response to anti-VEGF therapy in age-related macular degeneration. Russian Annals of Ophthalmology. 2025;141(6):52‑61. (In Russ.)
https://doi.org/10.17116/oftalma202514106152

Подписка 2026 Вестник офтальмологии (Russian Annals of Ophthalmology)
МСФ на ЯМ
Использование инфографики авторами научных работ
Recommended articles:
Arti­ficial inte­lligence in asse­ssment of indi­vidual risks of age-related macu­lar dege­neration progression. Russian Annals of Ophthalmology. 2025;(2):123-128
Use of fari­cimab in neovascular age-related macu­lar dege­neration and diabetic macu­lar edema in Russia. Resu­lts of the FARWATER retrospective study. Russian Annals of Ophthalmology. 2025;(6):82-91
Pote­ntial and prospects of the astragaloside IV use for age-associated diseases prevention. Russian Journal of Preventive Medi­cine. 2025;(7):94-99
The role of mono­cytes in the immu­nopathogenesis of multiple scle­rosis. S.S. Korsakov Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry. 2025;(7-2):23-27
Amyloidogenesis and neurotrophic dysfunction in age-related macu­lar dege­neration in correlation with Alzheimer’s disease. Russian Journal of Archive of Pathology. 2025;(6):61-68
Abstract:

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the elderly. Monocyte telomere length is proposed as a marker of cellular senescence in this condition.

PURPOSE

This study investigated the association between monocyte telomere length and retinal parameters in different forms of AMD, as well as in patients receiving antiangiogenic therapy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Monocyte telomere length was measured in 84 patients (mean age 79±9 years) divided into four groups: non-exudative AMD with geographic atrophy (neAMD-GA), neovascular AMD (nAMD) with macular atrophy (nAMD-MA), nAMD without MA, and controls. Monocytes were isolated using immunomagnetic separation, and telomere length was determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Retinal parameters were assessed via optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the macular region.

RESULTS

Significant telomere shortening was observed in AMD compared to the controls (p<0.05). In the nAMD-MA group, telomere length correlated positively with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after treatment (rs=0.661; p=0.0014) and the type of atrophy (p<0.0001); shorter telomeres were associated with greater BCVA decline after therapy (rs=–0.452; p=0.0419). In nAMD without MA, telomere length correlated with reduced height of neuroepithelial detachment (NED) under anti-VEGF treatment (rs=0.50; p=0.0252). No significant associations were found in the neAMD-GA and control groups.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight monocyte telomere length as a potential biomarker for predicting macular atrophy progression and treatment outcomes in AMD. Further research is needed to confirm these associations and to explore sex/ethnic disparities in telomere length in this disease.

Keywords:

age-related macular degeneration
macular atrophy
monocytes
telomere length
anti-VEGF therapy

Authors:

Yusef Yu.

Krasnov Research Institute of Eye Diseases

Avetisov K.S.

Krasnov Research Institute of Eye Disease

Khalatyan A.S.

Krasnov Research Institute of Eye Diseases

Shishparenok A.N.

Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry

Blinova V.G.

Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry

Gladilina Yu.A.

Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry

Zhdanov D.D.

Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry

Received:

01.06.2025

Accepted:

31.07.2025

Close metadata

References:

  1. Wong WL, Su X, Li X, Cheung CM, Klein R, Cheng CY, Wong TY. Global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2014;2(2):e106-e116. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(13)70145-1
  2. Nebbioso M, Lambiase A, Cerini A, Limoli PG, La Cava M, Greco A. Therapeutic approaches with intravitreal injections in geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: current drugs and potential molecules. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(7):1693. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20071693
  3. Schmitz-Valckenberg S, Sadda S, Staurenghi G, Chew EY, Fleckenstein M, Holz FG; CAM (Classification of Atrophy Meeting)-Group. Geographic atrophy: semantic considerations and literature review. Retina. 2016;36(12): 2250-2264. https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0000000000001258
  4. Liao DS, Grossi FV, El Mehdi D, Gerber MR, Brown DM, Heier JS, Wykoff CC, Singerman LJ, Abraham P, Grassmann F, Nuernberg P, Weber BHF, Deschatelets P, Kim RY, Chung CY, Ribeiro RM, Hamdani M, Rosenfeld PJ, Boyer DS, Slakter JS, Francois CG. Complement C3 inhibitor Pegcetacoplan for geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: a randomized phase 2 trial. Ophthalmology. 2020;127(2):186-195.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2019.07.011
  5. Wang W, Gawlik K, Lopez J, Wen C, Zhu J, Wu F, Shi W, Scheibler S, Cai H, Vairavan R, Shi A, Haw W, Ferreyra H, Zhang M, Chang S, Zhang K. Genetic and environmental factors strongly influence risk, severity and progression of age-related macular degeneration. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2016;1:16023. Erratum for: Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2016;1:16016. https://doi.org/10.1038/sigtrans.2016.23
  6. Thiele S, Nadal J, Pfau M, Saßmannshausen M, Fleckenstein M, Holz FG, Schmid M, Schmitz-Valckenberg S. Prognostic value of intermediate age-related macular degeneration phenotypes for geographic atrophy progression. Br J Ophthalmol. 2021;105(2):239-245.  https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316004
  7. Gattoussi S, Cougnard-Grégoire A, Korobelnik JF, Rougier MB, Delyfer MN, Schweitzer C, Le Goff M, Merle BMJ, Dartigues JF, Delcourt C. Choroidal thickness, vascular factors, and age-related macular degeneration: the ALIENOR study. Retina. 2019;39(1):34-43.  https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0000000000002237
  8. Biarnés M, Colijn JM, Sousa J, Ferraro LL, Garcia M, Verzijden T, Meester-Smoor MA, Delcourt C, Klaver CCW, den Hollander AI, Lengyel I, Peto T, Monés J; EYE-RISK Consortium. Genotype- and phenotype-based subgroups in geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: the eye-risk consortium. Ophthalmol Retina. 2020;4(12):1129-1137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oret.2020.04.014
  9. Yamazaki T, Koizumi H, Yamagishi T, Kinoshita S. Subfoveal choroidal thickness after ranibizumab therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: 12-month results. Ophthalmology. 2012;119(8):1621-1627. ttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2012.02.022
  10. Ting DSW, Ng WY, Ng SR, Tan SP, Yeo IYS, Mathur R, Chan CM, Tan ACS, Tan GSW, Wong TY, Cheung CMG. Choroidal thickness changes in age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: a 12-month prospective study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2016;164:128-136.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajo.2015.12.024
  11. Comparison of Age-related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials (CATT) Research Group; Maguire MG, Martin DF, Ying GS, Jaffe GJ, Daniel E, Grunwald JE, Toth CA, Ferris FL 3rd, Fine SL. Five-year outcomes with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: the comparison of age-related macular degeneration treatments trials. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(8):1751-1761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.03.045
  12. Chakravarthy U, Harding SP, Rogers CA, Downes S, Lotery AJ, Dakin HA, Culliford L, Scott LJ, Nash RL, Taylor J, Muldrew A, Sahni J, Wordsworth S, Raftery J, Peto T, Reeves BC. A randomised controlled trial to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of alternative treatments to Inhibit VEGF in Age-related choroidal Neovascularisation (IVAN). Health Technol Assess. 2015;19(78):1-298.  https://doi.org/10.3310/hta19780
  13. Gillies MC, Hunyor AP, Arnold JJ, Guymer RH, Wolf S, Pecheur FL, Munk MR, McAllister IL. Macular atrophy in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a randomized clinical trial comparing ranibizumab and aflibercept (RIVAL study). Ophthalmology. 2020;127(2):198-210.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2019.08.023
  14. Rofagha S, Bhisitkul RB, Boyer DS, Sadda SR, Zhang K; SEVEN-UP Study Group. Seven-year outcomes in ranibizumab-treated patients in ANCHOR, MARINA, and HORIZON: a multicenter cohort study (SEVEN-UP). Ophthalmology. 2013;120(11):2292-2299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2013.03.046
  15. Zarubina AV, Gal-Or O, Huisingh CE, Owsley C, Freund KB. Macular atrophy development and subretinal drusenoid deposits in anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treated age-related macular degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2017;58(14):6038-6045. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.17-22378
  16. Lambert NG, El Shelmani H, Singh MK, Mansergh FC, Wride MA, Padilla M, Keegan D, Hogg RE, Ambati BK. Risk factors and biomarkers of age-related macular degeneration. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2016;54:64-102.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preteyeres.2016.04.003
  17. Biomarkers Definitions Working Group. Biomarkers and surrogate end points: preferred definitions and conceptual framework. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2001;69(3):89-95.  https://doi.org/10.1067/mcp.2001.113989
  18. Aunan JR, Watson MM, Hagland HR, Søreide K. Molecular and biological hallmarks of ageing. Br J Surg. 2016;103(2):e29-e46.  https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.10053
  19. López-Otín C, Blasco MA, Partridge L, Serrano M, Kroemer G. The hallmarks of aging. Cell. 2013;153(6):1194-1217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2013.05.039
  20. Shay JW, Wright WE. Hayflick, his limit, and cellular ageing. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2000;1(1):72-76.  https://doi.org/10.1038/35036093
  21. de Punder K, Heim C, Wadhwa PD, Entringer S. Stress and immunosenescence: the role of telomerase. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2019;101:87-100.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.10.019
  22. Turner KJ, Vasu V, Griffin DK. Telomere biology and human phenotype. Cells. 2019;8(1):73.  https://doi.org/10.3390/cells8010073
  23. Rossiello F, Jurk D, Passos JF, d’Adda di Fagagna F. Telomere dysfunction in ageing and age-related diseases. Nat Cell Biol. 2022;24(2):135-147.  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-022-00842-x
  24. Koller A, Brandl C, Lamina C, Zimmermann ME, Summerer M, Stark KJ, Würzner R, Heid IM, Kronenberg F. Relative telomere length is associated with age-related macular degeneration in women. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2022;63(5):30.  https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.63.5.30
  25. Dmitrenko OP, Abramova OI, Karpova NS, Nurbekov MK, Arshinova ES. Relative Telomere Length Is Associated with the Risk of Development and Severity of the Course of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Russian Population. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(14):11360. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241411360
  26. Weng X, Zhang H, Kan M, Ye J, Liu F, Wang T, Deng J, Tan Y, He L, Liu Y. Leukocyte telomere length is associated with advanced age-related macular degeneration in the Han Chinese population. Exp Gerontol. 2015;69:36-40.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2015.06.004
  27. Immonen I, Seitsonen S, Saionmaa O, Fyhrquist F. Leucocyte telomere length in age-related macular degeneration. Acta Ophthalmol. 2013;91(5):453-456.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-3768.2012.02427.x
  28. Banevicius M, Gedvilaite G, Vilkeviciute A, Kriauciuniene L, Zemaitiene R, Liutkeviciene R. Association of relative leukocyte telomere length and genetic variants in telomere-related genes (TERT, TERT-CLPTM1, TRF1, TNKS2, TRF2) with atrophic age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmic Genet. 2021;42(2):189-194.  https://doi.org/10.1080/13816810.2021.1881976
  29. Vilkeviciute A, Gedvilaite G, Banevicius M, Kriauciuniene L, Zaliuniene D, Dobiliene O, Liutkeviciene R. Relative Leukocyte Telomere Length and Genetic Variants in Telomere-Related Genes and Serum Levels Role in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Cells. 2022;11(23):3847. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11233847
  30. Moshetova LK, Dmitrenko OP, Abramova OI, Karpova NS, Turkina KI, Saburina IN. Association between relative telomere length and a genetic variant of SIRT1 gene and age-related macular degeneration. Klinicheskaya oftal’mologiya=Russian Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology. 2021;21(3):143-146. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.32364/2311-7729-2021-21-3-143-146
  31. Khalatyan AS, Shishparenok AN, Avetisov KS, Gladilina YA, Blinova VG, Zhdanov DD. Association of Telomere Length in T Lymphocytes, B Lymphocytes, NK Cells and Monocytes with Different Forms of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Biomedicines. 2024;12(8):1893. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12081893
  32. Zhdanov DD, Gladilina YuA, Pokrovskaya MV, Aleksandrova SS, Grishin DV, Podobed OV, Sokolov NN. Induction of Alternative Splicing and Inhibition of Activity of Telomerase Catalytic Subunit by Apoptotic Endonuclease EndoG in Human T, B, and NK Cells. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2018;164:478-482.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10517-018-4016-y
  33. Zhdanov DD, Gladilina YA, Blinova VG, Abramova AA, Shishparenok AN, Eliseeva DD. Induction of FoxP3 Pre-mRNA Alternative Splicing to Enhance the Suppressive Activity of Regulatory T Cells from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients. Biomedicines. 2024;12(5):1022. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12051022
  34. O’Callaghan NJ, Fenech M. A Quantitative PCR Method for Measuring Absolute Telomere Length. Biol Proced Online. 2011;13:3.  https://doi.org/10.1186/1480-9222-13-3
  35. Cawthon RM. Telomere Measurement by Quantitative PCR. Nucleic Acids Res. 2002;30(10):e47.  https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/30.10.e47
  36. Gil ME, Coetzer TL. Real-Time Quantitative PCR of Telomere Length. Mol Biotechnol. 2004;27(2):169-172.  https://doi.org/10.1385/MB:27:2:169
  37. Pfeiffer V, Lingner J. Replication of Telomeres and the Regulation of Telomerase. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2013;5(6):a010405. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a010405
  38. Webb CJ, Wu Y, Zakian VA. DNA Repair at Telomeres: Keeping the Ends Intact. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2013;5(6):a012666. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a012666
  39. Heidenreich B, Kumar R. TERT Promoter Mutations in Telomere Biology. Mutat Res Rev Mutat Res. 2017;771:15-31.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mrrev.2016.11.002
  40. Demanelis K, Jasmine F, Chen LS, Chernoff M, Tong L, Delgado D, Zhang C, Shinkle J, Sabarinathan M, Lin H, Ramirez E, Oliva M, Kim-Hellmuth S, Stranger BE, Lai TP, Aviv A, Ardlie KG, Aguet F, Ahsan H; GTEx Consortium; Doherty JA, Kibriya MG, Pierce BL. Determinants of Telomere Length across Human Tissues. Science. 2020;369(6509):eaaz6876. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaz6876
  41. Fursova AZh, Derbeneva AS, Tarasov MS, Nikulich IF, Devyatkin VA, Telegina DV, Kolosova NG, Kozhevnikova OS. Leukocyte telomere length and response to antiangiogenic therapy in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Uspekhi gerontologii=Advances in gerontology. 2021;34(6):823-830 (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.34922/AE.2021.34.6.002
  42. Xue CC, Nusinovici S, Yu M, Chee ML, Teo K, Su X, Cheung CMG, Sabanayagam C, Cheng CY, Tham YC. Associations between shorter leucocyte telomere length and increased risk of age-related macular degeneration in women: insights from the United Kingdom Biobank study. Eye (Lond). 2025;39(6):1146-1152. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03566-4
Contact the author
Email
Message
The publishing house "Media Sphere" does not provide treatment services, does not give recommendations on contacting medical institutions and specific specialists, on the prescription of medicines and dietary supplements.

Email Confirmation

An email was sent to test@gmail.com with a confirmation link. Follow the link from the letter to complete the registration on the site.

Email Confirmation

Submit Application

You can become an author of one of our magazines, send a request and we will consider it in during the day.

Name
Phone
E-mail
Message
Login
Registration
E-mail
Password
Forgot Password?

Log in to the site using your account in one of the services

Password recovery
E-mail
Login
Register

We use cооkies to improve the performance of the site. By staying on our site, you agree to the terms of use of cооkies. To view our Privacy and Cookie Policy, please. click here.