Researchers at UC Irvine have demonstrated that supplementing mice with a specific polyunsaturated fatty acid can restore visual function and reverse signs of cellular aging in the retina. The study targets the ELOVL2 gene, linked to age-related vision loss and macular degeneration. Published in Science Translational Medicine, the findings suggest potential therapies beyond DHA supplementation.
Age-related vision loss affects many over 60, often making tasks like reading menus in dim light challenging. Scientists at UC Irvine, in collaboration with the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Health and Medical University in Potsdam, Germany, explored reversing this decline by focusing on the ELOVL2 gene, a biomarker of aging that influences lipid metabolism in the retina.
Previous research showed that boosting ELOVL2 activity in aging mice increased docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels and improved vision. The new study, titled 'Retinal polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation reverses aging-related vision decline in mice,' tested supplementation without relying on the enzyme. Researchers injected older mice with a specific polyunsaturated fatty acid, leading to improved visual performance and reversal of aging features at the molecular level.
"We show the potential for reversing age-related vision loss," said Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UC Irvine. She noted that DHA alone did not produce the same effects, confirming that other very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs) are crucial. "Our work really confirms the fact that DHA alone cannot do the work, but we have this other fatty acid that is seemingly working and improving vision in aged animals."
The study also identified ELOVL2 genetic variants linked to faster progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). "Now we actually have a genetic connection to the disease and its aging aspect," Skowronska-Krawczyk explained, suggesting ways to identify at-risk individuals for preventive interventions.
"It's a proof-of-concept for turning lipid injection into a possible therapy," she added. Further work with UC San Diego explores ELOVL2's role in immune aging, hinting at broader anti-aging applications. The findings appear in Science Translational Medicine (2025; 17 (817)), with DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.ads5769.