Intermittent fasting alleviates photoreceptor degeneration and retina inflammation in oxidative stress-induced model of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, remains the leading cause of vision loss among the elderly population. Despite the urgent need, effective treatments or preventive strategies for AMD are not available. Recent studies have highlighted the potential neuroprotective benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) in several models of aging and age-associated disorders. However, its efficacy in AMD has not been established. Our current research reveals that IF alleviated neurodegeneration by reducing RPE and photoreceptor cell damage in an oxidative stress-induced mouse model of AMD. The assessment of visual capabilities in mice through optomotor response (OMR) tests indicates that IF markedly preserved visual function in NaIO3-treated mice. To understand the mechanism by which IF exerts its protective effects, we performed transcriptome analyses and found that IF can counteract numerous transcriptional alterations induced by NaIO3, predominantly affecting genes involved in photoreceptor structure, inflammatory pathways and reactive oxygen species (ROS) process. Further, we demonstrated through multiple experiments that IF could effectively reduce ROS levels and restraining the hyperactivation of microglia and Müller cells within the RPE and retina. Moreover, we explored the initiation of IF at a later stage in an individual's lifespan and found that benefits were also obtained in the AMD model. Collectively, this study indicates IF exerts neuroprotective effects by reducing ROS production and inflammation in the retina, and is expected to become a new strategy for retinal degenerative diseases caused by oxidative damage, incluiding AMD.