Macular disease in related rhesus monkeys

Abstract

During (January) 1986-(May) 1988, we examined 272 eyes in 136 rhesus monkeys in the closed Cayo Santiago colony of the Caribbean Primate Research Center of the University of Puerto Rico. Seventy-eight eyes were less than 10 years of age. One hundred and ninety-four were aged 10-28 years. The fundi were examined and photographed. Fluorescein angiography was performed in some eyes. Selected cases were evaluated for 'acuity' loss by recording of pattern-evoked retinal and cortical signals. Light and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the pigment epithelium of some animals. Thirty-eight percent of all eyes had posterior pole drusen. Incidence was highly age-related. When late-stage lesions were found, we did not see neovascularization, but late hyperfluorescence was consistent with degenerative scarring and atrophy. Electrophysiology demonstrated moderately reduced acuity in the presence of numerous macular drusen. Electrooculograms were low normal. Histopathology showed changes identical to those reported in human age-related macular degeneration. No eyes less than 10 years of age had confluent drusen or disciform-like lesions. The incidence of drusen in samples of some social groups was much higher than others.

Cell-based therapeutic strategies for replacement and preservation in retinal degenerative diseases

“…Spontaneous AMD models have been discovered with varying AMD-like pathology. Drusen and pigment changes akin to early to intermediate AMD have been detected in aged rhesus macaque monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ) and drusen are structurally and compositionally similar to human drusen (Bellhorn et al, 1981; Dawson et al, 1989; El-Mofty et al, 1980; Gouras et al, 2008; Hope et al, 1992; Olin et al., 1995; Stafford et al, 1984). Susceptibility genes and variants are shared with humans, indicating conservation of pathogenetic mechanisms between human and nonhuman primates (Francis et al, 2008; Singh et al., 2009).…”

Molecular Cloning of ELOVL4 Gene from Cynomolgus Monkey (Macaca fascicularis).

“…Macula is found only in primates and birds, and the animal model for macular degeneration is currently limited to monkeys [11][12][13][14]. Thus the monkey model is extremely important for understanding the mechanisms and etiology underlying macular degenerative diseases in humans [15,16].…”

The ticking clock of Cayo Santiago macaques and its implications for understanding human circadian rhythm disorders

“…Collaborations among behaviorists, morphologists and circadian researchers could provide insight into the potential role of circadian abnormalities in the development of specific pathological conditions or, alternatively, a contribution of other disorders to altered circadian rhythms. For example, there is a remarkably high incidence of retinal drusen, a sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in CS and CS-derived populations [Anderson et al, 2006; Dawson et al, 1989, 2008]. Dawson et al [1989] sampled individuals from eight social Cayo Santiago groups and found that animals from Group-M were more likely to have retinal drusen (70%) than others.…”

“…For example, there is a remarkably high incidence of retinal drusen, a sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in CS and CS-derived populations [Anderson et al, 2006; Dawson et al, 1989, 2008]. Dawson et al [1989] sampled individuals from eight social Cayo Santiago groups and found that animals from Group-M were more likely to have retinal drusen (70%) than others. Hope et al [1992] then documented that the CPRC rhesus colony was, in general, uniquely predisposed to developing drusen and reported that the prevalence of monkeys with drusen in CPRC colony was up to nine times that of monkeys from US mainland facilities (57.7%, vs. 6.1%).…”