Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch recently made a breakthrough in understanding how aging contributes to glaucoma, the second leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Their latest study published in Molecular Therapy highlights the crucial role of the anti-aging protein, Sirt6, for preventing vision loss in millions affected by the disease. 

"Our findings demonstrate that Sirt6 is essential for protecting retinal ganglion cells from aging and glaucoma-induced damage," said senior author Hua Liu, associate professor at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UTMB. "When Sirt6 was removed in our animal models, we saw a significant increase in retinal cell loss, leading to vision impairment. This suggests that Sirt6 not only regulates the aging process but also plays a vital role in maintaining vision." 

This research represents the first comprehensive study of anti-aging mechanism in glaucoma by experiments in multiple mouse models that collectively encompass diverse aspects of glaucomatous pathology.  

"Therapeutically targeting Sirt6 offers a promising new avenue for glaucoma treatment, especially for cases that do not respond to traditional treatments aimed at reducing eye pressure," said co-senior author Wenbo Zhang, professor at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UTMB. "This could be a game-changer in how we approach this disease." 

Glaucoma is a complex condition that damages the optic nerve, usually because of high intraocular pressure (IOP). However, in some forms of the disease, such as normal-tension glaucoma, optic nerve damage occurs even without elevated IOP, suggesting that other mechanisms are at play. This discovery is particularly significant because current treatments for glaucoma are limited to reducing eye pressure, which doesn't always prevent vision loss. With further research, Sirt6 could lead to the development of new therapies to protect the optic nerve and preserve sight in patients with glaucoma, regardless of IOP levels. 

“This study sets the stage for further exploration of Sirt6 activation as a potential therapy for glaucoma,” said Massoud Motamedi, Vice Chair for Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UTMB.  “We are now focusing on exploring drug candidates that activate Sirt6 as a new approach to treating glaucoma.” 

This study was conducted by Fan Xia, Shuizhen Shi, Erick Palacios, Wei Liu, Seth E. Buscho, Joseph Li, Shixia Huang, Gianmarco Vizzeri, Xiaocheng Charlie Dong, Massoud Motamedi, Wenbo Zhang, and Hua Liu, with affiliations from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch, the Advanced Technology Cores at Baylor College of Medicine, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Indiana University School of Medicine, and the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Texas Medical Branch.