Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) pathogenesis is characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Angiogenesis-the process of neovascularization from original blood vessels- is a fundamental physiologic process but it is also involved in numerous human diseases such as cancer metastasis and AMD. Stimulation of angiogenic growth factor receptors on vascular endothelial cells, proteolytic breakdown of the endothelial cells’ basal membrane, endothelial cell proliferation and migration have been well recognized as important steps in development of angiogenesis. Although the VEGF-VEGFR2 is a key angiogenic signaling pathway during both development and in adults, there are different alternative pathways which lead to resistance to anti-angiogenic drugs. Moreover pathological angiogenesis appears to be closely associated with inflammation and inflammation-generated oxidative stress. During inflammatory reactions, immune cells synthesize and secrete pro-angiogenic factors that promote neovascularization.

In this study, we compiled the results of different kinds of studies, such as protein-protein interaction, gene-gene interaction, microarray data and text mining in association with the angiogenesis and other pathways that cause resistance to anti-angiogenic drugs, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and inflammation signaling pathways.

We selected 88 important genes from different kinds of signaling pathways. The network of those genes were visualized using the Cytoscape software and highly interconnected regions (clusters) were detected, using Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE).

The results are leading to promising new directions in revealing AMD mechanisms and submitting possible new treatments.