Impact of Female Sex Hormones on the Progression of Retinal Disease

Recent research from UT Southwestern Medical Center indicates that female sex hormones may play a significant role in accelerating the progression of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a rare genetic eye disorder that can lead to blindness. Published in Science Advances, the study highlights how hormonal signaling influences the severity of neurodegeneration in the retina.

Retinitis pigmentosa affects approximately 1 in 3,500 individuals in the United States and involves the degeneration of photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for sensing light. The condition is linked to over 75 genetic mutations and can affect people at any age, with no current cure available.

The researchers studied mice carrying a mutation in rhodopsin (RHO P23H), a critical protein for light detection in the retina that causes RP. They found that female mice exhibited faster deterioration of photoreceptors compared to males, suggesting a sex-related difference in disease progression. Interestingly, when female mice were spayed to lower sex hormone levels, their visual decline slowed, matching the progression seen in males. Conversely, elevating female hormone levels in neutered mice led to increased retinal degeneration in females.

These findings imply that female sex hormones may interact with genetic factors such as the rhodopsin mutation to heighten inflammation and cell death, worsening disease outcomes in females. The study also noted that healthy mice without the mutation did not experience changes after hormone exposure, indicating a specific interaction between the mutation and hormonal signaling.

Lead author Ashley Rowe emphasized that these insights could influence future therapeutic strategies and risk assessments for women with or at risk of RP, especially considering hormone therapies like birth control or hormone replacement therapy. However, the researchers caution that further investigation is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and to evaluate potential impacts on women with similar retinal conditions.

This research sheds new light on the biological factors influencing retinal degeneration and underscores the importance of considering sex differences in disease management and treatment development.

[Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-female-sex-hormones-linked-faster.html]