HMOX1 and age-related macular degeneration: As expected, we also observed a significant upregulation of NRF2 by NaIO3 in all groups, along with an upregulation of its target genes NQO1 and HO1. The NRF2 response to oxidative stress was shown to decline with age in the RPE of mice and has been implicated with dysregulation of RPE metabolism and AMD pathophysiology [2, 36].