Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Hagedorn, C.L.; Adelman, Ron A.

doi:10.1007/978-1-59745-047-8_1

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…The eye is also particularly sensitive to neovascularization during which abnormal blood vessel growth within retinal or choroidal tissues leads to vision loss or blindness. Sight-threatening diseases of the eye associated with abnormal neovascularization include diabetic retinopathy [3] , retinopathy of prematurity [4] , and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) [5] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Macrophage Activation Associated with Chronic Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection Results in More Severe Experimental Choroidal Neovascularization

et al. 2012

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The neovascular (wet) form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) leads to vision loss due to choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Since macrophages are important in CNV development, and cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific IgG serum titers in patients with wet AMD are elevated, we hypothesized that chronic CMV infection contributes to wet AMD, possibly by pro-angiogenic macrophage activation. This hypothesis was tested using an established mouse model of experimental CNV. At 6 days, 6 weeks, or 12 weeks after infection with murine CMV (MCMV), laser-induced CNV was performed, and CNV severity was determined 4 weeks later by analysis of choroidal flatmounts. Although all MCMV-infected mice exhibited more severe CNV when compared with control mice, the most severe CNV developed in mice with chronic infection, a time when MCMV-specific gene sequences could not be detected within choroidal tissues. Splenic macrophages collected from mice with chronic MCMV infection, however, expressed significantly greater levels of TNF-α, COX-2, MMP-9, and, most significantly, VEGF transcripts by quantitative RT-PCR assay when compared to splenic macrophages from control mice. Direct MCMV infection of monolayers of IC-21 mouse macrophages confirmed significant stimulation of VEGF mRNA and VEGF protein as determined by quantitative RT-PCR assay, ELISA, and immunostaining. Stimulation of VEGF production in vivo and in vitro was sensitive to the antiviral ganciclovir. These studies suggest that chronic CMV infection may serve as a heretofore unrecognized risk factor in the pathogenesis of wet AMD. One mechanism by which chronic CMV infection might promote increased CNV severity is via stimulation of macrophages to make pro-angiogenic factors (VEGF), an outcome that requires active virus replication.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the number of elderly persons will double by 2020, AMD is expected to become a major public health problem. Two forms of AMD are recognized [5] – [10] . The non-neovascular form (also known as “dry” or “nonexudative”) represents an early form of AMD usually associated with little visual acuity loss.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%