[Correlation of indocyanine green angiography findings and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in surgically excised age-related macular degeneration-related choroidal neovascular membranes].
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the relationship between clinical classification by indocyanine green angiography (IA) and pathologic findings including the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in age-related macular degeneration-related choroidal neovascular membranes.


METHODS
The subjects were 15 patients with age-related macular degeneration who underwent surgical excision for choroidal neovascular membrane. The patients were classified into 4 types: Type I, hyperfluorescence in both early and late phases (n = 7); Type II, hyperfluorescence in the early phase only (n = 2); Type III, hyperfluorescence in the late phase only (n = 3); and Type IV, no hyperfluorescence in any phase (n = 3). The excised choroidal neovascular membranes were fixed and stained by hematoxylin-eosin and azan. They were also examined by immunohistochemical staining for VEGF.


RESULTS
VEGF was expressed markedly in vascular endothelial cells and fibroblast-like cells of interstitial tissue of Types I, II and III. Its expression was weak in Type IV.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical classification by IA for age-related macular degeneration is consistent with the pathologic findings including the expression of VEGF.
Asayama
N
N
Department of Ophtahlmology, Surugadai Hospital of Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan.
Shimada
H
H
Yuzawa
M
M
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002829:Choroid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D007208:Indocyanine Green