title: Expression of extradomain-B-containing fibronectin in subretinal choroidal neovascular membranes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence of the fibronectin isoform containing the extradomain B (B-FN), a marker-protein of angiogenesis, in surgically excised human choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVM) to evaluate whether B-FN could be used as a therapeutic target for specific antibody-photosensitizer immunoconjugates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory investigation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The setting was an institutional practice. The study population consisted of 15 eyes (15 patients) with CNVM undergoing membrane excision (four eyes with age-related macular degeneration, seven with pathologic myopia and four with multifocal choroiditis). The control group consisted of eight eye bank eyes (four subjects) without choroidal neovascularization. Light microscopic immunohistochemistry on cryostat sections of tissues was obtained. B-FN was detected by a human recombinant antibody, CGS-1, and compared with immunostaining for endothelial cells with factor VIII-related antigen. The main outcome measure was the presence of CGS-1 positively stained cells or areas of the extracellular matrix. Staining of CGS-1 was scored on a scale from 0 to 3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen of 15 neovascular membranes stained strongly with CGS-1 (score 2 or 3). One membrane from a patient with pathologic myopia was negatively stained (score 0). CGS-1 positive staining was detected around endothelial cells and in the extracellular matrix of CNVMs. The retina of eyes without choroidal neovascularization was negative with CGS-1 in all eight donor eyes, while the choroid contained some weakly CGS-1 positive cells (score 0 and 1, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The extradomain B is abundantly expressed in CNVMs, but its expression is more restricted in eyes harboring no apparent choroidal neovascularization. In the future, B-FN might serve as a target for the delivery of antibody-photosensitizer immunoconjugates to newly developed vessels to enhance the selectivity of photodynamic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology B Section, Department of Neurology and Visual Science, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nicolò
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Birò
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardillo-Piccolino
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giovannini
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mariotti
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zingirian
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002829:Choroid / Q000378:metabolism; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D002833:Choroiditis / Q000150:complications; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005353:Fibronectins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D014841:von Willebrand Factor