title: The critical role of ocular-infiltrating macrophages in the development of choroidal neovascularization.
abstract: Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is directly related to visual loss in some eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration. Although several human histological studies have suggested the participation of macrophages in CNV formation, the precise mechanisms are still not fully understood. In this study, we elucidated the role of ocular-infiltrating macrophages in experimental CNV using CCR2 knockout (KO) mice, wild-type mice, and C57BL/6 (B6) mice. CCR2 is the receptor of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and the number of infiltrating macrophage and the area of CNV were significantly reduced in CCR2 KO mice. Enriched ocular-infiltrating macrophages from B6 mice actually showed angiogenic ability in a dorsal air sac assay. Moreover, their expression of class II, CD40, B7-1 and B7-2 molecules, and the mRNA for potential angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, was also observed. Collectively, we conclude that ocular-infiltrating macrophages play an important role in CNV generation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Koh-Hei
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Sonoda
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Egashira
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hisatomi
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Israel F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Charo
authors.forename: Taiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Tatsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization; D005123:Eye / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine
chemical_list: C515334:CCR2 protein, human; C515335:Ccr2 protein, mouse; D006133:Growth Substances; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine