title: The potential role of amyloid beta in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: Drusen are extracellular deposits that lie beneath the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and are the earliest signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Recent proteome analysis demonstrated that amyloid beta (Abeta) deposition was specific to drusen from eyes with AMD. To work toward a molecular understanding of the development of AMD from drusen, we investigated the effect of Abeta on cultured human RPE cells as well as ocular findings in neprilysin gene-disrupted mice, which leads to an increased deposition Abeta. The results showed that Abeta treatment induced a marked increase in VEGF as well as a marked decrease in pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). Conditioned media from Abeta-exposed RPE cells caused a dramatic increase in tubular formation by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Light microscopy of senescent neprilysin gene-disrupted mice showed an increased number of degenerated RPE cells with vacuoles. Electron microscopy revealed basal laminar and linear deposits beneath the RPE layer, but we did not observe choroidal neovascularization (CNV). The present study demonstrates that Abeta accumulation affects the balance between VEGF and PEDF in the RPE, and an accumulation of Abeta reproduces features characteristic of human AMD, such as RPE atrophy and basal deposit formation. Some other factors, such as breakdown of integrity of Bruch membrane, might be necessary to induce CNV of AMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science and Instrumental Analysis Research Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohno-Matsui
authors.forename: Shizuko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichinose
authors.forename: Tetsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Nobuhisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Takaomi C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Saido
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hisatomi
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morita
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D015594:Optic Disk Drusen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015843:Serpins / Q000378:metabolism; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D005136:Eye Proteins; D015260:Neprilysin; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D015843:Serpins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse