title: Detection of heat shock protein 70 in choroidal neovascular membranes secondary to age related macular degeneration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heat shock proteins are acute phase proteins that are upregulated in inflammation or following thermal stress. We analyzed the presence of the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp 70) in choroidal neovascular (CNV) membranes secondary to AMD after treatment with verteporphin photodynamic therapy (PDT) or transpupillary thermo therapy (TTT) to determine whether treatment correlated with the presence of Hsp70.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CNV membranes were removed by pars plana vitrectomy (ppV) and subretinal extraction. The membranes were analysed by light microscopy and the presence of Hsp 70 was examined using histochemistry. HeLa Cells served as controls.Of the 14 membranes analysed 11 were Hsp70 positive and 3 negative. In the no pre-treatment group of 8 membranes 6 were Hsp70 positive and 2 negative; in the PTD group all 4 membranes were positive and in the TTT group 1 membrane was positive and 1 membrane was negative for Hsp70.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hsp70 is present in the most CNV membranes secondary to AMD. Pre-treatment of the membrane with PTD or TTT does not appear to influence the expression of Hsp70.
authors.affiliation: RWTH Aachen University, Department of Ophthalmology, Pauwelsstr, 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. andreas.joeres@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Andreas P W
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Jöres
authors.forename: Dörthe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carstesen
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thumann
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Andreas W A
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Weinberger