title: Implication of CD21, CD35, and CD55 in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine a possible implication of CD21, CD35, and CD55 in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by assessing the difference in expression rates of these factors on AMD patients and a control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty unrelated AMD patients and 48 unrelated sex- and age-matched control subjects participated in this case-control study. Samples of fresh EDTA-blood were stained and flow cytometry was chosen to measure fluorescence emissions. The association between exudative AMD and CD21, CD35, and CD55 was evaluated from all patients who completed the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study shows CD35 to be expressed in a significantly higher frequency in AMD patients on monocytes (P = .00586), lymphocytes (P = .000605), and granulocytes (P < .000033). In contrast, the expression rate of CD21 (P > .05) and CD55 (P > .05) are similar in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More regulative factors of the complement system are involved in pathogenesis of AMD. Our study underlines the key role of the complement system in AMD and shows the involvement of the whole immune system through more regulative factors.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Retinology and Biomicroscopic Laser Surgery, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria; Department of Ophthalmology, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: paulina.haas@wienkav.at.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aggermann
authors.affiliation: Karl Landsteiner Institute for Cell Biology and Cell Therapy, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagl
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Retinology and Biomicroscopic Laser Surgery, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steindl-Kuscher
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Social Medical Center East, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Krugluger
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Retinology and Biomicroscopic Laser Surgery, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria; Department of Ophthalmology, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Binder
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018958:CD55 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b / Q000378:metabolism*; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d / Q000378:metabolism*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
chemical_list: D018958:CD55 Antigens; C509991:CR1 protein, human; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d