title: Increased serum IgA concentration and plasmablast frequency in patients with age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness among senior citizens of developed countries, with currently unknown etiology. Despite the close associations between AMD development and inhibitory complement factor H mutations, the first step of complement activation, which is the antibody response in AMD patients, has not been studied. Here, we obtained blood and tear samples from AMD patients and Non-AMD controls. We found that compared to Non-AMD controls, AMD subjects had increased IgA titers in serum and tear, and had elevated levels of circulating antibody-secreting plasmablasts. The increase in antibody titer was limited to the IgA isotype, since no significant differences were observed in IgM and IgG isotypes between AMD patients and Non-AMD controls. Interestingly, this increased antibody response in AMD patients was correlated with disease severity, as late AMD patients had increased IgA titers in serum and tear, as well as elevated plasmablast frequency after staphylococcal enterotoxin B stimulation, compared to early AMD patients. Together, our results implicated a role of overreactive IgA responses in AMD pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of PLA, Guangzhou 510010, China.
authors.forename: Honghua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical College, Kunming 650031, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Yahan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou No. 1 People's Hospital, Guangzhou 510180, China. Electronic address: suihongma@sina.com.
authors.forename: Suihong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of PLA, Guangzhou 510010, China.
authors.forename: Lianghong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of PLA, Guangzhou 510010, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of PLA, Guangzhou 510010, China.
authors.forename: Chu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China. Electronic address: taoligz@126.com.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013666:Tears / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; IgA; Plasmablast