title: Hypersensitivity toward bacterial stimuli in patients with age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: Although the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is unclear, genetic screening has revealed that polymorphisms in the complement system may be associated with AMD development. Production of autoantibodies was also found in AMD patients. In this study, we analyzed the antibody response in AMD patients. We found that purified B cells from AMD patients tended to respond to lower concentrations of bacterial antigen stimulation, and produced higher amounts of antibodies, especially in IgM and IgA secretions. When examining clinical symptoms, patients with more severe wet-form AMD tended to exhibit higher sensitivity to bacterial antigens and secreted more IgM and IgA antibodies than those with less severe dry-form cases. In conclusion, our study discovered an altered B-cell antibody production in response to bacterial antigens in AMD patients, which potentially contributes to AMD pathogenesis.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors: Jia-Jia
authors: JJ
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Interventional Radiology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
authors: Bing-Sha
authors: BS
authors: Han
authors: Department of Orthopedics, Zhengzhou Orthopedics Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
authors: Shao-Gang
authors: SG
authors: Xu
authors: Research Lab, McGene Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors: Honghua
authors: H
authors: Vu
authors: Research Lab, McGene Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors: James W
authors: JW
authors: Farrow
authors: Research Lab, McGene Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors: Connie L
authors: CL
authors: Rodman
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Zhu
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors: Wen-Zhan
authors: WZ
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: B cell; age-related macular degeneration; antibody