title: Retinal Pigment Epithelium Responses to Selective Retina Therapy in Mouse Eyes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the characteristics of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and retinal damage induced by selective retina therapy (SRT) in mice, and to elucidate longitudinal changes in RPE cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6J mice received SRT and continuous-wave laser photocoagulation (cwPC). The cell death pattern was evaluated using TUNEL assay, and proliferative potential of the RPE cells was evaluated using 5-ethynyl-2'-dexoyuridine (EdU) assay. To investigate the cell-cell integrity of RPE cells, β-catenin staining was performed. The number and hexagonality of RPE cells in the SRT-treated area were estimated using a Voronoi diagram with time periods of 3 hours to 14 days. Antibodies to microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MiTF) and orthodenticle homeobox 2 (Otx2) were used to confirm the specific characteristics of RPE cells in the SRT-treated area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of TUNEL-positive cells located in the neural retina was significantly lower in lesions treated with SRT compared to those treated with cwPC. EdU-positive RPE cells were first detected 3 to 12 hours after SRT, and increased until 3 to 7 days after SRT. β-catenin staining showed that hexagonality was compromised and subsequently, RPE cells expanded in size within the targeted location. The number of RPE cells in SRT lesions decreased gradually until 12 hours after SRT and recovered by 14 days. Upregulated expression of MiTF and Otx2 was observed for 2 weeks in the SRT lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Selective retina therapy seems to induce selective RPE damage without collateral thermal injury in the neural retina. Furthermore, SRT-treated lesions recovered by proliferation of RPE cells that were present in the treated lesions and by expansion of adjacent RPE cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hoon Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Eulji University Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Si Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Shin
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ohn
authors.affiliation: Medical Laser Center Lübeck GmbH, Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brinkmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Republic of Korea 5Laboratory for Translational Research on Retinal Macular Degeneration, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Kwann
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002452:Cell Count; D016923:Cell Death; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000473:pathology*