title: Retinal pigment epithelium cell-derived exosomes: Possible relevance to CNV in wet-age related macular degeneration.
abstract: Exosomes are small vesicles that are released by almost every cell type and play a crucial role in many physiological and pathological processes associated with different diseases. Specifically, they promote angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of some diseases. According to previous research, the proteins of exosomes taken from the aqueous humor (AH) of patients with wet-age related macular degeneration (AMD) may function as a new diagnostic biomarker of AMD, suggesting that exosomes may play an important role in the occurrence and development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Moreover, additional research has revealed that the levels of some protein makers of exosomes are up-regulated in aged retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and that drusen and oxidative stress may promote the secretion of exosomes derived from RPE cells. Consequently, we hypothesize that RPE cell-derived exosomes may be relevant to CNV in wet AMD. If this hypothesis is proven correct, future studies based on this link may also help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of wet AMD and to find new therapeutic targets for the treatment of AMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No. 639 Zhizaoju Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200011, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No. 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No. 639 Zhizaoju Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200011, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No. 639 Zhizaoju Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200011, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Xiao
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No. 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Pei-Quan
authors.initials: PQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No. 639 Zhizaoju Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200011, China. Electronic address: zhaokekewzy@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zhao-Yang
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology*; D055354:Exosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D015594:Optic Disk Drusen / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology*; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005136:Eye Proteins