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Circulating Anti-Endothelial Cell Antibodies in Patients with Geographic Atrophy Related to Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Authors :
Katarzyna Żuber-Łaskawiec
Joanna Wilańska
Izabella Karska-Basta
Weronika Pociej-Marciak
Bożena Romanowska-Dixon
Marek Sanak
Agnieszka Kubicka-Trząska
Source :
Medicina, Vol 60, Iss 5, p 810 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of central vision loss among elderly patients, and its dry form accounts for the majority of cases. Although several causes and mechanisms for the development and progression of AMD have previously been identified, the pathogenesis of this complex disease is still not entirely understood. As inflammation and immune system involvement are strongly suggested to play a central role in promoting the degenerative process and stimulating the onset of complications, we aimed to analyze the frequency of serum anti-retinal (ARAs) and anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECAs) in patients with dry AMD and to determine their relationship with the clinical features of the disease, notably the area of geographic atrophy (GA). Materials and Methods: This study included 41 patients with advanced-stage dry AMD and 50 healthy controls without AMD, matched for gender and age. ARAs were detected by indirect immunofluorescence using monkey retina as an antigen substrate, and the presence of AECAs was determined using cultivated human umbilical vein endothelial cells and primate skeletal muscle. Results: ARAs were detected in 36 (87.8%) AMD patients (titers ranged from 1:20 to 1:320) and in 16 (39.0%) (titers ranged from 1:10 to 1:40) controls (p = 0.0000). Twenty of the forty-one patients (48.8%) were positive for AECAs, while in the control group, AECAs were present only in five sera (10.0%). The titers of AECAs in AMD patients ranged from 1:100 to 1:1000, and in the control group, the AECA titers were 1:100 (p = 0.0001). There were no significant correlations between the presence of AECAs and disease activity. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a higher prevalence of circulating AECAs in patients with dry AMD; however, no correlation was found between the serum levels of these autoantibodies and the area of GA.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
60050810, 16489144, and 1010660X
Volume :
60
Issue :
5
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Medicina
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.7912cf68fad84f839bd1c531f749944c
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60050810