RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Expression of erythropoietin receptor in human epiretinal membrane of proliferative diabetic retinopathy
JF British Journal of Ophthalmology
JO Br J Ophthalmol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
SP 1376
OP 1378
DO 10.1136/bjo.2007.119404
VO 91
IS 10
A1 Kase, Satoru
A1 Saito, Wataru
A1 Ohgami, Kazuhiro
A1 Yoshida, Kazuhiko
A1 Furudate, Naoki
A1 Saito, Akari
A1 Yokoi, Masahiko
A1 Kase, Manabu
A1 Ohno, Shigeaki
YR 2007
UL http://bjo.bmj.com/content/91/10/1376.abstract
AB Purpose: It is widely accepted that intravitreous levels of erythropoietin (Epo) are elevated in patients with ischaemic retinal diseases such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). The aim of this study was to examine the expression of Epo and the Epo receptor (EpoR) in epiretinal membranes with and without diabetes.Methods: Eighteen epiretinal membranes (PDR (n = 10), idiopathic epiretinal membranes (IERMs) without diabetes (n = 4) and inner limiting membranes (ILMs) (n = 4)) were obtained during pars plana vitrectomy. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry with anti-Epo and EpoR antibodies.Results: The histopathological findings demonstrated that PDR membranes consisted of a variety of endothelial cells forming a microvascular cavity with red blood cells and non-vascular stromal mononuclear cells. Membranous and cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for EpoR was strongly detected in endothelial cells and stromal cells in all PDR patients. Although microvessels were not observed in IERMs and ILMs, immunoreactivity for EpoR was noted in the cellular component of IERMs, and was weakly detected in ILMs. Epo was not expressed in any membrane.Conclusion: EpoR was strongly expressed in microvessels of all PDR membranes. The in vivo evidence in this study suggests that Epo in the vitreous binds to EpoR in PDR membranes, which subsequently leads to the proliferation of new retinal vessels. EpoR immunoreactivity in non-vascular stromal cells in PDR membranes, and IERMs and ILMs might be indirectly correlated with ischaemia.