Attainment of polarity promotes growth factor secretion by retinal pigment epithelial cells: Relevance to age-related macular degeneration

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2009 papers

Abstract

The antiangiogenic and neurotrophic growth factor, pigment epithelial derived factor (PEDF), and the proangiogenic growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF), are released from retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells where they play a critical role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Since RPE polarity may be altered in advanced AMD, we studied the effect of polarization of differentiated, human RPE monolayer cultures on expression and secretion of PEDF and VEGF. Polarized RPE demonstrated apical microvilli, expression of tight junction proteins, apical localization of Na/K- ATPase, and high transepithelial resistance (490 +/- 17 Omega x cm(2)). PEDF secretion was about 1000 fold greater than that for VEGF in both polarized and non-polarized cultures. Polarization of the RPE monolayer increased PEDF secretion, which was predominantly apical, by 34 fold (p2-fold increase in basolateral VEGF secretion (p<0.05) in polarized cultures. Our data show that polarity is an important determinant of the level of PEDF and VEGF secretion in RPE and support the contention that loss of polarity of RPE in AMD results in marked loss of neurotrophic and vascular support for the retina potentially leading to photoreceptor loss and blindness.

Related Papers

• → PEDF: a potential molecular therapeutic target with multiple anti-cancer activities(2006)114 cited
• → Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and lipid parameters in patients with end stage renal failure before and after kidney allotrasplantation(2018)1 cited
• → Pigment Epithelium Derived Factor in Ocular Vascular Development, Neovascularization and Function(2023)1 cited
• [Progress on study of treatment of age-related macular degeneration by pigment epithelial-derived factor].(2010)
• → The association between plasma concentration of pigment epithelium-derived factor and diabetic retinopathy(2023)