Journal article
Choriocapillaris Degeneration in Geographic Atrophy
The American journal of pathology, Vol.189(7), pp.1473-1480
07/2019
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2019.04.005
PMCID: PMC6616998
PMID: 31051169
Abstract
Early age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by degeneration of the choriocapillaris, the vascular supply of retinal photoreceptor cells. We assessed vascular loss during disease progression in the choriocapillaris and larger vessels in the deeper choroid. Human donor maculae from controls (n = 99), early AMD (n = 35), or clinically diagnosed with geographic atrophy (GA; n = 9, collected from outside the zone of retinal pigment epithelium degeneration) were evaluated using Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I labeling to discriminate between vessels with intact endothelial cells and ghost vessels. Morphometric analyses of choriocapillaris density (cross-sectional area of capillary lumens divided by length) and of vascular lumen/stroma ratio in the outer choroid were performed. Choriocapillaris loss was observed in early AMD (Bonferroni-corrected P = 0.024) with greater loss in GA (Bonferroni-corrected P < 10−9), even in areas of intact retinal pigment epithelium. In contrast, changes in lumen/stroma ratio in the outer choroid were not found to differ between controls and AMD or GA eyes (P > 0.05), suggesting choriocapillaris changes are more prevalent in AMD than those in the outer choroid. In addition, vascular endothelial growth factor-A levels were negatively correlated with choriocapillaris vascular density. These findings support the concept that choroidal vascular degeneration, predominantly in the microvasculature, contributes to dry AMD progression. Addressing capillary loss in AMD remains an important translational target.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Choriocapillaris Degeneration in Geographic Atrophy
- Creators
- Elliott H Sohn - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesMiles J Flamme-Wiese - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesS. Scott Whitmore - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesGrefachew Workalemahu - Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IowaAlexander G Marneros - Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MassachusettsErin A Boese - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesYoung H Kwon - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesKai Wang - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesMichael D Abramoff - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesBudd A Tucker - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesEdwin M Stone - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesRobert F Mullins - University of Iowa, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The American journal of pathology, Vol.189(7), pp.1473-1480
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ajpath.2019.04.005
- PMID
- 31051169
- PMCID
- PMC6616998
- NLM abbreviation
- Am J Pathol
- ISSN
- 0002-9440
- eISSN
- 1525-2191
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Grant note
- EY024605; EY026547; P30 EY025580 / NIH (https://doi.org/10.13039/100000002) Elmer and Sylvia Sramek Charitable Foundation (https://doi.org/10.13039/100012201)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/2019
- Academic Unit
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biostatistics; Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9983980284802771
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