gms | German Medical Science

7th International Symposium on AMD: Age-related Macular Degeneration – Understanding Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Disease

20.09. - 21.09.2019, Baden-Baden

Translational evaluation of selective retina therapy and thermal stimulation of the retina as therapeutic means for AMD

Meeting Abstract

  • Jan Tode - Kiel/D
  • E. Richert - Kiel/D
  • C. von der Burchard - Kiel/D
  • R. Brinkmann - Lübeck/D
  • R. Lucius - University of Kiel, Institute of Anatomy, Kiel/D
  • A. Klettner - Kiel/D
  • J. Roider - Kiel/D

7th International Symposium on AMD: Age-related Macular Degeneration - Understanding Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Disease. Baden-Baden, 20.-21.09.2019. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2020. Doc19amd41

doi: 10.3205/19amd41, urn:nbn:de:0183-19amd410

Veröffentlicht: 5. Februar 2020

© 2020 Tode et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open-Access-Artikel und steht unter den Lizenzbedingungen der Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (Namensnennung). Lizenz-Angaben siehe http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.


Gliederung

Text

Background: Despite broad research effort, early and intermediate stage AMD can neither be treated nor be prevented effectively. The multifactorial disease needs a multifactorial approach. RPE regenerative selective retina therapy (SRT), as well as thermal stimulation of the retina (TS-R) evoke a broad range of processes with therapeutic implications. We evaluated these laser modalities in AMD mouse models.

Methods: One randomized eye of nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2 -like 2 (NRF2) and apolipoprotein (Apo)E knock out mice was either treated by SRT or TS-R, the fellow eye served as control. Also, untreated knock out and wild type C57BL/6J mice were controls. Clinical (fundus, OCT, angiography), anatomical (transmission electron microscopy, histology), biochemical (expression profile of inflammatory parameters in PCR array and correlation to retinal layers by RNA in-situ hybridization) and functional (optokinetic nystagmus) properties were evaluated in both treated and untreated eyes.

Results: AMD-like clinical findings were not altered by SRT or TS-R. Concerning ultrastructural pathology, one month following SRT and TS-R Bruch’s membrane (BrM) thickness was reduced. SRT also affected fellow control eyes compared to treatment naïve mice. RPE regeneration and remodeling showing increased microvilli length and less vacuole-like alterations of cytoplasm were seen 1 month after SRT and TS-R. Concerning inflammation, both SRT and TS-R led to a reduction of pro-inflammatory cell mediators (especially CCL-19 expressed by neuroretinal cells and IL-6 expressed by RPE cells). Visual acuity was neither confined by SRT nor TS-R one week after treatment.

Conclusion: SRT and TS-R reduce BrM thickness to physiological values and rejuvenate RPE cells to vital and intact morphology. Inflammatory processes are inhibited in both RPE and neuroretina. Treatments are safe concerning retinal function. Translational data about influence on fat metabolism as well as clinical trials with safe devices are needed future steps. SRT and TS-R might become AMD treatment options.