Journal Article

Local complement activation in aqueous humor in patients with age-related macular degeneration

Aslanidis, A, Steinhauer, M, Altay, L, Langmann, T, Schick, T, Kirschfink, M, Fauser, S, Karlstetter, M

2017

Overview

Purpose To investigate complement activation in aqueous humor and in plasma of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Patients and methods Aqueous humor and EDTA-plasma of 31 nAMD patients and 30 age-matched controls was collected. The levels of the complement factor 3 (C3), the regulators factor H (FH), and factor I (FI), and of the complement activation products Ba, C3a, and the terminal complement complex (sC5b-9) were measured. Associations between complement levels and phenotype were determined using Mann–Whitney U -test. Results In plasma, no significant differences were found between the nAMD group and the control group. In aqueous humor, significantly increased levels of Ba ( P =0.002), and C3a ( P =0.002) indicate local complement activation in nAMD patients and a trend for a concomitant upregulation of the complement regulators FH ( P =0.02) and FI ( P =0.04). Conclusions Our findings provide strong evidence for a local complement dysregulation in nAMD patients.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 692/53/2423 / 692/699/3161/3175 / 82/1 / Aged / Aqueous Humor - metabolism / Complement Activation / Complement Factor H - metabolism / Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Female / Humans / Laboratory Medicine / Laboratory Study / Macular Degeneration - genetics / Male / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Ophthalmology / Pharmaceutical Sciences/Technology / Prospective Studies / Surgery / Surgical Oncology / Wet Macular Degeneration - metabolism