[Serum antiretinal antibodies (ARA) in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD)--preliminary findings].

BACKGROUND

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the Western world. Despite the magnitude of this clinical problem, the pathogenesis of the disease remains still unclear.

AIM

To determine the tissue specificity and titer of antiretinal antibodies (ARA) in sera of patients with exudative AMD.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Forty-six patients (92 eyes) 16 males and 30 women with exudative AMD were stratified arbitrary into four groups of AMD activity/severity: group I (n = 19)--patients with active choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in one eye and with drusen in the other eye; group II (n = 14)--patients with bilateral CNV; group III (n = 10)--patients with CNV in one eye and with disciform scar in the contralateral eye; group IV (n = 3)--patients with bilateral disciform scars. In all patients serum ARA were determined using indirect immunofluorescence detection on normal monkey retina as antigens substrate and FITC--labelled goat's anti-human IgA, G, M serum as the secondary antibody.

RESULTS

In all patients' serum ARA were present in the range of titres from 1:40 to 1:5120. Control sera (n = 28, 28 males) demonstrated the presence of ARA in titres 1:10 to 1:40 in 46.4% cases. High serum titres of ARA characterized AMD patients with bilateral CNV and CNV in one eye and drusen in the contralateral eye. Low titres of ARA were detected in serum of patients with bilateral disciform scars. Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) showed eight types histological patterns of patients' sera reactivity against retinal tissue. No correlation was found between serum ARA type and macular lesion activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our preliminary observations indicate a common presence of various ARA in serum of patients with AMD. Thus, it cannot exclude that ARA are involved in the pathogenesis or progression of AMD.