May 2003
Volume 44, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2003
Drusen Exert Degenerative Effects on Adjacent Retinal Cells
P.T. Johnson; G.P. Lewis; K.C. Talaga; M. Brown; P.J. Kappel; D.H. Anderson; S.K. Fisher; L.V. Johnson
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • P.T. Johnson
    Center for the Study of Macular Degeneration, Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
  • G.P. Lewis
    Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
  • K.C. Talaga
    Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
  • M. Brown
    Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
  • P.J. Kappel
    Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
  • D.H. Anderson
    Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
  • S.K. Fisher
    Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
  • L.V. Johnson
    Neuroscience Research Institute, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  P.T. Johnson, None; G.P. Lewis, None; K.C. Talaga, None; M. Brown, None; P.J. Kappel, None; D.H. Anderson, None; S.K. Fisher, None; L.V. Johnson, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  NIH Grant EY11527 (LVJ), NIH Grant EY11521 (DHA), NIH Grant EY00888 (SKF)
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2003, Vol.44, 1723. doi:
  • Views
  • Share
  • Tools
    • Alerts
      User Alerts
      You are adding an alert for:
      Drusen Exert Degenerative Effects on Adjacent Retinal Cells
      You will receive an email whenever this article is corrected, updated, or cited in the literature. You can manage this and all other alerts in My Account
      The alert will be sent to:
      ×
      This feature is available to authenticated users only.
      Sign In or Create an Account ×
    • Get Citation
      Citation

      P.T. Johnson, G.P. Lewis, K.C. Talaga, M. Brown, P.J. Kappel, D.H. Anderson, S.K. Fisher, L.V. Johnson; Drusen Exert Degenerative Effects on Adjacent Retinal Cells . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2003;44(13):1723.

      Download citation file:

      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

      ×
    • Get Permissions
  • Supplements
Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: Drusen are variably sized extracellular deposits that form between the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and Bruch's membrane. Numerous and/or confluent drusen are a significant risk factor for age-related macular degeneration. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of drusen on overlying cells of the retina. Methods: Tissue containing retina and RPE/choroid was dissected from human donor eyes, embedded in agarose and sectioned at 100 microns using a vibratome. The sections were immunostained with antibodies against rod and cone opsins, second and third order neurons, and glial markers, then processed for confocal microscopy. Drusen were identified by immunostaining with antibodies against apolipoprotein E. Results: Retinal cells that overlie both soft and hard drusen exhibit numerous structural and molecular abnormalities. Normally detectable only in the outer segments of rod photoreceptors, rod opsin immunolabeling is also observed in the inner segment, cell body, axon and axon terminal of photoreceptors that overlie drusen. Labeling with this antibody also reveals the deflection and shortening of rod outer segments. Cone photoreceptors, immunostained with SWS- and MWS-cone opsin antibodies, display similar structural abnormalities as well as the decreased expression of cone opsin proteins. Hypertrophy of Müller glia is also associated with drusen. These cells upregulate the expression of intermediate filament proteins (vimentin and GFAP) in areas of retina overlying drusen. In contrast, bipolar, horizontal, amacrine, and ganglion cells all appear unaffected. These molecular and cellular abnormalities are confined to retinal regions directly overlying and immediately adjacent to drusen; whereas more distant retinal regions appear unperturbed. Remarkably, significant abnormalities are also observed over very small (<60 micron diameter), subclinical drusen. Conclusions: These data show that both soft and hard drusen induce cellular and molecular abnormalities in the overlying retina that resemble degenerative changes observed in experimental retinal detachments. The observations suggest that considerable localized damage to retinal photoreceptors, as well as the activation of Müller glial cells, occurs as a consequence of drusen formation.

Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • retina • drusen 
© 2003, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
×
×

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

Sign in or purchase a subscription to access this content. ×

You must be signed into an individual account to use this feature.

×
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy.Accept