Retinal pigment epithelial cells reduce vascular leak and proliferation in retinal neovessels.

ABSTRACT: In multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, and macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel), retinal pigment epithelial (RPE)-cells proliferate and migrate into the neuroretina, forming intraretinal pigment plaques. Though these pigmentary changes are hallmarks of disease progression, it is unknown if their presence is protective or detrimental.Here, we first evaluated the impact of pigment plaques on vascular changes and disease progression in MacTel. In a retrospective, longitudinal study, we analyzed multimodal retinal images of patients with MacTel and showed that pigment plaques were associated with decreased vascular leakage and stabilized neovascular growth. We then modeled the underlying pathomechanisms of pigment plaque form

SUBMITTER: Tzaridis S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11602807 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature