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Related Experiment Videos

Plasminogen activation in epiretinal membranes

I Immonen1, A Vaheri, P Tommila

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.

Graefe'S Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology = Albrecht Von Graefes Archiv Fur Klinische Und Experimentelle Ophthalmologie
|November 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Epiretinal membranes, associated with proliferative vitreoretinopathy, show evidence of a plasminogen activator cascade. This proteolytic activity, particularly urokinase, suggests continuous tissue remodeling drives membrane growth.

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Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Epiretinal membranes form in conditions like proliferative vitreoretinopathy and macular pucker.
  • Membrane formation involves cell migration, proliferation, extracellular matrix deposition, and contraction.
  • Tissue remodeling, crucial in scar formation, relies on a balance between extracellular matrix production and degradation via proteolytic cascades.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and role of the plasminogen activator-mediated proteolytic cascade in epiretinal membranes.
  • To understand the mechanisms regulating extracellular matrix remodeling in epiretinal scar tissue.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of epiretinal and subretinal membrane specimens obtained during vitreous surgery.
  • Characterization of plasminogen activators and plasmin using in situ zymography and zymography.

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  • Localization of urokinase via indirect immunofluorescence staining.

    • Main Results:

    • Urokinase was detected in a majority (17/21) of epiretinal membranes, and tissue-type plasminogen activator in a significant portion (12/21).
    • Active plasmin was not detected in frozen sections of the membranes.
    • Urokinase was primarily localized to areas with macrophages and retinal pigment epithelial cells.

    Conclusions:

    • Proteolytic activity, notably urokinase, is present in epiretinal scar tissue.
    • The findings suggest that continuous tissue remodeling, involving simultaneous extracellular matrix synthesis and breakdown, is a key factor in epiretinal membrane growth.
    • The plasminogen activator system plays a role in the pathogenesis of epiretinal membranes.