Novel Growth Factors Involved in the Pathogenesis of Proliferative
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Eye (2002) 16, 422–428 2002 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0950-222X/02 $25.00 www.nature.com/eye DR Hinton1,2,3,SHe2, ML Jin2, E Barron3 CAMBRIDGE OPHTHALMOLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM Novel growth factors and SJ Ryan1,3 involved in the pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinopathy Abstract Keywords: proliferative vitreoretinopathy; hepatocyte growth factor; connective tissue Aims To determine whether hepatocyte growth factor; immunohistochemistry growth factor (HGF) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) are expressed in human specimens of proliferative Introduction vitreoretinopathy (PVR) and to propose a Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is the model of PVR pathogenesis based upon the most common cause of failed repair of a known activities of these growth factors. primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment Methods Immunohistochemical methods (RRD).1,2 It occurs when traction-generating (ABC Elite) were used to demonstrate the cellular membranes develop in the vitreous presence of HGF and CTGF in cryostat and inner or outer surfaces of the retina after sections of five human PVR membranes. RRD or major ocular trauma.1,3 A critical cell Results In each of the five PVR membranes, type involved in this epiretinal membrane stromal cells were immunohistochemically formation is the RPE cell.4,5 These cells positive for both HGF and CTGF. Based proliferate and migrate from the RPE upon this information and the known monolayer to form sheets of dedifferentiated 1Department of actions of these growth factors, a model of cells within a provisional extracellular matrix Ophthalmology PVR pathogenesis was developed. In this (ECM) that contains fibronectin and Keck School of Medicine model, injury of the retina induces an thrombospondin.5–7 The cellular membrane of the University of inflammatory response that upregulates HGF Southern California becomes progressively paucicellular and expression inducing the formation of 7 Los Angeles, CA, USA fibrotic over time. Normal ocular wound multilayered groups of migratory retinal healing involves a tightly coordinated series of 2Department of Pathology pigment epithelial cells (RPE). These RPE, events including recruitment and activation of Keck School of Medicine present in a provisional extracellular matrix, inflammatory cells, release of cytokines, of the University of come in contact with vitreous containing activation and proliferation of ocular cells, Southern California TGF-. The TGF- is activated, upregulating Los Angeles, CA, USA secretion of extracellular matrix, tissue expression of CTGF. Under the influence of remodeling and repair.8 The mechanisms of  3Doheny Eye Institute TGF- and CTGF, RPE become protracted wound healing, as is found in PVR, Los Angeles, CA, USA myofibroblastic and fibrosis ensues. Retinal are unknown but are presumed to include traction induces further detachment either sustained or dysregulated growth factor Correspondence: continuing the cycle of retinal injury. responses.4 SJ Ryan MD Conclusions HGF and CTGF are expressed In the normal eye, the RPE forms a Department of in PVR membranes and may play important Ophthalmology monolayer of immobile, polarized, non- Keck School of Medicine at roles in the pathogenesis of PVR. The proliferating cells joined by apical tight and USC expression and function of these growth adherent junctions.9 Within 24 hours of retinal 1450 San Pablo St factors should be critically examined in detachment in the cat, RPE cells begin to DEI 5600 human PVR specimens, in in vitro cultures proliferate and form multi-layered groups of Los Angeles 10 CA 90033, USA of RPE, and in animal models of PVR. dedifferentiated cells. The signal for this Tel: 323 442 6444 Eye (2002) 16, 422–428. doi:10.1038/ dramatic change in the RPE monolayer may E-mail: sryanȰusc.edu sj.eye.6700190 be related to loss of contact or signaling from Novel growth factors in PVR DR Hinton et al 423 photoreceptors.4,10 Alternatively, it may be a response buffered saline (PBS; pH 7.4), and incubated with to signals, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), blocking serum for 15 min. Sections were incubated for secreted by inflammatory cells drawn to the lesion.11 60 min with the polyclonal primary antibody of Previous work has established the important adjunctive interest then washed for 15 min with PBS. role of TNF as a mediator of RPE activation and Immunoperoxidase detection was performed using the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) as an important ABC Elite kit (Vector, Burlingame, CA, USA) with mitogen, chemoattractant, and mediator of cellular aminoethylcarbizole as the red chromogen. Slides were contraction.4,5,12–17 The cytokine TGF- is a pivotal then rinsed with tap water, counterstained with contributor to tissue fibrosis, and the TGF- 2 isoform hematoxylin, and mounted with glycerin-gelatin is predominant in an inactive form in normal medium. Polyclonal antibodies against HGF (Santa vitreous.18,19 Thrombospondin-1 represents a likely Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA) were used activator of TGF- within tissue.20,21 TGF- levels are at a dilution of 1:200, while antibodies against CTGF elevated in PVR vitreous and they correlate with the (Fibrogen, South San Francisco, CA, USA) were used at presence of intraocular fibrosis, however little is known a dilution of 1:400. about the downstream mediators of this effect.20 In this paper, we propose that novel growth factors Results (hepatocyte growth factor and connective tissue growth factor) mediate two critical, and in many ways All five membranes showed expression for both HGF opposing, activities in PVR; the development of and CTGF (Table 1). HGF expression was generally multilayered groups of dedifferentiated RPE from an higher in cellular regions of the membrane than in intact monolayer early in the process, and their fibrotic regions (Figure 1 a, b). HGF immunoreactivity subsequent transformation into a fibrotic paucicellular was predominantly associated with the cytoplasm of membrane later in the process. the stromal cells. CTGF expression was prominent in both cellular and fibrotic regions of the membranes (Figure 1c, d). CTGF staining was present both in Methods association with the stromal cells and the extracellular PVR membranes were surgically excised during space. vitrectomy surgery in five patients. The tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki, Finland, were followed— Discussion informed consent was obtained, and institutional human experimentation committee approval was Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) granted for this study. The basic characteristics of the excised membranes are described in Table 1. We hypothesize that HGF is a major mediator of early Each of the fresh membranes was placed in isotonic PVR, inducing the separation of RPE from the saline at 4°C, then snap-frozen in optimum cutting monolayer and (along with TNF and PDGF) the temperature compound (Ames/Miles, Elkhart, IN, formation of an invasive, cellular, non-fibrotic USA) within 1 h. Each specimen was sectioned on a membrane containing dedifferentiated RPE. HGF, also cryostat into 6 m frozen sections on glass slides for known as scatter factor, is a pleiotropic growth factor immunohistochemical analysis. The sections were fixed with marked cross species activity that was originally in reagent grade acetone for 5 min at room derived from platelets.22,23 HGF is a heparin-binding temperature and stored at −80°C. Thawed tissue glycoprotein that is secreted as a single-chain (pre- sections were air-dried, rehydrated with phosphate- HGF) precursor that in situations such as tissue damage is proteolytically cleaved to form a functional Table 1 Immunohistochemical staining of PVR membranes for heterodimer joined by a single disulfide bond. HGF HGF and CTGF acts predominantly on epithelial cells where it has 24–26 Case number HGF CTGF mitogenic, morphogenic and motogenic activities. These effects are mediated through a transmembrane ++ ++ 1 tyrosine kinase surface receptor known as c-Met or 2 + +++ HGFR.24 3 + +++ 4 +++We previously reported that RPE secrete HGF and 5 +++ +++ express a functional HGFR making the HGF/HGFR system a potential autocrine loop for RPE.27 As shown 1+, weak, focal staining (Ͻ10% of cells). 2++, moderate to strong staining, (up to 50% of cells). in this paper and in work by others, increased 3+++, intense staining (Ͼ50% of cells). expression of HGF/HGFR is present in human PVR Eye: Cambridge Ophthalmological Symposium Novel growth factors in PVR DR Hinton et al 424 Figure 1 HGF and CTGF are expressed in surgically excised human PVR membranes. The cryostat tissue sections were stained immunohistochemically using polyclonal antibodies against HGF and CTGF. Detection was achieved with the ABC Elite kit using aminoethylcarbizole as the red chromogen. A weak hematoxylin counterstain is present. HGF is prominent within the stromal cells of cellular membranes (a) and to a lesser extent in stromal cells of fibrotic membranes (b). CTGF is found both associated with cells and in the extracellular space in cellular membranes (c) and fibrotic membranes (d). Magnification × 400. membranes and HGF is increased in the vitreous of junctions, and facilitation of migration from the PVR patients.28–30 Interestingly, HGF scatter activity is monolayer.43 We predict that these morphologic higher in patients with RRD than PVR while total HGF changes will promote retinal detachment in vivo and increases with severity of disease suggesting that this will be associated with widespread alterations in growth factor may have a critical