1. Cell-Type-Specific Complement Profiling in the ABCA4 -/- Mouse Model of Stargardt Disease.
- Author
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Jabri Y, Biber J, Diaz-Lezama N, Grosche A, and Pauly D
- Subjects
- Animals, Choroid metabolism, Complement Activation physiology, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Macular Degeneration metabolism, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Microglia metabolism, Retina metabolism, Retinal Degeneration metabolism, Retinal Pigment Epithelium metabolism, ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters metabolism, Complement System Proteins metabolism, Stargardt Disease metabolism
- Abstract
Stargardt macular degeneration is an inherited retinal disease caused by mutations in the ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 4 (ABCA4) gene. Here, we characterized the complement expression profile in ABCA4
-/- retinae and aligned these findings with morphological markers of retinal degeneration. We found an enhanced retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) autofluorescence, cell loss in the inner retina of ABCA4-/- mice and demonstrated age-related differences in complement expression in various retinal cell types irrespective of the genotype. However, 24-week-old ABCA4-/- mice expressed more c3 in the RPE and fewer cfi transcripts in the microglia compared to controls. At the protein level, the decrease of complement inhibitors (complement factor I, CFI) in retinae, as well as an increased C3b/C3 ratio in the RPE/choroid and retinae of ABCA4-/- , mice was confirmed. We showed a corresponding increase of the C3d/C3 ratio in the serum of ABCA4-/- mice, while no changes were observed for CFI. Our findings suggest an overactive complement cascade in the ABCA4-/- retinae that possibly contributes to pathological alterations, including microglial activation and neurodegeneration. Overall, this underpins the importance of well-balanced complement homeostasis to maintain retinal integrity.- Published
- 2020
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