We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Combinatory inhibition of VEGF and FGF2 is superior to solitary VEGF inhibition in an in vitro model of RPE-induced angiogenesis.
- Authors
Andreas Stahl; Lilija Paschek; Gottfried Martin; Nicolas Feltgen; Lutz Hansen
- Abstract
Abstract Background Choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) as a feature of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is partially regulated by retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). In this study, the effect of combinatory anti-angiogenic treatment was evaluated using a novel in vitro assay of RPE-induced angiogenesis. Methods RPE isolated from surgically excised CNV-membranes (CNV-RPE) was used to stimulate sprouting of endothelial cell (EC) spheroids in a 3D collagen matrix. The anti-angiogenic effect of solitary anti-VEGF antibodies (bevacizumab) was compared to a combinatory treatment with anti-VEGF and anti-FGF2 antibodies. Results Anti-VEGF treatment inactivated all RPE-derived VEGF but was unable to fully inhibit EC sprouting induced by CNV-RPE. Combined anti-VEGF/anti-FGF treatment inactivated both growth factors and reduced EC sprouting significantly. Conclusions RPE from CNV patients expresses angiogenic growth factors that act in part independently of VEGF. Targeted combinatory therapy can be superior to solitary anti-VEGF therapy. One possible candidate for combinatory therapy is FGF2.
- Subjects
BEVACIZUMAB; NEOVASCULARIZATION; RETINAL degeneration; GROWTH factors; RHODOPSIN; DISEASES in older people
- Publication
Graefe's Archive of Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, 2009, Vol 247, Issue 6, p767
- ISSN
0721-832X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00417-009-1058-x