Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1997 Mar;235(3):149-58.
doi: 10.1007/BF00941722.

Transplantation of RPE in age-related macular degeneration: observations in disciform lesions and dry RPE atrophy

P V Algvere  1 , L Berglin, P Gouras, Y Sheng, E D Kopp
Affiliations

Transplantation of RPE in age-related macular degeneration: observations in disciform lesions and dry RPE atrophy

P V Algvere et al. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 1997 Mar.

Abstract

A study was carried out to investigate whether human RPE allografts are tolerated or rejected in the subretinal space and to determine the feasibility of RPE transplantation in subjects with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Patches of human fetal RPE (13-20 weeks of gestational age) were transplanted into the subretinal space of five patients after surgical removal of subfoveal fibrovascular membranes, and to four subjects with dry geographic atrophy. Suspensions of RPE cells were transplanted to four other patients with nonexudative AMD. Results were evaluated with clinical ophthalmological examination, SLO microperimetry and fluorescein angiography over 8-20 months.

Results: In disciform lesions, RPE transplants developed macular edema and fluorescein leakage concomitant with gradual reduction of visual acuity, implying host-graft rejection, over 1-6 months. In geographic atrophy, three of four transplants showed little change in shape and size after 12 months (one transplant was slowly rejected). In non-exudative AMD, RPE suspension transplants showed no evidence of rejection and were associated with the disappearance of drusen; visual acuity remained stable and SLO microperimetry confirmed retinal function over the transplanted area.

Conclusion: Human RPE allografts are not invariably rejected in the subretinal space without immunosuppression. The rejection rate is lower in nonexudative than in neovascular AMD. An intact blood-retinal barrier is likely to protect against rejection. It is technically feasible to transplant human RPE into the submacular space without adversely affecting visual function in nonexudative AMD over relatively long periods of time.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 Feb;36(2):381-90 - PubMed
    1. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1989 Mar;30(3):586-8 - PubMed
    1. Eye (Lond). 1994;8 ( Pt 2):255-62 - PubMed
    1. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1993 Nov;34(12):3347-54 - PubMed
    1. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1992 Nov;33(12):3407-16 - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources