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Transferrin and transferrin receptor expression in intraocular proliferative disease. APAAP-immunolabeling of retinal membranes and ELISA for vitreal transferrin

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Abstract

Transferrin (TF) is the major transport protein involved in human iron metabolism. The expression of the cell-surface TF receptor is associated with cellular proliferation, the dominant feature of proliferative vitreoretinal disorders with traction retinal detachment. A total of 14 retinal membranes from patients with different clinical diagnoses contained immunoreactive TF. Expression of the cell-surface TF receptor was confirmed by a monoclonal anti-human TF-receptor antibody label in 11 of the 14 specimens. We developed a noncompetitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for TF and found it to be a significant component of vitreal protein, with a level of 65.7 ± 33.9 mg/l. Vitreal TF as a major iron acceptor probably has a protective function, but its interaction with macrophages and its growth-promoting activity may subsequently stimulate the proliferation of fibroblasts and retinal pigment epithelial cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung für Netzhaut- und Glaskörperchirurgie, Augenklinik der Universität, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 9, D-5000, Köln 41, Federal Republic of Germany

    Michael Weller, Peter Wiedemann, Henning Moter & Klaus Heimann

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  1. Michael Weller
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  2. Peter Wiedemann
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  3. Henning Moter
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  4. Klaus Heimann
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This study was supported by the Retinovit Foundation

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Weller, M., Wiedemann, P., Moter, H. et al. Transferrin and transferrin receptor expression in intraocular proliferative disease. APAAP-immunolabeling of retinal membranes and ELISA for vitreal transferrin. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 227, 281–286 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02172763

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02172763

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