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Comparison of the neuroinflammatory responses to selective retina therapy and continuous-wave laser photocoagulation in mouse eyes

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology volume 256, pages 341–353 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigated microglia and inflammatory cell responses after selective retina therapy (SRT) with microsecond-pulsed laser in comparison to continuous-wave laser photocoagulation (cwPC).

Methods

Healthy C57BL/6 J mice were treated with either a train of short pulses (SRT; 527-nm, Q-switched, 1.7-μs pulse) or a conventional thermal continuous-wave (532-nm, 100-ms pulse duration) laser. The mice were sacrificed and their eyes were enucleated 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after both laser treatments. Pattern of cell death on retinal section was evaluated by TUNEL assay, and the distribution of activated inflammatory cells and glial cells were observed under immunohistochemistry. Consecutive changes for the expression of cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and TGF-β were also examined using immunohistochemistry, and compared among each period after quantification by Western blotting.

Results

The numbers of TUNEL-positive cells in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer did not differ in SRT and cwPC lesions, but TUNEL-positive cells in neural retinas were significantly less on SRT. Vague glial cell activation was observed in SRT-treated lesions. The population of inflammatory cells was also significantly decreased after SRT, and the cells were located in the RPE layer and subretinal space. Proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β and TNF-α, showed significantly lower levels after SRT; conversely, the level of TGF-β was similar to the cwPC-treated lesion.

Conclusions

SRT resulted in selective RPE damage without collateral thermal injury to the neural retina, and apparently produced negligible glial activation. In addition, SRT showed a markedly less inflammatory response than cwPC, which may have important therapeutic implications for several macular diseases.

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Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (grant number: H I 17C0966, TK Park). This work was partially supported by the Soonchunhyang University Research Fund. The sponsor had no role in the design or conduct of this research.

Author information

Author notes

  1. JWH and JC contributed equally to the work presented here and should therefore be regarded as equivalent authors.

Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, South Korea

    Jung Woo Han, Young Shin Kim, Jina Kim & Tae Kwann Park

  2. Department of Medical Science, Konyang University, 158 Gwanjeodong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon, 320-832, Republic of Korea

    Juhye Choi & Jungmook Lyu

  3. Institute of Biomedical Optics, University of Lübeck and Medizinisches Laserzentrum Lübeck GmbH, Lübeck, Germany

    Ralf Brinkmann

  4. Laboratory for Translational Research on Retinal Macular Degeneration, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, South Korea

    Tae Kwann Park

  5. Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, #170 Jomaruro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 420-767, South Korea

    Tae Kwann Park

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  1. Jung Woo Han
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Correspondence to Jungmook Lyu or Tae Kwann Park.

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All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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All applicable international, national, and institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution at which the studies were conducted.

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Additional information

Jung Woo Han and Juhye Choi are co-first authors.

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Cite this article

Han, J.W., Choi, J., Kim, Y.S. et al. Comparison of the neuroinflammatory responses to selective retina therapy and continuous-wave laser photocoagulation in mouse eyes. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 256, 341–353 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-017-3883-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-017-3883-7

Keywords

  • Continuous-wave laser photocoagulation
  • Inflammatory response
  • Selective retina therapy
  • Iba-1
  • CD11b
  • F4/80
  • IL-1β
  • TNF-α
  • TGF-β