Maneu, Victoria, Noailles, Agustina, Megías, Javier, Gómez-Vicente, Violeta, Carpena, Núria, Gil, María Luisa, Gozalbo, Daniel, Cuenca, Nicolás
Retinal microglia are activated by systemic fungal infection
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 2014, 55: 3578-3585. doi:10.1167/iovs.14-14051
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10045/37207
DOI: 10.1167/iovs.14-14051
ISSN: 0146-0404 (Print)
Abstract: 
Purpose: To determine whether systemic fungal infection could cause activation of retinal microglia and therefore could be potentially harmful for patients with retinal degenerative diseases. Methods: Activation of retinal microglia was measured in a model of sublethal invasive candidiasis in C57BL/6J mice by (i) confocal immunofluorescence and (ii) flow cytometry analysis, using anti-CD11b, anti-Iba1, anti-MHCII and anti-CD45 antibodies. Results: Systemic fungal infection causes activation of retinal microglia, with phenotypic changes in morphology, surface markers expression, and microglial re-location in retinal layers. Conclusions: As an excessive or prolonged microglial activation may lead to chronic inflammation with severe pathological side effects, causing or worsening the course of retinal dystrophies, a systemic infection may represent a risk factor to be considered in patients with ocular neurodegenerative diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa.
Keywords:Microglial activation, Retina, Infection, Candidiasis
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
info:eu-repo/semantics/article