Neuropilin-1 Expreion by Endothelial Cell and Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell in Choroidal Neovacular Membrane

Purpoe To determine if vacular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) coreceptor neuropilin-1 (NP-1) i expreed in choroidal neovacularization (CNV) and to localize the expreion. Deign Laboratory invetigation. Method ix CNV membrane (CNVM) obtained from patient with ubfoveal CNV attributable to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) underwent immunohitochemitry for VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and NP-1. The poitive cell type were identified by double taining with anticytokeratin, anti-CD31, and antimooth mucle actin (MA). Reult Immunohitochemical taining revealed poitivity for VEGFR-2 and NP-1 in all ix CNVM. Both receptor were trongly expreed by new choroidal endothelial cell forming veel and CD-31-poitive cell in the nonvacular area. They were alo expreed in the pigmented retinal pigment epithelial layer and by cytokeratin-poitive, nonpigmented retinal pigment epithelium cell in the nonvacular area. The nonpigmented retinal pigment epithelium cell poitive for VEGFR-2 and NP-1 were highly colocalized with MA. Concluion The preence of both VEGF and NP-1 ugget that NP-1 may play a role in the evolution of CNV in AMD.