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Inherited retinal degeneration: basic FGF induces phagocytic competence in cultured RPE cells from RCS rats
Author(s) -
McLaren M.J,
Inana G
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(97)00566-8
Subject(s) - phagocytosis , retinal pigment epithelium , microbiology and biotechnology , basic fibroblast growth factor , retinal , retina , biology , chemistry , growth factor , biochemistry , receptor , neuroscience
In RCS rats, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is defective in phagocytosis of photoreceptor membranes. We have previously shown reduced expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the RPE of 7–10‐day‐old RCS rats. This study using primary RPE cultures from rats of this age demonstrates that the phagocytic defect in the mutant RPE can be overcome by treatment with bFGF, by a mechanism involving gene transcription and that normal RPE phagocytosis, also requiring transcription, is blocked by a bFGF neutralizing antibody. The combined data point to a role for bFGF in the normal mechanism of RPE phagocytosis and the RCS defect.