Imaging apoptosis in the eye

Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that is implicated in both pathological and physiological processes throughout the body. Its imaging in vivo with intravenous radiolabelled-annexin V has been heralded as an important advance, with around 30 clinical trials demonstrating its application i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Eye (London) 2011-05, Vol.25 (5), p.545-553
Main Authors: Cordeiro, M F, Migdal, C, Bloom, P, Fitzke, F W, Moss, S E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/1647/245
631/80/82/23
692/698/1688/512/2613/1786
692/699
Annexin A5
Apoptosis - physiology
Cambridge Ophthalmological Symposium
Glaucoma - pathology
Glaucoma - physiopathology
Humans
Laboratory Medicine
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Ophthalmology
Pharmaceutical Sciences/Technology
Retina - cytology
Retinal Ganglion Cells - pathology
Surgery
Surgical Oncology
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Summary:Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that is implicated in both pathological and physiological processes throughout the body. Its imaging in vivo with intravenous radiolabelled-annexin V has been heralded as an important advance, with around 30 clinical trials demonstrating its application in the early detection and monitoring of disease, and the assessment of efficacy of potential and existing therapies. A recent development has been the use of fluorescently labeled annexin V to visualize single retinal cells undergoing the process of apoptosis in vivo with ophthalmoscopy. This has been given the acronym DARC (Detection of Apoptosing Retinal Cells). DARC so far has only been used experimentally, but clinical trials are starting shortly in glaucoma patients. Results suggest that DARC may provide a direct assessment of retinal ganglion cell health. By enabling early assessment and quantitative analysis of cellular degeneration in glaucoma, it is hoped that DARC can identify patients before the onset of irreversible vision loss. Furthermore, in addition to aiding the tracking of disease, it may provide a rapid and objective assessment of potential and effective therapies, providing a new and meaningful clinical endpoint in glaucomatous disease that is so badly needed.
ISSN:0950-222X
1476-5454
DOI:10.1038/eye.2011.64