The association between neovascular age-related macular degeneration and regulatory T cells in peripheral blood

PURPOSE: To investigate regulatory T cells (Tregs) and subsets of the Treg population in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-one neovascular AMD cases and 12 age-matched controls without retinal pathology were selected. Patients were recruited from our outpatient retinal clinic. Control individuals were typically spouses. The diagnosis of neovascular AMD was confirmed using fluorescein and indocyaningreen angiography. Fresh venous blood was analyzed by flow cytometry using fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies to the Treg surface antigens CD4, CD25, CD127, CD45RA, and CD31. Main outcome measures were the percentage of CD25(high)CD127(low) Tregs, the percentage of CD45RA(+) naïve Tregs, and the percentage of CD31(+) recent thymic emigrant Tregs. RESULTS: Comparing patients with neovascular AMD to controls, no significant differences were found in the percentages of CD4(+) lymphocytes, CD25(high)CD127(low) Tregs, CD45RA(+) naïve Tregs, or CD31(+) recent thymic emigrant Tregs. CONCLUSION: Our data does not indicate an altered state of systemic Treg cells in neovascular AMD.