Subretinal fluid from rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and blood induces the expression of ICAM-1 in the human retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE-19) in vitro.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of subretinal fluid (SRF) from rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and blood on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the retinal pigment epithelium. METHODS: The study included 22 patients who had experienced RRD within 1 month before the study and 14 patients with macular holes or pucker. SRF was collected during surgery to repair RRD and the vitreous was collected during vitrectomy. The SRF was cocultured with ARPE-19 cells with and without glucosamine sulphate (GS) and triamcinolone acetonide (TA). Blood from peripheral veins and blood components (red blood cells, platelet-poor plasma, and platelet-rich plasma) were also cocultured with ARPE-19 cells. Vitreous samples were cocultured with ARPE-19 cells in the control. The expression of ICAM-1 was detected and quantified by using flow cytometry. RESULTS: The expression of ICAM-1 in RPE cells was significantly higher (P<0.05) after 24-h incubation of 40% SRF with ARPE-19 cells. In addition, the expression of ICAM-1 in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells significantly increased (P<0.01) when cocultured with blood and blood components. However, there were no differences (P>0.05) in ICAM-1 expression when RPE cells were cocultured with or without GS or TA. CONCLUSIONS: SRF and blood enhanced the expression of ICAM-1 in RPE cells in this study and the increased expression of ICAM-1 by SRF is not inhibited by GS or TA.