Antiretinal antibodies and macular oedema

Aim: Recently, anti-Enolase and anti-carbonic anhydrase antibodies have bee n observed in over 60% of patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and cysto id macular oedema (CME). We investigated the presence of these antibodies i n a series of patients with CME due to different pathologies. Methods: In 10 patients with CME serum antibodies against Carbonic anhydras e (CA) II (30 kD) and Enolase (46 kD) were sought using Western Blots, Dot Blots as well as ELISA. Results: Western and dot blotting showed anti-CA II antibodies in all and a nti-Enolase antibodies in six of the 10 patients. The average titer measure d with ELISA was 0.9+/-0.08 OD Units (0.35-1.4) with a dilution of 1:400. Conclusion: The presence of antiretinal antibodies in the serum of all pati ents confirms the high prevalence of these antibodies in patients with CME. This may suggest that a dysfunction of CA and enolase activity in the reti nal pigment epithelium may lie at the root of oedema formation, whereas oth er mechanisms may be responsible in the absence of these antibodies.