Clodronate treatment leads to microglial activation in degenerative retinopathy

Inflammation and glial activation can change the course of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The polycystic-kidney-disease (PKD)-rat shows a retinal phenotype similar to DR in which CD74 serves as a microglial activation marker. Our aim was to clarify the function of CD74+-microglia. PKD-rats were intravitreally injected with clodronate-coated-liposomes at 4 and 8 weeks of age and terminated at 12 weeks. Clodronate-injected Sprague Dawley (SD)-rats served as control. Glial activation was assessed by immunofluorescence for activation markers. BV2-cells were stimulated towards M1 and M2 phenotypes and expression of activ…