Localization of vascular endothelial growth factor in human retina and choroid.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the distribution and relative levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the nondiabetic and preproliferative diabetic human retina and choroid.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical localization was performed on frozen sections from cryopreserved postmortem human tissue using a polyclonal antibody against VEGF and a streptavidin peroxidase system. Eyes from 5 subjects without diabetes and 8 subjects with diabetes were examined and analyzed using a 7-point immunohistochemical grading system.


RESULTS
In subjects without diabetes, weak or no VEGF immunoreactivity was associated with retinal blood vessels. In subjects with diabetes, we found significantly increased immunoreactivity in the retinal vascular endothelium and blood vessel walls. Vascular endothelial growth factor immunoreactivity was also associated with intravascular leukocytes in subjects with and without diabetes. In the choroid of subjects without diabetes, immunoreactivity was almost exclusively associated with intravascular leukocytes, whereas in diabetic subjects, immunoreactivity was localized within choriocapillaris endothelium, choroidal neovascular endothelium, and migrating retinal pigment epithelium cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The observed increase in VEGF immunoreactivity in the diabetic retina and choroid suggests that VEGF may contribute to 2 well-documented events during retinopathy: increased vascular permeability and angiogenesis.
Lutty
G A
GA
Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md, USA.
McLeod
D S
DS
Merges
C
C
Diggs
A
A
Plouét
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002196:Capillaries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006450:Hemoglobin SC Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors