Stimulation and inhibition of angiogenesis in diabetic retinopathy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of stimulators and inhibitors of angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.


METHODS
Undiluted vitreous samples and simultaneous paired plasma samples were obtained from 30 diabetic patients (35 eyes) undergoing vitreous surgery. The levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endostatin, and platelet factor-4 (PF-4) were measured simultaneously in each specimen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The severity of diabetic retinopathy was evaluated according to the modified Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study retinopathy severity scale.


RESULTS
Vitreous levels of VEGF and endostatin were significantly correlated with the severity of diabetic retinopathy (rho = 0.52, rho = 0.48, respectively), but the vitreous level of PF-4 was not (rho = 0.12). Vitreous levels of VEGF, endostatin, and PF-4 were not significantly correlated with their plasma levels. The vitreous level of VEGF was significantly correlated with that of endostatin (rho = 0.42). The VEGF concentration was significantly higher in the vitreous than in the plasma, while the endostatin concentration was not.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study showed that VEGF and endostatin were expressed in the vitreous of patients with diabetic retinopathy and may be involved in the pathogenesis of this condition.
Funatsu
H
H
Department of Ophthalmology, Diabetes Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
Yamashita
H
H
Noma
H
H
Shimizu
E
E
Yamashita
T
T
Hori
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D043169:Endostatins; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism*; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D043169:Endostatins; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D010978:Platelet Factor 4; D003094:Collagen