Circulating anti-pericyte autoantibodies are present in Type 2 diabetic patients and are associated with non-proliferative retinopathy.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to determine the prevalence of anti-pericyte autoantibodies in Type 2 diabetes and to characterize these autoantibodies as new markers of disease activity in diabetic retinopathy.


METHODS
A total of 299 patients with Type 2 diabetes participated in this study. Retinopathy was assessed by 7-field stereo fundus photography and was graded according to the ETDRS scale. Serum anti-pericyte autoantibodies were detected by immunofluorescence on tissue cultured bovine retinal pericytes.


RESULTS
The prevalence of anti-pericyte autoantibodies in Type 2 diabetic patients was 54% and was approximately equal in men and women. The prevalence was approximately 55% with retinopathy at grades from 10 to 53. At grades above 53 the prevalence declined to 23% ( p<0.0001). The highest prevalence by duration of diabetes, 70%, was found at 0 to 5 years and the lowest, 25% at more than 25 years duration ( p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Anti-pericyte autoantibodies are present at high prevalence in Type 2 diabetes. Their presence during earlier stages of retinopathy could be due to a reaction with antigens expressed by "activated" pericytes. The decline in antibody prevalence in advanced retinopathy could mark pericyte loss and progression to an angiogenic retinal milieu.
Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Tufts Center for Vision Research and New England Eye Center, Tufts-New England Medical Center (Box450), 750 Washington Street, MA 02111, Boston, USA. rnayak@tufts-nemc.org
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D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020286:Pericytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers