title: Vitreous levels of angiopoietin 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the levels of angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the vitreous fluids of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and to ascertain their involvement, if any, in angiogenesis of PDR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one eyes of 41 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 18 eyes of 18 patients with nondiabetic ocular diseases (control group). Nondiabetic control eyes included 11 with idiopathic macular hole and 7 with idiopathic epiretinal membrane. Vitreous fluid samples were obtained at vitrectomy, and the levels of Ang2 and VEGF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vitreous level (mean +/- SD) of Ang2 was significantly higher in patients with PDR (1,753 +/- 3,213 pg/ml) than in control patients (112 +/- 113 pg/ml) (P < .0001). The vitreous concentration of VEGF was also significantly higher in patients with PDR (812 +/- 1,108 pg/ml) than in control patients (1.7 +/- 4.4 pg/ml) (P < .0001). Both Ang2 and VEGF levels in eyes with active PDR were significantly higher than in those with inactive PDR. The vitreous concentration of Ang2 correlated significantly with that of VEGF in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy ([correlation coefficient] rho = 0.497, P = .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate an increase of Ang2 in the vitreous fluid of patients with PDR and suggest an association of Ang2 and VEGF with angiogenic activity in PDR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuma
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Suzuma
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: Tomonari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ojima
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurimoto
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Tetsushi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takagi
mesh_terms: D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042702:Angiopoietin-2; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A