Immunohistochemical analysis of cellular adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, VCAM-1) and VEGF in fibrovascular membranes of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy: preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
Diabetic fibrovascular membranes are the main pathological changes of proliferative diabetic retinopathy that can cause serious complications leading to blindness. Since the mechanism of fibrovascular membrane development is still unknown, the aim of our study was to identify potential biomarkers for this pathology. To this end, we analyzed the simultaneous expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and VEGF within tissues of diabetic fibrovascular membranes.


METHODS
Fibrovascular membranes were taken from nine diabetic patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The fibrovascular membrane specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemistry to determine ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and VEGF expression. Controls were collected on nine normal conjunctivas removed during senile cataract surgery.


RESULTS
Coexpression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and VEGF was found in most of the diabetic fibrovascular membranes studied. Thus, ICAM-1 was positive in eight of nine membranes (82%), VCAM-1 in seven of nine membranes (78%) and VEGF in all the membranes.


CONCLUSIONS
The substantial overexpression of adhesion molecules ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and of VEGF suggests that these molecules might contribute to the development of fibrovascular membranes in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and that they could constitute suitable markers of this pathology.
Service d'ophtalmologie, hôpital Charles-Nicolle, boulevard du 9-Avril, Bab Souika, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia. khalfaouittaoufik@yahoo.fr
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T
Khalfaoui
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Lizard
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O
Beltaief
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D
Colin
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J
Ben Hamida
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Errais
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Ammous
W
W
Zbiba
L
L
Tounsi
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Zhioua
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Anane
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Ouertani-Meddeb
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001706:Biopsy; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1