Vitreous and serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor and their correlation in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and clinically significant macula oedema.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate possible correlations between vitreous and/or serum levels of platelet-derived growth factor isoforms (PDGF-AA, -AB and -BB) with parameters associated with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and clinically significant macula oedema (CSMO); to compare the results to relevant results regarding vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is an established growth factor affecting NPDR.


METHODS
Fifteen patients with NPDR, 31 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and 15 non-diabetic patients were included in the study. Vitreous and serum samples were obtained during vitrectomy. PDGF-AA, -AB and -BB, as well as VEGF, were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
PDGF-AA, -AB and -BB and VEGF were all expressed in the serum and vitreous of controls and patients with NPDR. The levels of PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB and VEGF in vitreous were significantly increased in the NPDR group compared to controls, while PDGF-BB levels were significantly decreased in the NPDR group compared to controls. The levels of all PDGF isoforms and VEGF in vitreous were significantly increased in the PDR group compared to the NPDR group. No such differences were evident in serum. PDGF-AA and VEGF correlated significantly to the severity of NPDR. PDGF or VEGF in vitreous of NPDR patients did not correlate with retinal photocoagulation (RP) or the serum levels of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). There was no correlation between the vitreous and serum levels of VEGF or PDGF in patients with PDR. Only PDGF-AB vitreous levels correlated significantly with PDGF-BB vitreous levels in the NPDR group.


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that in addition to VEGF, almost all PDGF isoforms in the vitreous are also correlated with NPDR and CSMO.
2nd Department of Ophthalmology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. praidou2003@yahoo.co.uk
Anna
A
Praidou
Eleni
E
Papakonstantinou
Sofia
S
Androudi
Nikolaos
N
Georgiadis
George
G
Karakiulakis
Stavros
S
Dimitrakos
D000368:Aged; D000077214:Becaplermin; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
D000077214:Becaplermin; D015415:Biomarkers; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human; C075278:platelet-derived growth factor A; C095477:platelet-derived growth factor AB