title: Aqueous humor levels of hepatocyte growth factor in retinitis pigmentosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the level of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the aqueous humor of patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, comparative control study. Aqueous humor samples were collected from the eyes of 15 RP patients. The level of HGF was determined with a commercially available enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay kit. The control group was composed of aqueous samples from 15 patients about to undergo cataract surgery with no other ocular or systemic diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of HGF was markedly higher in the aqueous humor of the patients with RP than in that of the control subjects (Mann-Whitney U test, P < 0.001). The level of HGF was 958.75 +/- 271.52 (mean +/- SD) pg/mL in the eyes of the RP patients and 403.52 +/- 116.27 pg/mL in eyes of the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The concentration of HGF in aqueous humor is higher among patients with RP than in non-RP subjects. This finding provides new evidence that should be taken in account when considering HGF as a neuroprotective treatment for patients with RP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, La Fe University Hospital of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. david.salom@ yahoo.com
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salom
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diaz-Llopis
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quijada
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García-Delpech
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Udaondo
authors.forename: F Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Jose Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Millan
authors.forename: J Fernando
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Arevalo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D004596:Electroretinography; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: C066855:HGF protein, human; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor