Proteomic analysis and identification of aqueous humor proteins with a pathophysiological role in diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) can cause irreversible blindness and is the severest microvascular complication in the eyes of patients with diabetic mellitus (DM). The identification of susceptibility factors contributing to development of DR is helpful for identifying predisposed patients and improving treatment efficacy. Although proteomics analysis is useful for identifying protein markers related to diseases, it has never been used to explore DR-associated susceptibility factors in the aqueous humor (AH). To better understand the pathophysiology of DR and to identify DR-associated risk factors, a gel-based proteomics analysis was performed to compare AH protein profiles of DM patients with and without development of DR. MALDI-TOF MS was then performed to identify protein spots that were differentially expressed between the two groups and western blot analysis was used to validate the expressional change of protein demonstrated by proteomics. Our proteomics and bioinformatics analysis identified 11 proteins differentially expressed between DR and control groups. These proteins are linked to biological networks associated with nutrition transport, microstructure reorganization, angiogenesis, anti-oxidation, and neuroprotection. The data may provide potential AH biomarkers and susceptibility factors for predicting DR development, and provide an insight into the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of DR. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics: The clinical link.
Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Shang-Yi
SY
Chiang
Ming-Ling
ML
Tsai
Chih-Yuan
CY
Wang
Ann
A
Chen
Yu-Ching
YC
Chou
Ching-Wu
CW
Hsia
Yung-Fu
YF
Wu
Han-Min
HM
Chen
Tzu-Hao
TH
Huang
Pei-Hsiu
PH
Chen
Hung-Te
HT
Liu
Hao-Ai
HA
Shui
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D040901:Proteomics; D054928:Validation Studies as Topic
D005136:Eye Proteins; D020543:Proteome