title: Tacrolimus (FK506) prevents early retinal neovascularization in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.
abstract: Diabetic retinopathy is a complex disease that has potential involvement of inflammatory in its pathogenesis. We hypothesized that tacrolimus (FK506), one of the potent immunosuppressive agent, could be effective against diabetic retinopathy, which involves significant inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of FK506 in early retinal changes of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The effect of FK506 treatment (10 μg per eye for one week) was evaluated by TNF-a, VEGF, iNOS and COX-2 protein levels measurement, neovascularization, and the activation of NF-kB in the retina. Increased amounts of cytokines, neovascularization, inflammatory markers and activation of NF-kB were observed in retina from diabetic mice. FK506 treatment significantly lowered retinal TNF-a, VEGF, iNOS and COX-2. Further, treatment with FK506 significantly suppressed diabetes-related neovascularization, as well as the activation of NF-kB. These data demonstrated that FK506 attenuates the degree of retinal inflammation and preserving the neovascularization in early diabetic mice.
authors.affiliation: Medicine Division, Yangzhou Vocational College of Environment Resources, Yangzhou 225127, China.
authors.forename: Landi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Jieyu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Yuxuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Yingbin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Zhilan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; D016559:Tacrolimus