title: Systemic upregulation of PDGF-B in patients with neovascular AMD.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the plasma levels of platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGF-B), VEGF, and TNF-α in patients with neovascular AMD and in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with neovascular AMD, 30 patients with DME, and 12 healthy controls were included in this prospective study. The concentrations of PDGF-B, VEGF, and TNF-α were measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PDGF-B concentration in the plasma of controls was (median [25th-75th percentile]) 263.5 (162.0-513.3) pg/mL and in patients with DME 219.0 (122.8-604.8) pg/mL. In patients with neovascular AMD, PDGF-B levels were significantly higher with a median plasma concentration of 783.5 (289.3-1183.5) pg/mL (P = 0.003). The VEGF concentrations in patients with DME 33.0 (21.8-73.0) pg/mL and in patients with neovascular AMD 55.0 (37.0-116.3) pg/mL showed no significant differences (P = 0.159). A positive correlation of PDGF-B and VEGF plasma levels was found in patients with neovascular AMD and in patients with DME (r = 0.683, P < 0.001, and r = 0.612, P < 0.001, respectively). No significant differences of systemic TNF-α levels could be found between the three study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with neovascular AMD have significantly higher plasma PDGF-B levels compared with patients with DME and healthy controls. Our study data indicate that PDGF-B may be involved in the pathogenesis of neovascular AMD. (https://eudract.ema.europa.eu number, EudraCT 2010-024654-11)
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: Claus
authors: C
authors: Zehetner
authors: Rudolf
authors: R
authors: Kirchmair
authors: Sabrina B
authors: SB
authors: Neururer
authors: Martina T
authors: MT
authors: Kralinger
authors: Nikolaos E
authors: NE
authors: Bechrakis
authors: Gerhard F
authors: GF
authors: Kieselbach
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis / Q000097:blood*; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: HIF-1; PDGF-B; TNF-α; diabetic retinopathy; neovascular age-related macular degeneration; plasma levels