Hyperhexosemia-Induced Retinal Vascular Pathology in a Novel Primate Model of Diabetic Retinopathy.
The paucity of animal models exhibiting full pathology of diabetic retinopathy (DR) has impeded understanding of the pathogenesis of DR and the development of therapeutic interventions. Here, we investigated whether hyperhexosemic marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) develop characteristic retinal vascular lesions including macular edema (ME), a leading cause of vision loss in DR. Marmosets maintained on 30% galactose (gal)-rich diet for 2 years were monitored for retinal vascular permeability, development of ME, and morphological characteristics including acellular capillaries (AC) and pericyte loss (PL), vessel tortuosity, and capillary basement membrane (BM) thickness. Excess vascular permeability, increased number of AC and PL, vascular BM thickening, and increased vessel tortuosity were observed in the retinas of gal-fed marmosets. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images revealed significant thickening of the retinal foveal and the juxtafoveal area, and histological analysis showed incipient microaneurysms in retinas of gal-fed marmosets. Findings from this study indicate that hyperhexosemia can trigger retinal vascular changes similar to those seen in human DR including ME and microaneurysms. The striking similarities between the marmoset retina and the human retina, and the exceptionally small size of the monkey, offer significant advantages to this primate model of DR.
Departments of Medicine and Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
Argyrios
A
Chronopoulos
Departments of Medicine and Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
Sumon
S
Roy
Departments of Medicine and Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
Ekaterina
E
Beglova
New England Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Southborough, MA.
Keith
K
Mansfield
New England Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Southborough, MA.
Lynn
L
Wachtman
Departments of Medicine and Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA sayon@bu.edu.
Sayon
S
Roy
D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002144:Callithrix; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000209:etiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications*; D008269:Macular Edema; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
D001786:Blood Glucose