title: Nampt/PBEF/visfatin serum levels: a new biomarker for retinal blood vessel occlusions.
abstract: The main objective of the study was to quantify serum levels of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt/pre-B-Cell colony-enhancing factor 1/visfatin) in subjects with a history of retinal vascular occlusions (RVOs), disease conditions characterized by pronounced ischemia, and metabolic energy deficits. A case-control study of 18 subjects with a history of RVO as well as six healthy volunteers is presented. Serum Nampt levels were quantified using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Serum Nampt levels were 79% lower in patients with a history of RVO compared with that in healthy volunteers (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference among the types of RVOs, specifically branch retinal vein occlusions (n=7), central retinal vein occlusions (n=5), hemiretinal vein occlusions (n=3), and central retinal artery occlusions (n=3; P=0.69). Further studies are needed to establish the temporal kinetics of Nampt expression and to determine whether Nampt may represent a novel biomarker to identify at-risk populations, or whether it is a druggable target with the potential to ameliorate the long-term complications associated with the condition, ie, macular edema, macular ischemia, neovascularization, and permanent loss of vision.
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaja
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Anna A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Shamim A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Haji
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Krishna B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Yuliya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naumchuk
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zabaneh
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Bryan C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Gerdes
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kunjukunju
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Nelson R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Sabates
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cassell
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Ron K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Pikey
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poulose
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA ; Department of Basic Medical Science, School of Medicine, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koulen
keywords: Nampt; PBEF; biomarker; nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase; pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor; retina; retinal artery occlusion; retinal vein occlusion; vasculature; visfatin