The retinal Evans blue leakage (median; range) in normal
nondiabetic animals and STZ-treated nondiabetic animals was 5.31
(1.01–8.37;
n = 10 retinas) and 4.02 (1.06–6.77;
n = 10 retinas) μl plasma·g retinal dry
weight
−1·h
−1,
respectively, demonstrating no significant difference between the
medians of these two groups (
Fig. 2A ;
P > 0.05, Wilcoxon rank-sum test). Because members
of these two groups did not differ, they were combined into a single“
nondiabetic” group (
Fig. 2B ; median, 4.86 μl plasma·g retinal
dry weight
−1·h
−1;
range, 1.01–8.37;
n = 20 retinas). The retinal Evans
blue leakage (median; range) in untreated diabetic, PBS +
glycerol–treated diabetic, and IL6R Trap–treated diabetic rats was
8.55 (6.03–11.60;
n = 6 retinas), 9.05 (6.56–13.00;
n = 10 retinas), and 8.21 (5.67–12.69;
n = 10 retinas) μl plasma·g retinal dry
weight
−1·h
−1,
respectively, demonstrating no significant difference between the
medians of these three control groups (
Fig. 2A ;
P >
0.05, Kruskal–Wallis test). Because members of these three groups did
not differ, they were combined into a single “diabetic” group (
Fig. 2B ; median, 8.69; range, 5.67 to 13.00;
n = 26
retinas). The retinal Evans blue leakage in 1-week diabetic animals
treated with 10 and 25 mg/kg VEGF TrapA
40 was
6.38 (3.25–8.62;
n = 9 retinas) and 4.03 (2.39–5.05;
n = 9 retinas) μl plasma·g retinal dry
weight
−1·h
−1,
respectively
(Figs. 2A 2B) . A Kruskal–Wallis test confirmed that the
medians of all four groups were significantly different from one
another (
P < 0.0001). Duncan’s multiple range test
was then used to make multiple pair-wise comparisons. Retinal Evans
blue leakage in diabetic rats was significantly higher than in
nondiabetic animals (
P < 0.05). The 10 and 25 mg/kg
VEGF TrapA
40–treated animals were significantly
different from the diabetic controls (
P < 0.05) as
well as from each other (
P < 0.05), supporting a
dose–response effect. The 10 mg/kg, but not the 25 mg/kg, VEGF
TrapA
40 condition also differed significantly
from the nondiabetic animals (
P < 0.05).