Abstract
Purpose::
To investigate the effects of kininogenase on the expression of ICAM at the diabetic rats’ retinas.
Methods::
11 of 15 Wistar rats were confirmed to be suffering diabetes after treatment with streptozotocin (STZ), and then were randomly divided into a kininogenase group and a control diabetic group. The 4 remaining rats composed the control group. Three months later, each retina was tested by digest flat mounted and immunohistochemical studies to analysis the differences in the expressions of ICAM between each group.
Results::
The expression of ICAM differs from retina to retina in the normal control group. When compared with the kininogenase group and the control diabetic group, it was relatively weaker (Scheff test, p=0.001 and 0.074, respectively). In addition, the expressions of ICAM in the control diabetic are higher than those found in the kininogenase group (p=0.038).
Conclusions::
Abnormal expression of ICAM may be involved in the mechanism of diabetic retinopathy and kininogenase may be helpful in the treatment of the disease by inhibiting its expression to some degree.
Keywords: diabetic retinopathy