Abstract
Purpose :
Based on our animal studies, we have shown that chemokines and monocyte trafficking in the retina play a significant role in diabetic retinopathy and alteration of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). To confirm this data in human diabetic retinopathy, we further examined levels of various chemokines and cytokines in the sera of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).
Methods :
Serum samples of nondiabetics (n = 13), diabetics without DME (n =12) and DME (n = 13) were analyzed using multiplex ELISA (BioRad) for cytokines and chemokines. The clinical demographics like age, sex, type of diabetes, and associated diseases were analyzed along with the serum chemokines/cytokines data.
Results :
In DME patients, the serum levels of cathespin D, MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein), and VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule) were found to be significantly higher compared to the levels in non-diabetics and diabetics without DME (p = 0.0001, 0.003 and 0.001 respectively). Serum levels of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) were significantly decreased in patients with DME compared to other two groups (p<0.0001)
Conclusions :
Inflammation plays a significant role in alteration of the BRB in DME patients. Serum levels of cathepsin D, MCP-1 and VCAM-1 may be used as important novel biomarkers for diabetic macular edema.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.