Abstract
Purpose :
The pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is not well understood especially in terms of the roles of various factors associated with its development and progression. Currently, certain pro-angiogenic factors such as VEGF-A have been associated with progression of DR to more advanced stages. The aim of this study is identify novel factors that are associated with proliferative DR (PDR) using vitreous biopsies of subjects with PDR and control, non-diabetic subjects.
Methods :
Undiluted vitreous samples were collected from healthy controls (n=28) and PDR subjects (n=35) during routine vitrectomy procedures. Control subjects included those with ocular conditions not associated with vascular disease, including epiretinal membranes, macular holes, vitreomacular traction syndrome, and vitreous floaters. PDR samples were determined by primary diagnosis of each subject. All samples were analyzed by a LuminexTM multiplex assay for detection for 31 pro-angiogenic and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Transformed data sets were analyzed by MANOVA and for false discovery. Candidate factors were further evaluated with ANCOVA.
Results :
Analysis of the vitreous samples indicated that there was no significant difference in age or gender between control and PDR subjects. Significant differences between PDR and controls were observed MANOVA analysis was performed for pro-angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors. In PDR, significant shifts observed for PLGF, VEGF-A, SCD401, PAI-1, and sVEGFR-1 (p = 0.0000002, p = 0.0022, p = 0.07, p = 0.09, and p = 0.03, respectively). Other factors were upshifted to a less degree. Data showed that some soluble receptors were downshifted in PDR compared to controls.
Conclusions :
Evaluation of the vitreous in subject with PDR subjects compared with controls revealed that multiple factors are associated with the dynamic changes that occur in PDR. Due to its guarded prognosis identification of novel factors as potential therapeutic targets may advance our therapeutic strategies in management of PDR beyond anti-VEGF therapy.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.