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VEGF-B Levels in the Vitreous of Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients with Ocular Diseases and Its Correlation with Structural Parameters

Authors :
Joana Mesquita
João Paulo Castro de Sousa
Sara Vaz-Pereira
Arminda Neves
Paulo Tavares-Ratado
Fátima M. Santos
Luís A. Passarinha
Cândida T. Tomaz
Source :
Medical Sciences, Vol 5, Iss 3, p 17 (2017)
Publication Year :
2017
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2017.

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) is one of the enigmatic members of the VEGF family. The knowledge gap about VEGF-B expression and how its levels are altered in diabetic eyes were the focus of this investigation that was addressed by comparing and correlating vitreous VEGF-B between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. VEGF-B levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in vitreous samples (n = 33) from diabetic (n = 25) and non-diabetic (n = 8) patients. Results were compared between groups. Optical coherence tomography from diabetic patients was evaluated for central retinal thickness (CRT) and macular volume (MV). Mean vitreous VEGF-B concentration was higher in diabetic (18.82 ± 1.44 pg/mL ) vs. non-diabetic patients (17.90 ± 0.32 pg/mL) (p = 0.006), and in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) (19.03 ± 1.52 pg/mL) vs. non-PDR (NPDR) patients (18.18 ±0.96 pg/mL) (p = 0.025). In diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients, correlation between VEGF-B and CRT (μm) was positive and moderate: rs = 0.441 (p ≤ 0.05) and the correlation between VEGF-B and MV (mm3) was positive and robust: rs = 0.716 (p ≤ 0.01). VEGF-B levels are overexpressed in vitreous of diabetic patients, and the levels are higher in developed stages of DR. Correlation results show that CRT and MV increase with increased levels of VEGF-B. Targeting VEGF-B inhibition may have therapeutic beneficial implications.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20763271
Volume :
5
Issue :
3
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Medical Sciences
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.30445d74f7994eabbf797ce09fe80701
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci5030017