Positive association of pigment epithelium-derived factor with total antioxidant capacity in the vitreous fluid of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

• Published in: British journal of ophthalmology Vol. 91; no. 7; pp. 885 - 887
• Main Authors: Yokoi, Masahiko, Yamagishi, Sho-ichi, Saito, Akari, Yoshida, Yumiko, Matsui, Takanori, Saito, Wataru, Hirose, Shigeki, Ohgami, Kazuhiro, Kase, Manabu, Ohno, Shigeaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JR BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.07.2007; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Adult; advanced glycation end product; AGE; Aged; Angiogenesis; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Diabetes; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Diabetic retinopathy; Diabetic Retinopathy - metabolism; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Eye Proteins - analysis; Female; Gene expression; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Nerve Growth Factors - analysis; Ophthalmology; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative stress; Pathogenesis; PDR; PEDF; pigment epithelium-derived factor; proliferative diabetic retinopathy; Retina; Retinopathies; Scientific Report; Serpins - analysis; Vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGF; Vitreous Body - chemistry; Endocrinopathy; Human; Retinopathy; Diabetes mellitus; Fluid; Vitreous body; Antioxidant; Proliferative vitreoretinopathy; Vitreous body disease; Eye disease; Association; Pigment epithelium-derived factor; Ophthalmology
• ISSN: 0007-1161; 1468-2079
• DOI: 10.1136/bjo.2006.110890

Background: Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a glycoprotein with potent neuronal differentiating activity, was recently found to inhibit advanced glycation end product (AGE)-induced retinal hyperpermeability and angiogenesis through its antioxidative properties, suggesting that it may exert beneficial effects on diabetic retinopathy by acting as an endogenous antioxidant. However, the inter-relationship between PEDF and total antioxidant capacity in the eye remains to be elucidated. Aims: To determine vitreous PEDF and total antioxidant levels in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and to investigate the relationship between them. Methods: Vitreous levels of PEDF and total antioxidant capacity were measured by an ELISA in 39 eyes of 36 patients with diabetes and PDR and in 29 eyes of 29 controls without diabetes. Results: Vitreous levels of total antioxidant capacity were significantly lower in patients with diabetes and PDR than in controls (mean (SD) 0.16 (0.05) vs 0.24 (0.09) mmol/l, respectively, p<0.001). PEDF levels correlated positively with total antioxidant status in the vitreous of patients with PDR (r = 0.37, p<0.05) and in controls (r = 0.41, p<0.05). Further, vitreous levels of PEDF in patients with PDR without vitreous haemorrhage (VH(−)) were significantly (p<0.05) decreased, compared with those in the controls or in patients with PDR with vitreous haemorrhage (VH(+); PDR VH(−), 4.5 (1.1) μg/ml; control, 7.4 (4.1) μg/ml; PDR VH(+) 8.5 (3.6) μg/ml). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that PEDF levels are associated with total antioxidant capacity of vitreous fluid in humans, and suggests that PEDF may act as an endogenous antioxidant in the eye and could play a protective role against PDR.