Diabetic Retinopathy: Vascular and Inflammatory Disease

• Published in: Journal of Diabetes Research Vol. 2015; no. 2015; pp. 1 - 16
• Main Authors: Romano, Mario R., Rezzola, S., dell'Omo, Roberto, Cancarini, A., Semeraro, F., Costagliola, Ciro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01.01.2015; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Age; Analysis; Angiogenesis; Apoptosis; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Cell adhesion & migration; Chemokines; Cytokines; Cytokines - immunology; Diabetes; Diabetic retinopathy; Diabetic Retinopathy - immunology; Diabetics; Endothelium; Free radicals; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Hypertension; Hypoxia; Hypoxia - immunology; Inflammation; Inflammation - immunology; Inflammation - metabolism; Ischemia; Kinases; Metabolism; Mitochondria - metabolism; Neurophysiology; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - immunology; Pathogenesis; Permeability; Retina; Retina - immunology; Retina - metabolism; Retinal Vessels - immunology; Review; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Vascular endothelial growth factor
• ISSN: 2314-6745; 2314-6753
• DOI: 10.1155/2015/582060

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of visual impairment in the working-age population of the Western world. The pathogenesis of DR is complex and several vascular, inflammatory, and neuronal mechanisms are involved. Inflammation mediates structural and molecular alterations associated with DR. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the inflammatory pathways associated with DR are not completely characterized. Previous studies indicate that tissue hypoxia and dysregulation of immune responses associated with diabetes mellitus can induce increased expression of numerous vitreous mediators responsible for DR development. Thus, analysis of vitreous humor obtained from diabetic patients has made it possible to identify some of the mediators (cytokines, chemokines, and other factors) responsible for DR pathogenesis. Further studies are needed to better understand the relationship between inflammation and DR. Herein the main vitreous-related factors triggering the occurrence of retinal complication in diabetes are highlighted.