Betacellulin induces increased retinal vascular permeability in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Diabetic maculopathy, the leading cause of vision loss in patients with type 2 diabetes, is characterized by hyper-permeability of retinal blood vessels with subsequent formation of macular edema and hard exudates. The degree of hyperglycemia and duration of diabetes have been suggested to be good predictors of retinal complications. Intervention studies have determined that while intensive treatment of diabetes reduced the development of proliferative diabetic retinopathy it was associated with a two to three-fold increased risk of severe hypoglycemia. Thus we hypothesized the need to identify downstream glycemic targets, which induce retinal vascular permeability that could be targeted therapeutically without the additional risks associated with intensive treatment of

SUBMITTER: Anand-Apte B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2956654 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature