Hyperhexosemia-Induced Retinal Vascular Pathology in a Novel Primate Model of Diabetic Retinopathy.

ABSTRACT: The paucity of animal models exhibiting full pathology of diabetic retinopathy (DR) has impeded understanding of the pathogenesis of DR and the development of therapeutic interventions. Here, we investigated whether hyperhexosemic marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) develop characteristic retinal vascular lesions including macular edema (ME), a leading cause of vision loss in DR. Marmosets maintained on 30% galactose (gal)-rich diet for 2 years were monitored for retinal vascular permeability, development of ME, and morphological characteristics including acellular capillaries (AC) and pericyte loss (PL), vessel tortuosity, and capillary basement membrane (BM) thickness. Excess vascular permeability, increased number of AC and PL, vascular BM thickening, and increased vessel tortuosity were obs

SUBMITTER: Chronopoulos A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4477345 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature