Alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin Expression and Parafoveal Blood Flow Pathways Are Altered in Preclinical Diabetic Retinopathy.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To investigate differences in alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expression and parafoveal blood flow pathways in diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods

Human donor eyes from healthy subjects (n = 8), patients with diabetes but no DR (DR-; n = 7), and patients with clinical DR (DR+; n = 13) were perfusion labeled with antibodies targeting αSMA, lectin, collagen IV, and filamentous actin. High-resolution confocal scanning laser microscopy was used to quantify αSMA staining and capillary density in the parafoveal circulation. Quantitative analyses of connections between retinal arteries and veins within the superficial vascular plexus (SVP), intermediate capillary plexus (ICP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were performed.

Results

Mean age between the groups was not

SUBMITTER: An D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9078056 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature