Insulin like growth factor-1 works synergistically with dopamine to attenuate diabetic retinopathy by downregulating vascular endothelial growth factor

Levels of Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a proangiogenic growth factor is elevated and dopamine downregulated in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). This study aims to investigate whether IGF-1 with dopamine can together modulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to prevent proliferative diabetic retinopathy while also attenuating angiogenic effects of IGF-1.

Effect of combination of levodopa L-Dopa with IGF-1 was tested on normal retinal pigment epithelium cells (ARPE-19) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), followed by tube formation. Invivo analysis of anti-angiogenic potential assessed by chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Diabetes induction in wistar rats at two time points, 12 and 16 weeks, treated with L-Dopa+IGF-1 and analysed for morphological variations, serum and tissue dopamine levels, gene expression by real-time PCR and western blot assay.

L-Dopa+IGF-1 on ARPE-19 cells caused no toxicity and worked synergistically. Reduced number of vessels observed. Significant improvement in inner retina thickness (*p < 0.05) was observed when L-Dopa was given alone and/or with IGF-1. Dopamine levels improved significantly in both serum and tissue (*p < 0.05). Levels of VEGF and IGF-1 receptors reduced significantly in 12 weeks. Western studies suggest that L-Dopa+IGF-1 modulates its effects via Akt/ERK dependent pathway.

First ever report on synergistic effect of L-Dopa+IGF-1 in a rat model of diabetic retinopathy. Even though the effect of L-Dopa in combination with IGF-1 is comparable to levels of L-Dopa alone, this study presents an interesting finding of neuroprotective function of IGF-1, which has been studied in disease models of Parkinson's but not diabetes.