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Detection of vascular endothelial growth factor messenger RNA and vascular endothelial growth factor-like activity in
F Malecaze1, S Clamens, V Simorre-Pinatel
1Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CNRS, University of Toulouse, France.
Objective:
To study the involvement of eight angiogenic growth factors that have been identified so far in the literature, especially vascular endothelial growth factor, in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Methods:
Samples of neovascular membranes were obtained from diabetic patients; these samples, excised at vitrectomy, were used to study the expression of messenger RNA of the angiogenic factors by using the method of the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Vitreous aspirates that were taken from diabetic and control patients were used to quantify vascular endothelial growth factor-like activity with a competitive radioreceptor assay.
Results:
Of the eight angiogenic factors studied, vascular endothelial growth factor was the only one that was always expressed in the samples of neovascular membranes. Furthermore, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-binding activity was greater in vitreous aspirates that were obtained from diabetic patients than in samples that were taken from control patients (P < .01).
Conclusion:
Vascular endothelial growth factor seems to be an appropriate candidate for mediating retinal diabetic neovascularization.