Molecular imaging reveals elevated VEGFR-2 expression in retinal capillaries in
diabetes: a novel biomarker for early diagnosis.
Authors Sun D, Nakao S, Xie F, Zandi S, Bagheri A, Rezaei Kanavi M, Samiei S, Soheili
ZS, Frimmel S, Zhang Z, Ablonczy Z, Ahmadieh H, Hafezi-Moghadam A
Submitted By Ali Hafezi-Moghadam on 7/2/2014
Status Published
Journal FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Year 2014
Date Published 6/5/2014
Volume : Pages Not Specified : Not Specified
PubMed Reference 24903276
Abstract Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of diabetes and a
leading cause of vision loss. Biomarkers and methods for early diagnosis of DR
are urgently needed. Using a new molecular imaging approach, we show up to 94%
higher accumulation of custom designed imaging probes against vascular
endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) in retinal and choroidal vessels
of diabetic animals (P<0.01), compared to normal controls. More than 80% of the
VEGFR-2 in the diabetic retina was in the capillaries, compared to 47% in normal
controls (P<0.01). Angiography in rabbit retinas revealed microvascular
capillaries to be the location for VEGF-A-induced leakage, as expressed by
significantly higher rate of fluorophore spreading with VEGF-A injection when
compared to vehicle control (26±2 vs. 3±1 µm/s, P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry
showed VEGFR-2 expression in capillaries of diabetic animals but not in normal
controls. Macular vessels from diabetic patients (n=7) showed significantly more
VEGFR-2 compared to nondiabetic controls (n=5) or peripheral retinal regions of
the same retinas (P<0.01 in both cases). Here we introduce a new approach for
early diagnosis of DR and VEGFR-2 as a molecular marker. VEGFR-2 could become a
key diagnostic target, one that might help to prevent retinal vascular leakage
and proliferation in diabetic patients.-Sun, D., Nakao, S., Xie, F., Zandi, S.,
Bagheri, A., Kanavi, M. R., Samiei, S., Soheili, Z.-S., Frimmel, S., Zhang, Z.,
Ablonczy, Z., Ahmadieh, H., Hafezi-Moghadam, A. Molecular imaging reveals
elevated VEGFR-2 expression in retinal capillaries in diabetes: a novel
biomarker for early diagnosis.


Investigators with authorship
NameInstitution
Ali Hafezi-MoghadamBrigham and Womens Hospital

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