Increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and advanced glycation end products in aqueous humor of patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Clinical studies have shown a relationship between diabetic retinopathy and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in ocular fluid. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated in diabetes complications, including diabetic retinopathy. Nepsilon-(carboxymethyl) lysine (CML) is a glycoxidation product that may be a marker of oxidative stress. In this study, we used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to determine the levels of VEGF, non-CML AGE and CML in the aqueous humor and serum of 82 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes and 60 non-diabetic subjects. VEGF, non-CML AGE, and CML concentrations in aqueous humor and serum were then compared with the severity of diabetic retinopathy. Immunohistochemical detection analysis of non-CML AGE and CML was also performed using retinal tissues from patients with progressive diabetic retinopathy. Aqueous levels of VEGF, non-CML AGE and CML increased along with the progression of diabetic retinopathy compared to age-matched controls. After coagulation therapy, the VEGF, non-CML AGE, and CML levels were significantly reduced. Immunostaining showed diffuse co-localization of non-CML AGE and CML around microvessels and in the glial cells of proliferative membranes from patients with progressive diabetic retinopathy. These findings suggest that glycation and glycoxidation reactions (or oxidation, as revealed by CML) may contribute to both the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy.