Expression of promyelocytic leukemia protein and vascular endothelial growth factor in aqueous humor and vitreous fluid in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Aims: To examine the expression of promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) in the eye of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients. Methods: PML mRNA levels were measured in proliferative membranes from 12 PDR patients and idiopathic epiretinal membranes from 5 control patients by quantitative RT-PCR. Protein levels of PML and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in aqueous humor and vitreous fluid samples from 34 PDR patients and 38 control patients were determined using ELISA. Results: The PML mRNA expression levels in membrane samples, and the PML protein concentrations in aqueous humor and vitreous fluid samples were significantly lower in PDR patients than control patients. We observed a statistically significant inverse correlation between the concentrations of PML and VEGF in the aqueous humor and vitreous fluid of PDR patients. Conclusion: PML may be a good candidate as a diagnostic marker and a therapeutic agent for PDR. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.