The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the D allele of the VEGF polymorphism is an independent risk factor of diabetic retinopathy after controlling for other clinical variables.
These findings reveal that glial cell-derived cytokines such as GDNF and VEGF regulate BRB function, implying that the glial cell can be a possible therapeutic target in diabetic retinopathy.
It is likely that vascular endothelial growth factor, pro-inflammatory cytokines, advanced glycation end products, and adhesion molecules that also play a role in diabetic retinopathy may do so by modulating the activities of aldose reductase and nitric oxide synthase.
A number of polymorphisms in the VEGF gene have been described as being associated with several diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, prostate cancer and breast cancer.
The aim of the study was to analyze the relation between early diabetic retinopathy and the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in children with diabetes mellitus type 1.
To determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene are associated with severity of diabetic retinopathy.
Inhibition by vasoinhibins was similar to that achieved following immunodepletion of VEGF from human diabetic retinopathy vitreous or blockage of NO synthesis, suggesting that vasoinhibins inhibit VEGF-induced NOS activation.
To clarify the contribution of the VEGF gene in the development of diabetic retinopathy we analyzed variants in this gene among 469 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.
These limited samples showed the differences between normal and diabetic samples, including those relevant to diabetic retinopathy such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), C reactive protein, glutathione, and cytokines.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor gene intron 2 are markers for early progression of diabetic retinopathy in Japanese with type 1 diabetes.
In conclusion, the studied VEGF SNPs were not associated with the risk of diabetic retinopathy, and so it is unlikely that the VEGF gene is a major locus determining the risk of diabetic retinopathy.