Correlation between Ficolin-3 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-to-Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor Ratio in the Vitreous of Eyes with Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract

To investigate the relationship of ficolin-3 with inflammatory and angiogenic factors, namely, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), in the vitreous of eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Case-control study. Vitreous fluid and serum samples were obtained at the time of vitreoretinal surgery from 21 eyes of 21 patients with PDR and from 16 eyes of 16 nondiabetic patients with idiopathic macular hole. Ficolin-3, VEGF, and PEDF concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Vitreous ficolin-3 levels were significantly higher in eyes with PDR than in eyes with idiopathic macular hole. Similarly, VEGF levels also were significantly higher in eyes with PDR than in eyes with idiopathic macular hole. In contrast, vitreous PEDF concentrations were significantly lower in eyes with PDR than in eyes with idiopathic macular hole, and the VEGF-to-PEDF ratio was higher in eyes with PDR than in eyes with idiopathic macular hole. Furthermore, a significant correlation between ficolin-3 and the VEGF-to-PEDF ratio was observed in the vitreous of eyes with PDR. In addition, serum ficolin-3 levels in eyes with PDR were higher than the levels in eyes with idiopathic macular hole, and the vitreous ficolin-3 levels also correlated with serum ficolin-3 levels. We found that ficolin-3 levels were elevated in the vitreous fluid of patients with PDR. Our results suggest that ficolin-3 may be used as a new therapeutic target for treatment of PDR.