Objective To observe the expression of heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) and transforming growth factor-β₂(TGF-β₂) in vitreous specimens and epiretinal membranes of patients with proliferative vitreoretinopathy diseases. Methods Vitreous specimens and epiretinal membranes were obtained from 48 patients (48 eyes) with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) and 50 patients (50 eyes) with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Vitreous specimens and internal limiting membranes were collected from 20 patients (20 eyes) with idiopathic macular hole (IMH) as control group. The expression of HSP47 and TGF-β₂ in the vitreous specimens was evaluated using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of HSP47, TGF-β₂, typesⅠandⅢcollagen in epiretinal membrane and internal limiting membrane specimens were observed for immunohistochemical staining method. The correlation between the positive expression of HSP47 and TGF-β₂, typesⅠandⅢcollagen in epiretinal membrane specimens of patients with PVR and PDR were analyzed. Results The expression of HSP47 in vitreous specimens of patients with PVR, PDR and IMH were (212.35±23.32), (231.30±26.79), (171.06±28.91) pg/ml, respectively. The expression of TGF-β₂ in vitreous specimens of patients with PVR, PDR and IMH were (1919.96±318.55), (1939.39±177.57), (1194.61±234.20) pg/ml, respectively. The expression of HSP47, TGF-β₂ in the vitreous specimens of patients with PVR and PDR were significantly increased compared with patients with IMH and the difference was statistically significant (F=12.952, 34.532;P < 0.01). The epiretinal membrane of patients with PVR and PDR showed markedly increased expression of HSP47, TGF-β₂, typesⅠandⅢcollagen in the cytoplasm and extracellular matrix. The expression of HSP47 and typeⅢcollagen was negative and the expression of TGF-β₂ was weakly positive and the expression of typesⅠcollagen was positive in internal limiting membrane of patients with IMH. The expression of HSP47, TGF-β₂, typesⅠandⅢcollagen in the epiretinal membrane of patients with PVR and PDR were significantly increased compared with patients with IMH and the difference was statistically significant (F=13.469, 18.752, 12.875, 20.358; P < 0.01). The expression of HSP47 was positively correlated with the positive expression of TGF-β₂, typesⅠandⅢcollagen in epiretinal membrane specimens of patients with PVR (r=0.475, 0.556, 0.468; P < 0.05) and PDR (r=0.484, 0.589, 0.512; P < 0.05). Conclusions This study showed increased consistent expression of HSP47 and TGF-β₂ in vitreous and epiretinal membrane specimens of patients with PVR and PDR. Both HSP47 and TGF-β₂ were expressed in the cytoplasm and extracellular matrix. HSP47 and TGF-β₂ may be involved in the pathological process of PDR and PVR by promoting collagen synthesis.

Citation： LuYanan, ZhangDongchang, YuanLili. The expression of heat shock protein 47 and transforming growth factor-β₂ in vitreous specimens and epiretinal membranes of patients with proliferative vitreoretinopathy diseases. Chinese Journal of Ocular Fundus Diseases, 2015, 31(5): 462-466. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.1005-1015.2015.05.013 Copy