Objective To observe the effects of dual targets intervention on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in diabetic rat retina. Methods Forty-eight Sprague -Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group (CON1 group) and diabetes mellitus group (DM group). The rats of DM group were induced with streptozotocin injection creating a diabetic model. Retinas were obtained at eight, 10, 12 weeks after DM induction from both groups. CTGF and VEGF mRNA levels were examined by realtime reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Based on the results of above experiments, 60 rats with same conditions were selected. Fifty rats were induced with streptozotocin injection creating a diabetic model, and 10 rats comprised the control group (CON2 group). Then the 50 diabetic rats were randomly divided into ranibizumab and CTGF shRNA dual targets intervention group, ranibizumab singletarget intervention group, CTGF shRNA singletarget intervention group and nonintervention group. Retinas were obtained at one week after intervention from all the groups. CTGF and VEGF mRNA levels were examined by RT-PCR. Results The levels of CTGF mRNA were significantly higher in DM group than that in CON1 group at the 8th weeks after DM induction, and this upregulation was maintained through the 12th week (t=-2.49, -2.67, -2.42;P＜0.05). There was no difference on VEGF mRNA levels between DM group and CON1 group at the 8th weeks after DM induction(t=-0.443,P=0.669). VEGF mRNA levels of DM group started to be significantly elevated over those in the CON1 group at the 10th week, and remained to be higher at the 12th week (t=-2.35, -2.57;P＜0.05). The VEGF mRNA of ranibizumab single-target intervention group was significantly lower than that in non-intervention group (t=-3.44,P=0.014), which was similar to CON2 group (t=-1.37,P＞0.05); however, the CTGF mRNA level was significantly increased as compared to the nonintervention group (t=2.48,P＜0.05). In the CTGF shRNA single-target intervention group, the levels of CTGF and VEGF mRNA were decreased as compared to the non-intervention group (t=0.23, -2.92;P＜0.05). In the ranibizumab and CTGF shRNA dual targets intervention group, the levels of CTGF and VEGF mRNA were decreased as compared to the non-intervention group (t=-6.09, -5.11;P＜0.001), which was similar to CON2 group (t=-1.16, 1.139; P＞0.05). Conclusions Both CTGF and VEGF gene expression are up-regulated in early diabetic rat retina, and the level of CTGF increased earlier than VEGF. Ranibizumab combined with CTGF shRNA could simultaneously reduce the level of CTGF and VEGF mRNA in diabetic rat retina.
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of epinephrine in intraocular irrigation solution on retinal vascular caliber and macular thickness. MethodsA prospective control study. 32 eyes of 32 patients with macular hole who underwent vitrectomy were enrolled in this study. The patients including 14 males (14 eyes) and 27 females (18 eyes), with the average age of (64.0±4.5)years. Uncorrected visual acuity, corrected visual acuity, slit lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, fundus color photography and optical coherence tomography were performed in all patients. Retinal vascular caliber located in 0.5-1.0 disc diameter from optic disk was measured from digital fundus photographs and summarized as central retinal artery (CRAE) and vein (CRVE) equivalents in all eyes at baseline and at the 1 month, 3 months follow-up visit. The macular thickness is the distance from retinal interface of inner plexiform layer to retinal pigment epithelium layer. The macula was divided into inner ring ( < 3 mm) and outer ring (3-6 mm) according to the distance from the fovea. The patients were divided into experiment group (include epinephrine in intraocular irrigation solution, 1:1000) and control group (without epinephrine in intraocular irrigation solution), 16 eyes in each group. The difference of CRAE and CRVE between two groups was not significant (P > 0.05). The difference of macular thickness between inner ring and outer ring was not significant (P > 0.05). The average follow-up was 3.5 months. CRAE, CRVE and macular thickness in inner ring and outer ring before and 1 month, 3 months after surgery were comparatively analyzed. ResultsThe differences of CRAE and CRVE before and 1, 3 months after surgery both in experiment group (tCRAE=0.322, 0.148; tCRVE=0.317, 0.005) and control group (tCRAE=0.226, 0.137; tCRVE=0.284, 0.151) were not significant (P > 0.05). The differences of CRAE (t=0.624, 0.424) and CRVE (t=0.015, 0.041) between experiment group and control group also were not significant (P > 0.05). The differences of macular thickness in inner ring and outer ring before and 1, 3 months after surgery both in experiment group (tinner=0.322, 0.148;touter=0.317, 0.005) and control group (tinner=0.226, 0.137;touter=0.284, 0.151) were not significant (P > 0.05). The differences of macular thickness in inner ring (t=1.568, 0.373) and outer ring (t=-1.697, 0.536) between experiment group and control group also were not significant (P > 0.05). ConclusionEpinephrine (1:1000) in intraocular irrigation solution has no effect on retinal vascular caliber and macular thickness in patients with macular hole.