| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Regular Articles |










From the Laboratory for Surgical Research,*Childrens Hospital, the Department of Ophthalmology,
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and the Joslin Diabetes Center,
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; the Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery,
Center for Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals,¶Tarrytown, New York
Diabetic retinopathy remains a leading cause of irreversible blindness. A critical early pathology in the disease is the adhesion of leukocytes to the retinal vasculature, a process that occurs, in part, via intercellular adhesion molecule-1. Once leukocyte adhesion occurs, endothelial cell injury ensues, as does blood-retinal barrier breakdown. Here we show that angiopoietin-1 can prevent and reverse these diabetic retinal vascular changes in both new and established diabetes. Angiopoietin-1, when given intravitreally to newly diabetic rats, normalized retinal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 mRNA and protein levels, leading to reductions in leukocyte adhesion, endothelial cell injury, and blood-retinal barrier breakdown. When an adenovirus coding for angiopoietin-1 was given systemically to mice with established diabetes, it similarly inhibited leukocyte adhesion and endothelial cell injury and blood-retinal barrier breakdown. These changes coincided with reductions in retinal eNOS, nitric oxide, Akt (protein kinase B), and MAP kinase activity, known mediators of VEGF bioactivity and leukocyte adhesion. When endogenous VEGF bioactivity was inhibited with a soluble Flt-1/Fc chimera, retinal Akt kinase activity was significantly reduced in vivo. Taken together, these data document new vascular and anti-inflammatory bioactivities for angiopoietin-1 and identify it as the first naturally occurring protein that directly protects the retinal vasculature in diabetes.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
A. V. Benest, S. J. Harper, S. Y. Herttuala, K. Alitalo, and D. O. Bates VEGF-C induced angiogenesis preferentially occurs at a distance from lymphangiogenesis Cardiovasc Res, May 1, 2008; 78(2): 315 - 323. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. M Abu El-Asrar, L. Missotten, and K. Geboes Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1{alpha} and the protein products of its target genes in diabetic fibrovascular epiretinal membranes Br. J. Ophthalmol., June 1, 2007; 91(6): 822 - 826. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. K. Choi, J. H. Kim, W. J. Kim, H. Y. Lee, J. A. Park, S.-W. Lee, D.-K. Yoon, H. H. Kim, H. Chung, Y. S. Yu, et al. AKAP12 Regulates Human Blood-Retinal Barrier Formation by Downregulation of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1{alpha} J. Neurosci., April 18, 2007; 27(16): 4472 - 4481. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Lee, W. Kim, S.-O. Moon, M. J. Sung, D. H. Kim, K. P. Kang, K. Y. Jang, S. Y. Lee, B. H. Park, G. Y. Koh, et al. Renoprotective effect of COMP-angiopoietin-1 in db/db mice with type 2 diabetes Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., February 1, 2007; 22(2): 396 - 408. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. Kociok, S. Radetzky, T. U. Krohne, C. Gavranic, and A. M. Joussen Pathological but Not Physiological Retinal Neovascularization Is Altered in TNF-Rp55-Receptor-Deficient Mice Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., November 1, 2006; 47(11): 5057 - 5065. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. P.J. Brindle, P. Saharinen, and K. Alitalo Signaling and Functions of Angiopoietin-1 in Vascular Protection Circ. Res., April 28, 2006; 98(8): 1014 - 1023. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Ichinose, Y. Maeshima, Y. Yamamoto, H. Kitayama, Y. Takazawa, K. Hirokoshi, H. Sugiyama, Y. Yamasaki, K. Eguchi, and H. Makino Antiangiogenic Endostatin Peptide Ameliorates Renal Alterations in the Early Stage of a Type 1 Diabetic Nephropathy Model Diabetes, October 1, 2005; 54(10): 2891 - 2903. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Murakami, H. Takagi, K. Suzuma, I. Suzuma, H. Ohashi, D. Watanabe, T. Ojima, E. Suganami, M. Kurimoto, H. Kaneto, et al. Angiopoietin-1 Attenuates H2O2-induced SEK1/JNK Phosphorylation through the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt Pathway in Vascular Endothelial Cells J. Biol. Chem., September 9, 2005; 280(36): 31841 - 31849. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. S. Brown, L. Leamen, V. Cucevic, and F. S. Foster Quantitation of Hemodynamic Function during Developmental Vascular Regression in the Mouse Eye Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., July 1, 2005; 46(7): 2231 - 2237. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. C. Weber, H. Cai, M. Ehrbar, H. Kubota, G. Martiny-Baron, W. Weber, V. Djonov, E. Weber, A. S. Mallik, M. Fussenegger, et al. Effects of Protein and Gene Transfer of the Angiopoietin-1 Fibrinogen-like Receptor-binding Domain on Endothelial and Vessel Organization J. Biol. Chem., June 10, 2005; 280(23): 22445 - 22453. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J I Patel, P G Hykin, Z J Gregor, M Boulton, and I A Cree Angiopoietin concentrations in diabetic retinopathy Br. J. Ophthalmol., April 1, 2005; 89(4): 480 - 483. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. M. Dallabrida, N. Ismail, J. R. Oberle, B. E. Himes, and M. A. Rupnick Angiopoietin-1 Promotes Cardiac and Skeletal Myocyte Survival Through Integrins Circ. Res., March 4, 2005; 96(4): e8 - e24. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. Witzenbichler, D. Westermann, S. Knueppel, H.-P. Schultheiss, and C. Tschope Protective Role of Angiopoietin-1 in Endotoxic Shock Circulation, January 4, 2005; 111(1): 97 - 105. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. X. Zhang, J.-x. Ma, J. Sima, Y. Chen, M. S. Hu, A. Ottlecz, and G. N. Lambrou Genetic Difference in Susceptibility to the Blood-Retina Barrier Breakdown in Diabetes and Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy Am. J. Pathol., January 1, 2005; 166(1): 313 - 321. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. S. Lim, A. D. Blann, A. Y. Chong, B. Freestone, and G. Y.H. Lip Plasma Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Angiopoietin-1, and Angiopoietin-2 in Diabetes: Implications for cardiovascular risk and effects of multifactorial intervention Diabetes Care, December 1, 2004; 27(12): 2918 - 2924. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. M. A. El-Asrar, L. Dralands, L. Missotten, I. A. Al-Jadaan, and K. Geboes Expression of Apoptosis Markers in the Retinas of Human Subjects with Diabetes Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., August 1, 2004; 45(8): 2760 - 2766. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. Yamamoto, Y. Maeshima, H. Kitayama, S. Kitamura, Y. Takazawa, H. Sugiyama, Y. Yamasaki, and H. Makino Tumstatin Peptide, an Inhibitor of Angiogenesis, Prevents Glomerular Hypertrophy in the Early Stage of Diabetic Nephropathy Diabetes, July 1, 2004; 53(7): 1831 - 1840. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J.-X. Chen, Y. Chen, L. DeBusk, W. Lin, and P. C. Lin Dual functional roles of Tie-2/angiopoietin in TNF-{alpha}-mediated angiogenesis Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, July 1, 2004; 287(1): H187 - H195. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Larger, M. Marre, P. Corvol, and J.-M. Gasc Hyperglycemia-Induced Defects in Angiogenesis in the Chicken Chorioallantoic Membrane Model Diabetes, March 1, 2004; 53(3): 752 - 761. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. A. Kowluru, A. Kowluru, S. Chakrabarti, and Z. Khan Potential Contributory Role of H-Ras, a Small G-Protein, in the Development of Retinopathy in Diabetic Rats Diabetes, March 1, 2004; 53(3): 775 - 783. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. C. Satchell, K. L. Anderson, and P. W. Mathieson Angiopoietin 1 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Modulate Human Glomerular Endothelial Cell Barrier Properties J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., March 1, 2004; 15(3): 566 - 574. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. H. Rudolfsson, A. Johansson, I. Franck Lissbrant, P. Wikstrom, and A. Bergh Localized Expression of Angiopoietin 1 and 2 May Explain Unique Characteristics of the Rat Testicular Microvasculature Biol Reprod, October 1, 2003; 69(4): 1231 - 1237. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Sarlos, B. Rizkalla, C. J. Moravski, Z. Cao, M. E. Cooper, and J. L. Wilkinson-Berka Retinal Angiogenesis Is Mediated by an Interaction between the Angiotensin Type 2 Receptor, VEGF, and Angiopoietin Am. J. Pathol., September 1, 2003; 163(3): 879 - 887. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Yamashiro, A. Tsujikawa, S. Ishida, T. Usui, Y. Kaji, Y. Honda, Y. Ogura, and A. P. Adamis Platelets Accumulate in the Diabetic Retinal Vasculature Following Endothelial Death and Suppress Blood-Retinal Barrier Breakdown Am. J. Pathol., July 1, 2003; 163(1): 253 - 259. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
O. Stoeltzing, S. A. Ahmad, W. Liu, M. F. McCarty, J. S. Wey, A. A. Parikh, F. Fan, N. Reinmuth, M. Kawaguchi, C. D. Bucana, et al. Angiopoietin-1 Inhibits Vascular Permeability, Angiogenesis, and Growth of Hepatic Colon Cancer Tumors Cancer Res., June 15, 2003; 63(12): 3370 - 3377. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Babaei, K. Teichert-Kuliszewska, Q. Zhang, N. Jones, D. J. Dumont, and D. J. Stewart Angiogenic Actions of Angiopoietin-1 Require Endothelium-Derived Nitric Oxide Am. J. Pathol., June 1, 2003; 162(6): 1927 - 1936. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. B. El-Remessy, M. A. Behzadian, G. Abou-Mohamed, T. Franklin, R. W. Caldwell, and R. B. Caldwell Experimental Diabetes Causes Breakdown of the Blood-Retina Barrier by a Mechanism Involving Tyrosine Nitration and Increases in Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor Am. J. Pathol., June 1, 2003; 162(6): 1995 - 2004. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. T. Rosenbaum Sugar Creates a Sticky Business: Round Up the Usual Suspects Am. J. Pathol., May 1, 2002; 160(5): 1547 - 1550. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |