Changes of the Concentrations of Hepatocyte Growth Factor in Vitreous and Serum in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Patients

Kim, Ki Seok; Ra, Ho; Lee, Won Ki

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the correlation between hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) levels and the process of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: Fourteen patients who had undergone vitrectomy were included in the study. Eight were diabetic patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and six were non-diabetic controls. Vitreous and serum HGF was identified by Western blot analysis and then the level of HGF was measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Western blot analysis confirmed 69kD polypeptide of HGF in vitreous and in serum of all 14 patients. Intravitreal concentrations of HGF was higher in PDR patients than in non-diabetic patients (p<0.01). However no significant differences was found between two groups regarding serum concentrations of HGF (p>0.05). While PDR patients did not show any correlation between the serum and the vitreous levels of HGF, control subjects showed a statistical significance (correlation coefficient=0.829; p=0.042). The ratio of serum HGF to vitreous HGF concentration was remarkably higher in PDR patients than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our result showed that increased concentration of HGF in vitreous seemed to be directly involved in the pathogenesis of PDR. Therefore vitreous level of HGF could be utilized as an indicator of the progression of PDR.