 | http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=3D523342
Antibody May Salvage Sight
Scientists find way to block retinopathy in mice
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDayNews) -- Using an antibody to block the
action of a protein called SDF-1 prevented blindness in mice with a
condition similar to retinopathy in humans, says a University of
Florida study in the current issue of the Journal of Clinical
Investigation.
Retinopathy -- characterized by rampant blood vessel growth in the eyes
-- is a complication of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness in
working-age Americans. Diabetic retinopathy results in 12,000 to 24,000
cases of blindness in the United States each year, says the American
Diabetes Association.
This study is the first to describe a link between SDF-1 and
retinopathy. It also describes how the researchers injected an SDF-1
antibody into the eyes of the afflicted mice to silence SDF-1's
signaling to blood stem cells.
"SDF-1 is the main thing that tells blood stem cells where to go,"
researcher Edward Scott, director of the program in stem cell biology
and regenerative medicine at the university's College of Medicine, said
in a prepared statement.
"If you get a cut, the body makes SDF-1 at the injury site and the
repair cells sniff it out. The concentration of SDF-1 is higher where
the cut occurs and it quickly dissipates. But the eye is such a unique
place, you've got this bag of jelly -- the vitreous -- that just sits
there, and it fills up with SDF-1. The SDF-1 doesn't break down. It
continues to call the new blood vessels to come that way, causing all
the problems," Scott explained.
In people with diabetes, high blood pressure and blood sugar levels
cause leaks in the blood vessels of the eyes. This hampers the flow of
essential chemicals. In response, the eyes grow new blood vessels.
These new blood vessels begin to clog the eyes and cause even more
leaks. The retina is gradually damaged until it can no longer capture
images.
The next step in this research is to test the SDF-1 antibody in
monkeys, the researchers said.
More information
The U.S. National Eye Institute has more about diabetic retinopathy.
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: University of Florida, news release, Jan. 7, 2005
Last Updated: Jan-12-2005
Copyright =A9 2005 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.
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