Objective: To detect the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in aqueous humor of patients with active choroidal neovascularization (CNV).
Methods: Aqueous humor samples were obtained from 32 patients with active CNV. The concentrations of VEGF and PEDF in aqueous humor were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantitative analysis. VEGF and PEDF in 10 samples of aqueous humor from patients with cataract were also detected by the same methods as control.
Result: The mean VEGF and PEDF concentrations in aqueous humor of active CNV patients were higher than those in the control group (P=0.000).
Conclusion: The patients with active CNV exhibit significantly higher VEGF and PEDF levels than those in control, indicating that VEGF along with PEDF may modulate the formation of CNV.