Purpose: To investigate the levels of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the vitreous of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Methods: The levels of SDF-1 and VEGF in the vitreous of 30 eyes of 30 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and 12 eyes of 12 patients with idiopathic macular hole (MH) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Vitreous fluid samples were obtained by vitrectomy.
Results: The vitreous concentration of VEGF was significantly higher in eyes with PDR (2,865.87 +/- 387.85 pg/ml) than in eyes with idiopathic macular hole (142.42 +/- 21.03 pg/ml, P < 0.0001). The vitreous level of SDF-1 was also significantly higher in eyes with PDR (298.40 +/- 24.57 pg/ml) than in eyes with idiopathic macular hole (86.91 +/- 15.89 pg/ml, P < 0.0001). The vitreous concentration of SDF-1 correlated significantly with that of VEGF in eyes with PDR ([correlation coefficient] r = 0.62, P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Vitreous levels of both SDF-1 and VEGF in patients with PDR are significantly higher than those of nondiabetic patients. SDF-1 may be correlated with VEGF in angiogenesis in PDR.