PROTEOMIC ANALYSIS OF EARLY DIABETIC RETINOPATHY REVEALS MEDIATORS OF NEURODEGENERATIVE BRAIN DISEASES

The aim of the present study was to identify early changes in diabetic retinas using an unbiased proteomics approach. Proteomic profiles of control retinas were compared to diabetic retinas obtained from patients known to have no classic vascular lesions that clinically define diabetic retinas. The diabetic retinas were further split into two groups according to the presence or absence of glial activation as marker of progressive changes that may be associated with the early neurodegenerative process. By examining differentially expressed proteins at this preclinical stage, our aim was to acquire a clearer understanding of the complex cellular processes that initiate diabetic retinas.