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Scientists find way to block retinopathy in mice
Scientists find way to block retinopathy in mice -- Posted by ironjustice@aol.com on 01-20-05 10:24
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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Re: Scientists find way to block retinopathy in mice -- Posted by daveosaurus on 01-23-05 10:30
Why do I get the feeling that mice are going to be cured of diabetes,
and its many complications, long before humans will?
Re: Scientists find way to block retinopathy in mice -- Posted by D. Allgrove on 01-24-05 18:20
daveosaurus wrote:
> Why do I get the feeling that mice are going to be cured of diabetes,
> and its many complications, long before humans will?
>
But there already IS a cure for diabetes. Get a new pancreas. :)
Re: Scientists find way to block retinopathy in mice -- Posted by None Given on 01-25-05 08:35
"D. Allgrove" wrote in message
news:d4iJd.14650$BL.8842@fe06.lga...
> daveosaurus wrote:
> > Why do I get the feeling that mice are going to be cured of diabetes,
> > and its many complications, long before humans will?
> >
>
> But there already IS a cure for diabetes. Get a new pancreas. :)
As we have seen, that isn't the whole answer. Transplants need
anti-rejection drugs which bring their own problems and don't always work in
the long term. Plus, that doesn't begin to address the IR part of Type 2.
--
No Husband Has Ever Been Shot While Doing The Dishes
Re: Scientists find way to block retinopathy in mice -- Posted by daveosaurus on 01-25-05 11:59
>daveosaurus wrote:
>Why do I get the feeling that mice are going to be
> cured of diabetes, and its many complications,
> long before humans will?
>D. Allgrove wrote:
>But there already IS a cure for diabetes. Get a
> new pancreas. :)
I have a hard time thinking of a transplant as a cure. Seems more like a
parts swap that requires one to be on anti-rejection drugs for the rest
of their life. And wouldn't the underlying factors that caused the
condition in the first place still be present?
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