Immunoreactive endothelin-1 in the vitreous humor and epiretinal membranes of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: To investigate the potential role of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor with mitogenic properties, in the pathogenesis of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods: Plasma and vitreous samples were collected from normal patients (controls; n = 25), diabetic patients with PDR (n = 25), and diabetic patients with non-PDR (n = 25). The patients had to have epiretinal membranes (ERMs) or other ocular conditions that made them candidates for vitrectomy.

Immunoreactive ET-1 in the vitreous humor and epiretinal membranes of patients with proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Purpose: Endothelin one (ET-1) is a vasomodulator peptide that plays a role on ocular blood flow, glial proliferation, and collagen matrix contraction by retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells. Both glial and RPE cells have been involved in the formation of epiretinal membranes (ERMs). This investigation was conducted to determine whether ET-1 may be associated with ERMs, either idiopathic (IERMs) or from proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).