Minocycline reduces proinflammatory cytokine expression, microglial activation, and caspase-3 activation in a rodent model of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetes leads to vascular leakage, glial dysfunction, and neuronal apoptosis within the retina. The goal of the studies reported here was to determine the role that retinal microglial cells play in diabetic retinopathy and assess whether minocycline can decrease microglial activation and alleviate retinal complications. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that retinal microglia are activated early in diabetes.