However, it is unclear whether changes in LOX expression contribute to the development and progression of DR. To determine if vitreous LOX levels are altered in patients with DR, 31 vitreous specimens from subjects with advanced proliferative DR (PDR), and 27 from non-diabetics were examined.
To investigate whether reduced LOX level protects against diabetes-induced development of retinal vascular lesions characteristic of diabetic retinopathy, four groups of mice: wild type (WT) control mice, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, LOX +/- mice, and STZ-induced diabetic LOX +/- mice were used for this study.
Furthermore, we pursue the causal relationship between LOX-NOX system and regulation of PEDF expression during DR. For these purposes, we used an experimental eye model in which normal mice were injected intravitreally with 12-HETE with/without PEDF.