About This Project

One of the major challenges in diagnosing diabetic retinopathy (DR) in its early stages is the absence of easily observable ophthalmic symptoms. Research suggests that retinal neurodegeneration is the earliest pathological feature of DR. Therefore, we propose to identify retinal neurodegeneration using potential blood-based biomarkers. We will obtain evidence through an in vitro model of diabetic retinopathy.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a growing epidemic and the most common complication of diabetes, affecting vision. Currently, DR is only diagnosed after the onset of microvascular complications due to a lack of easily observable symptoms, and treatment is only available for the advanced stages of the disease. DR damages the neuronal and vascular retina, and it has been evident that neurodegeneration in the retina is the earliest alteration in the disease's progression. Therefore, it is necessary to identify biomarkers for early detection of retinopathy. The proposed project aims to create a proof of concept and translate the research into clinical practice for further identification of potential biomarkers.

What is the significance of this project?

The proposed in vitro study will be helpful for creating a proof of concept that may lead to the identification of novel biomarkers for screening diabetic retinopathy (DR) in the future. The detection of retinal neurodegeneration in diabetic subjects is crucial, and the data generated from this study could be useful for designing future studies using clinical samples. While clinical diagnostic tools such as optical coherence tomography and electroretinogram have been proven effective in detecting retinal neurodegeneration in its early stages, these techniques are often expensive and not easily accessible for screening purposes in many cases. Currently, there are no blood-based diagnostic tests for detecting diabetic retinopathy, highlighting the need for this study to address this gap.

What are the goals of the project?

The goal of my research is to identify potential biomarkers for detecting retinal neurodegeneration in diabetic subjects. I plan to create a proof-of-concept using an in vitro model of diabetic retinopathy, in which PC12 cell lines will be used to induce diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy. I will isolate extracellular vesicles (EVs), specifically neuron-derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs), from this in vitro model of retinopathy, and measure the potential proteins as neurodegenerative markers in these vesicles. I will use techniques such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).