Proteomics of diabetic macular oedema and retinal vein occlusion
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A comparative proteomic approach to identify novel biomarkers for diabetic macular oedema and retinal vein occlusion
IRAS ID
166625
Contact name
Andrew J Lotery
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust - Research and Development
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Retinal vascular diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion (RVO), are amongst the leading causes of irreversible blindness and therefore impose a huge burden on society. At present, our understanding of the pathophysiological processes involved in these retinal diseases is still incomplete. New developments in technology enable a far more detailed analysis of biological samples to be carried out than before.
By applying these techniques to intraocular samples from patients with retinal diseases we hope to further our understanding of the pathophysiological processes occurring inside the eye. We aim to also explore associations with systemic findings in the blood circulation, and how these local and systemic changes may vary with particular gene abnormalities.
We would like to do this by obtaining samples of vitreous (the jelly inside the eye), plasma and serum from 30 treatment naive diabetic patients with macular oedema (DMO) and 30 treatment naive RVO patients. Adult patients would be recruited from the Southampton Eye Unit outpatient department at first presentation to clinic and vitreous samples obtained prior to first treatment with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor. A full proteomic analysis of these biological fluids would then be performed using the latest technologies. We would also like to take blood samples for DNA analysis in future studies.The results of this project will increase our understanding of the disease mechanisms underlying these important retinal diseases and should open up new avenues of treatment by identifying key molecules and processes which lead to the disease state. This may involve tailoring treatment to target particular molecules or biomarkers in the eyes or circulating blood of patients.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SC/1385
Date of REC Opinion
16 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion