Figure 1.

Increased vascular permeability of diabetic retina is accompanied by decrease of tight junction proteins. A: Increased vascular permeability was evaluated by fluorescein angiography using FITC-BSA. Whole-mount retinal preparation from 8 days after streptozotocin injection was performed after 1 hour perfusion of FITC-BSA. These experiments were repeated over three times with similar results. FITC-BSA fluorescence intensity was measured by image analysis in serial retinal sections. The average retinal FITC-BSA fluorescence intensity was calculated and normalized to plasma fluorescence intensity. Figures were selected as representative data from three independent experiments. Scale bars = 100 μm. *P < 0.005. DM, diabetes mellitus. B: At 2, 4, 6, and 8 days after streptozotocin injection, retinal proteins of diabetic mice were analyzed by Western blot analysis using PECAM, ZO-1, ZO-2, and occludin antibodies. β-Actin served as the loading control. DM, diabetes mellitus. C: HRMEC proteins from cells incubated with AGE treatment (10 μg/ml) for 12 hours were analyzed by Western blot analysis using ZO-1 and ZO-2 antibodies. β-Actin was served as the loading control. B and C: Quantitative analysis was performed by measuring protein expression relative to the control. Each point represents the mean (±SD) of three independent experiments, each performed in triplicate. *P < 0.005. Figures were selected as representative data from three independent experiments. DM, diabetes mellitus.