FIGURE 1.

Representative FA images of eyes of non-diabetic mice (CTR), diabetic mice (STZ), and diabetic mice treated with Fingolimod (STZ + Fingolimod) during the follow-up. In CTR mice no changes in retinal vascularity were noticed during follow-up. Instead, in STZ mice, there was an increase in the irregularity of the vessel size, which began at 4 weeks and looked appeared more evident at 8 weeks, in which a pattern of the “rosary-like” vessel was appreciated (red arrow). At 12 weeks there was a further thinning of the vascular caliber. In the STZ + Fingolimod group, no significant changes in retinal vascularity were seen during follow-up. Vessel abnormalities score (graded from 0 to 4) was calculated as the average of the vascular alterations observed (N = 5 animals per group). Vessel abnormalities were graded from 0 to 4 based on the presence of vessel thinning, tortuosity, venous beading, and rosary-like vessels. Each image represents the same retina of the same mouse but at different time points (at baseline, 4–12 weeks of treatment). Statistical significance was assessed by one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test. *p < 0.05 vs CTR; ^† p < 0.05 vs STZ.