DETECTION OF EICOSANOIDS IN EPIRETINAL MEMBRANES OF PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM PROLIFERATIVE VITREORETINAL DISEASES

Aim-Arachidonic acid is metabolised via lipoxygenase to 15-HETE (15-hy droxyeicosatetraenoic acid) and 15-HPETE (15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraeno ic acid), which are believed to influence proliferation in tissue cult ure. 15-HETE is the reduction product of 15-HPETE. Cell proliferation is believed to be decreased by 15-HPETE and increased by 15-HETE. The aim of this study was to investigate epiretinal membranes for the pres ence of these lipoxygenase products and to compare membranes from diff erent disease processes. Methods-Epiretinal membranes of 15 patients s uffering from proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR, n = 7) and prolife rative diabetic retinopathy (PDR; n = 8) were removed during vitrectom y and analysed by means of thin layer chromatography. The plates were evaluated by digital image analysis. Results-Both 15-HETE and 15-HPETE were identified in membranes from eyes of patients with PVR and PDR w ith HETE values significantly higher (p < 0.05) than HPETE values (HET E/HPETE ratio 5.2). Conclusion-This study demonstrates that eicosanoid s are present in the epiretinal membrane tissue of patients with PVR a nd PDR. Considering that HETE increases cell proliferation while HPETE inhibits it, it is conceivable that eicosanoids are an additional fac tor contributing to the regulation of membrane growth in proliferative retinal disorders. Thus, inhibition of lipoxygenase could be a therap eutic approach in these diseases.