INCREASED SERUM CONCENTRATIONS OF HUMAN HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR IN PROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC-RETINOPATHY

Human hepatocyte growth factor (hHGF) is a powerful inducer of angioge nesis. We investigated the relationship between serum hHGF concentrati ons and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the major characteristic o f which is retinal neovascularization. Serum hHGF concentrations were measured in diabetic (n = 135) and nondiabetic subjects (n = 80). The mean serum hHGF concentration in diabetic subjects without retinopathy was lower than that in nondiabetic subjects [0.041 +/- 0.003 ng/mL (n = 62) vs. 0.080 +/- 0.010 ng/mL (n = 80); P < 0.05], but was not diff erent from that in diabetic subjects with background retinopathy (0.05 8 +/- 0.007 ng/mL; n = 26) or preproliferative retinopathy (0.048 +/- 0.010 ng/mL; n = 10). The mean serum hHGF concentration was increased in subjects with proliferative retinopathy who had not undergone photo coagulation (0.213 +/- 0.025 ng/mL; n = 24), but not in those who had undergone photocoagulation (0.040 +/- 0.008 ng/mL; n = 13). Circulatin g hHGF may be involved in the mechanism of neovascularization in the p roliferative diabetic retinopathy, and measurement of serum hHGF may b e helpful in predicting the presence of proliferative retinopathy in d iabetic subjects.