J. Troger et al., Substance P acid vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat retina, INV OPHTH V, 42(5), 2001, pp. 1045-1050
PURPOSE. Little knowledge exists about how neurotransmitters behave in the
diabetic retina. In this study. the authors measured the concentration of t
wo neuropeptides, substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, in the
streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat retina in a time-dependent manner.
METHODS. The retinas of 1-, 3-, 5-, 8-, and 12-week diabetic rats were proc
essed using a highly sensitive radioimmunoassay for both substance P and va
soactive intestinal polypeptide. Furthermore, the peptide-immunoreactivitie
s were characterized by high-pressure liquid chromatography.
RESULTS. Substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide were found to be
significantly reduced with a maximum decrease of 28.6% (+/-6.7) and 64.5%
(+/- 10.7) after 5 weeks, respectively. The peptide-immunoreactivities were
found in a major peak coeluting with the synthetic peptides indicating tha
t the quantitative values measured by radioimmunoassay represent the authen
tic peptides.
CONCLUSIONS. The reduction of substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypep
tide is in clear contrast to the amino acid transmitters GABA and glycine.
which have been shown to be elevated in this early stage of diabetic retino
pathy. This finding is important for three reasons: First, the decrease may
result in reduced excitability of inner retinal neurons, as both peptides
are known to modulate the excitability of these neurons; sec end, the decre
ase may be the consequence of a depressing and/or damaging effect by excito
toxins; and third. it may help explain why neovascularizations do not occur
in this animal model, although VEGF is massively upregulated, as substance
P is a very potent vascular growth factor.