A cardiorenal drug helps in diabetic retinopathy

Dr Devy Deliyanti, lead author and Prof
Jenny Wilkinson-Berka, last author.

A Monash University-Melbourne University collaboration has found that FT011, a novel cardiorenal protective drug, reduces inflammation, gliosis and vascular injury in rats with diabetic retinopathy.


Diabetic retinopathy features inflammation as well as injury to glial cells and the microvasculature, which are influenced by hypertension and overactivity of the renin-angiotensin system. FT011 is an anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic agent that has been reported to attenuate organ damage in diabetic rats with cardiomyopathy and nephropathy. However, the potential therapeutic utility of FT011 for diabetic retinopathy has not been evaluated. The group hypothesized that FT011 would attenuate retinopathy in diabetic Ren-2 rats, which exhibit hypertension due to an overactive extra-renal renin-angiotensin system.

In diabetic rats, FT011 reduced retinal leukostasis, microglial density and mRNA levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). In Müller cells, FT011 reduced diabetes-induced gliosis and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunolabeling and the hyperglycaemic-induced increase in ICAM-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, CCL20, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1, VEGF and IL-6. Late intervention with FT011 reduced acellular capillaries and the elevated mRNA levels of collagen IV and fibronectin in diabetic rats.

In conclusion, the protective effects of FT011 in cardiorenal disease extend to key elements of diabetic retinopathy and highlight its potential as a treatment approach.
          
Reference: Deliyanti, D., Zhang, Y., Khong, F., Berka, D.R., Stapleton, D.I., Kelly, D.J., Wilkinson-Berka, J.L. FT011, a novel cardiorenal protective drug, reduces inflammation, gliosis and vascular injury in rats with diabetic retinopathy. PLoS ONE 10(7)