US research has identified high levels of retinol-binding protein 3 (RBP3) can protect against, and potentially treat, diabetic eye disease.
Published in Science Transitional Medicine, the Joslin Diabetes Centre study tracked patients with a 50+ year history of insulin-dependent diabetes over 15 years. Thirty-five percent avoided retinopathy, even when elevated glucose levels were evident, suggesting these patients had an endogenous neutraliser for the toxic effects of high glucose levels. RBP3, made only in the retina, was found to be elevated in these patients.
Injections of high levels of RBP3 were also shown to reverse retinopathy damage in mice showing early stages of the disease.
“It appears to decrease the toxic effects of high glucose levels that exist in diabetes,” said study co-author Dr George King.
“If we could find out what's causing the decrease of RBP3 in the retina in the first place, we could design treatment to maintain its production, allowing all diabetic patients to have an endogenous protection against eye disease.”
