AIM:To investigate the expression changes and clinical significances of Gas6, SDF-1α and SDF-1β in serum in patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR).

METHODS: Totally 113 patients with DR were divided into proliferative group(n=45)and nonproliferative group(n=68). In the same period, 49 cases of patients with non-contracted DR diabetes were selected as the diabetic group and 42 cases of healthy subjects were selected. The indexes of blood glucose, blood lipids and hs-CRP were detected. The expressions of Gas6, SDF-1α and SDF-1β genes in serum were detected by using real-time PCR technology.

RESULTS: The HOMA-IR, TG and hs-CRP in the diabetic group, nonproliferative group and proliferative group gradually increased, the differences were statistically significant(F=39.672, 81.625, 99.872, all P<0.05). The LDL-C in the nonproliferative group and proliferative group were higher than the diabetic group and healthy subjects, while the HDL-C were lower than the diabetic group and the healthy subjects, the differences were statistically significant(F=51.974, 43.824, all P<0.05). The relative expression levels of Gas6 mRNA in proliferative group, nonproliferative group and diabetic group were higher than the healthy subjects; the relative expression levels of SDF-1α mRNA in proliferative group were higher than the nonproliferative group, diabetic group and healthy subjects. The relative expression levels of SDF-1β mRNA in proliferative group and nonproliferative group were higher than the diabetic group and healthy subjects, and the proliferative group were higher than the nonproliferative group, the differences were statistically significant(F=15.381, 21.589, 38.942, all P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the relative expression levels of Gas6 mRNA in serum in patients with DR were positively correlated with TG, TC and LDL-C(r=0.228, 0.241, 0.209, all P<0.05), and the relative expression levels of SDF-1α mRNA and SDF-1β mRNA in serum were positively correlated with hs-CRP(r=0.297 and 0.325, all P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The expression levels of Gas6, SDF-1α and SDF-1β genes in serum in patients with DR are elevated. They might be related to abnormal blood lipid metabolism and inflammatory response.