AIM: To analyze the functions of dendritic cells(DC)from peripheral blood in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR), and investigate the role of DC in the pathogenesis of DR.

METHODS: The subjects were divided into simple T2DM group, T2DM with DR group and normal control group. Flow cytometry was used to analyze classification and number of DC in peripheral blood, and ELISA was used to detect the level of Interleukin -12(IL-12).

RESULTS: Compared with the simple T2DM and normal control groups, the number and percentage of myeloid dendritic cells(mDC)in peripheral blood increased significantly in T2DM with DR group(P<0.05). The contents of IL-12 in plasma also increased significantly in T2DM with DR group, while the contents of IL-12 in cultured mDC supernatant and the IL-12 secretion of single mDC reduced significantly(P<0.05). The number and percentage of plasmacytoid dendritic cells(pDC)had no significant difference among the three groups(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Drift of the mDC/pDC subtype causes Th1/Th2 immune function disorders and promotes the immune inflammatory reaction, which may play an important role in the occurrence and development of DR.