Vitreous proteomics and diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is the major cause of acquired blindness in working-age adults. Studies of the vitreous proteome have provided insights into the etiology of diabetic retinopathy and suggested potential molecular targets for treatments. Further characterization of the protein changes associated with the progression of this disease may suggest additional therapeutic approaches as well as reveal novel factors that may be useful in predicting risk and functional outcomes of interventional therapies. This article provides an overview of the various techniques used for proteomic analysis of the vitreous and details results from various studies evaluating vitreous of diabetic patients using the proteomic approach.