Enhancement of P2X7-Induced Pore Formation and Apoptosis: An Early Effect of Diabetes on the Retinal Microvasculature
- 1 March 2004
- journal article
- Published by Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) in Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science
- Vol. 45 (3) , 1026-1032
- https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.03-1062
Abstract
Purpose. A sight-threatening complication of diabetes is cell death in retinal capillaries. Currently, the mechanisms responsible for this classic manifestation of diabetic retinopathy remain uncertain. The hypothesis for the current study is that diabetes increases the vulnerability of retinal microvessels to the potentially lethal consequences of having their P2X7 purinoceptors activated. A pathophysiological role is suspected for these receptor-operated channels because, in addition to transducing retinovascular responses to extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the sustained opening of these channels can induce the formation of large transmembrane pores.Keywords
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