Josephine Billinger
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Research Mentor(s): Patrice Fort
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Ophthalmology / Medicine
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 6 – 4:40pm – 5:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Josephine Billinger, Angela Myers, Patrice E. Fort
Presenter: 12
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy is the main ocular complication associated with diabetes and is characterized by retinal inflammation, vascular damage, and neurodegeneration. Though animal models have been studied to understand the molecular basis of retinopathy, limitations in applying to human pathology are present with regards to anatomy and physiology. Using human tissue from donor samples, we aim to investigate the root cause of vision deterioration in patients with diabetes and what mechanisms underlie onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy. These samples were collected from donors who were non-diabetic (ND), diabetic without retinopathy (D), or diabetic with diabetic retinopathy (DR). In addition to disease status, tissue samples were analyzed in a specific manner: either peripheral retina (PR) or central retina (CR). Indeed, evidence from the clinic clearly indicates that diabetes differentially affects these regions of the retina. ND samples, serving as baseline for normal retinal anatomy, were matched with either D or ND samples based on age, sex, race, and stage of disease to prevent confounding factors. Basic histological information was obtained to establish quality control of samples and analyze the anatomical organization of the retinas, including retina thickness at different stages. Immunofluorescence was used to colocalize specific cell markers and inflammation related-proteins to determine the region of inflammation and the cells that are involved in this immune response. This visualization also allows us to determine at which stages in the disease inflammation occurs and the extent of the inflammation. Preliminary results show that the levels of inflammation in DR donor retinas are significantly greater than those from D and ND donor retinas, especially in the central retina (CR). Continued studies are required using complementary methods to identify the pathways and mechanisms affecting disease development and the role of inflammation in the pathology of diabetic retinopathy.
Biomedical Sciences
