Glial Cell Line–Derived Neurotrophic Factor in the Vitreous of Patients With Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) belongs to the neurotrophic factor family. GDNF functions are not restricted to neurons but are also implicated in glial cell development (1). We observed high expression levels of GDNF receptor family α-component 2 (GFRα2) in epiretinal membranes (ERMs) in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), indicating the involvement of GFRα2 in ERM formation in PDR (2). Here, we examined the vitreous of patients with PDR for the presence of GDNF. We assayed GDNF levels in …