Temporal Development of Retinal Arteriolar Endothelial Dysfunction in Porcine Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract

Our findings provide the first direct evidence for selective impairment of endothelium-dependent NO-mediated dilation of retinal arterioles within 2 weeks of hyperglycemia in a pig model of diabetes. By contrast, the ability of arteriolar smooth muscle to dilate to NO donor or contract to ET-1 was unaffected throughout the study period. This endothelial vasodilator dysfunction during early diabetes may contribute to development of retinopathy with chronic hyperglycemia.