Erythropoietin protects outer blood‐retinal barrier in experimental diabetic retinopathy by up‐regulating ZO‐1 and occludin

Abstract

In early diabetic rats, the outer BRB might be more severely damaged and its breakdown is the major factor for retinal oedema. EPO maintains the outer BRB integrity through down-regulation of HIF-1α and JNK signallings, and thus up-regulating ZO-1 and occludin expressions in RPE cells.