Figure 2. Western blot analysis for plasma pigment epithelium-derived factor expression

A: Data from 20-week-old control Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, short term diabetes mellitus (DM)-streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (S-STZ), short term DM-spontaneously diabetic Torii rats (S-SDT), and long term DM-SDT rats (L-SDT). The expression of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) was confirmed with the presence of recombinant PEDF (positive control, 50-kDa). B: Statistical analysis for the PEDF expression. PEDF expression is significantly higher in STZ rats in both the short term and long term experiments compared to that of SD rats. The expression of PEDF is also significantly higher in SDT rats compared to that of control (p<0.05). SDT rats had significantly higher levels of PEDF compared to that of STZ rats in both short term and long term diabetes mellitus. Data were analyzed by ANOVA with Fisher's LSD. Asterisk equals p<0.05. Eight eyes are used in each group at each study period.