Possible role of endostatin in the antiangiogenic therapy of diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is one of various complications of diabetes mellitus, which is one of the most prevalent chronic disorders in the modern world. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the secondary complications encountered by the patients suffering from chronic diabetes mellitus. Two major characterizing features of diabetic retinopathy are - macular edema and angiogenesis. It has been noted in the past few years that by controlling or completely inhibiting the factors contributing to the progression of events leading to angiogenesis, there is a noticeable amount of progress seen in the prevention and cure of the animal models of diabetic retinopathy. Endostatin is one such antiangiogenic agent being studied at present. It is a carbon terminal protein fragment obtained after cleavage from the carbon terminus of collagen XVIII. It is one of the most potent inhibitors of angiogenesis known at present and is currently undergoing clinical trials. Although the exact mechanism of action of endostatin is not completely known, various factors which are altered/influenced by the action of endostatin are being studied. These include the downregulation and activation/inactivation of various factors which have been proven to have some role in the progression of angiogenesis. Endostatin could be well exploited as a durable agent in the antiangiogenic therapy, once the clinical trials show positive results.