SMAD specific E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 accelerates diabetic macular edema progression by WNT inhibitory factor 1

Figure 1 Expression of SMAD-specific E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor A was upregulated in diabetic macular edema. A: The aqueous humor was collected from diabetic macular edema patients (n = 15), type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (n = 12), and idiopathic macular hole patients (n = 20), SMAD-specific E3 ubiquitin protein ligase (SMURF) 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) expression was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR); B: Correlation analysis between SMURF1 expression and VEGFA expression; C: ARPE-19 cells were treated with normal concentration of glucose (NG), high concentration of glucose (HG) or desferrioxamine mesylate (DFX), and the mRNA levels of SMURF1 and VEGFA were then detected by qRT-PCR; D: NG, HG or DFX treated ARPE-19 cells were collected, and the protein levels of SMURF1 and VEGFA were detected by western blot and the gray scale of the bands was quantified. The experiments were repeated three times. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01, ^cP < 0.001. VEGFA: Vascular endothelial growth factor A; SMURF 1: SMAD-specific E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1; IMH: Idiopathic macular hole; HG: High glucose; DFX: Desferrioxamine mesylate.