Joslin Researchers Uncover Protective Factor in Diabetic Eye Disease

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Increased levels of RBP3 both protects against and treats diabetic retinopathy

July 3, 2019

Diabetic Eye Disease Genetics

Translational Research

Grantee

Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have shown that a protein found in the eye can protect against and potentially treat diabetic eye disease. At high enough levels, Retinol Binding Protein 3 (or RBP3) prevents the development of diabetic retinopathy. If introduced early enough in the development of the disease, RBP3 was shown to reverse the effects of the complication in rodent models of diabetes.