Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30094465›Full record

ArticleDiabetologia2018

BTBR ob/ob mouse model of type 2 diabetes exhibits early loss of retinal function and retinal inflammation followed by late vascular changes.

Vivian K Lee, Brett M Hosking, Joanna Holeniewska, Ewa C Kubala, Peter Lundh von Leithner, Peter J Gardner, Richard H Foxton, David T Shima

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Diabetologia, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
34citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
4.1field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

34 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 51 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Bibliometric analysis and visualization of inflammation in the field of diabetic retinopathy research (2006-2025).Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026
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  6. Islet Tissue Macrophages in Immunity Homeostasis and Type 1 Diabetes.Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Vivian K LeeTranslational Vision Research, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
Brett M HoskingTranslational Vision Research, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
Joanna HoleniewskaTranslational Vision Research, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
Ewa C KubalaTranslational Vision Research, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
Peter Lundh von LeithnerTranslational Vision Research, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
Peter J GardnerTranslational Vision Research, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
Richard H FoxtonTranslational Vision Research, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK.
David T ShimaTranslational Vision Research, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK. d.shima@ucl.ac.uk.
University College London · GB

Funding

Diabetes UK The role of VEGF-A in retinal neuronal survival inWellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aims/hypothesisDiabetic retinopathy is increasing in prevalence worldwide and is fast becoming a global epidemic and a leading cause of visual loss. Current therapies are limited, and the development of effective treatments for diabetic retinopathy requires a greater in-depth knowledge of disease progression and suitable modelling of diabetic retinopathy in animals. The aim of this study was to assess the early pathological changes in retinal morphology and neuronal, inflammatory and vascular features consistent with diabetic retinopathy in the ob/ob mouse model of type 2 diabetes, to investigate whether features similar to those in human diabetic retinopathy were present.

methodsMale and female wild-type (+/+), heterozygous (+/-) and homozygous (-/-) BTBR ob/ob mice were examined at 6, 10, 15 and 20 weeks of age. Animals were weighed and blood glucose was measured. TUNEL and brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 3A (BRN3A) markers were used to examine retinal ganglion cells. We used immunostaining (collagen IV and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule [PECAM]/CD31) to reveal retinal vessel degeneration. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography was used to reveal changes in the thickness and structure of the retinal layer. Vitreous fluorophotometry was used to investigate vascular permeability. A-waves, b-waves and oscillatory potentials were measured under photopic and scotopic conditions. Concanavalin A leucostasis and immunostaining with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ionised calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA-1) identified differences in inflammatory status. Paraffin sections and transmission electron microscopy were used to reveal changes in the thickness and structure of the retinal layer.

resultsFollowing the development of obesity and hyperglycaemia in 2-week-old and 3-week-old ob CONCLUSIONS/

interpretationThe present characterisation of the development of diabetic retinopathy in the ob/ob mouse represents a platform that will enable the development of new therapies, particularly for the early stages of disease.

Indexed as

AnimalsBlood GlucoseDiabetes Mellitus, ExperimentalDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2Diabetic RetinopathyDisease Models, AnimalFemaleInflammationMaleMiceObesityRetinaRetinal Ganglion CellsRetinal VesselsBlood GlucoseDiabetesDiabetic retinopathyEyeObesityRetinaType 2 diabetes mellitus

Identifiers

PMID30094465
PMCPMC6182653
OpenAlexW2885462987

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.