Investigating the Role of PPARß/δ in Retinal Vascular Remodeling Using Pparß/δ-Deficient Mice.

ABSTRACT

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)ß/δ is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors, which plays fundamental roles in cell proliferation and differentiation, inflammation, adipogenesis, and energy homeostasis. Previous studies demonstrated a reduced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in Pparß/δ-deficient mice. However, PPARß/δ's role in physiological blood vessel formation and vessel remodeling in the retina has yet to be established. Our study showed that PPARß/δ is specifically required for disordered blood vessel formation in the retina. We further demonstrated an increased arteriovenous crossover and wider venous caliber in Pparß/δ-haplodeficient mice. In summary, these results indicated a critical role of PPARß/δ in pathological angiogenesis and blood vessel remodeling in the retina.