In fact, in a model of diabetic retinopathy, Joussen and co-workers demonstrate that CD18-dependent PMN-endothelial cell interaction is required for endothelial cell injury and PI-positive death [57], findings that reinforce our putative mechanism of septic PMN-dependent pulmonary MVEC death through apoptosis. This evidence concerns the gene ITGB2 and diabetic retinopathy.