Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine whether a specific antibody prepared against a known IAP binding site for SHPS-1 could reproduce the effects of the monoclonal antibody that was not specifically directed against the SHPS-1 binding site and whether administration of this antibody after diabetic retinopathy had been established could reverse the early changes that occur in capillary permeability. The gene discussed is SIRPA; the disease is diabetic retinopathy.