A considerable portion of these proteins (32%) was tabulated to be involved in several of the hallmark pathological processes underlying DR, namely glucose metabolism dysfunction (CA14, HSPB1, GFAP, STEAP4), retinal degeneration (GPX4, RPE65, KCNJ13), neuroglial activation (LGALS3, GFAP), and fibrosis (LGALS3). Here, GFAP is linked to retinal degeneration.