Purpose
To determine cytokine and chemokine levels in the aqueous humor of Primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) and cataract patients.<br /> <br />
Methods
Aqueous humor samples were collected from 19 subjects with PACG and 19 cataract patients as controls. The levels of 27 cytokines, chemokines and growth factors were measured in the aqueous humor samples of study subjects using multiplex bead immunoassay (Bio-Rad). Data on patient demographics and preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) were also collected. Differences in cytokine concentration between PACG cases and cataract controls were compared using a Wilcoxon rank sum test and a t test comparing log2-transformed data. A 2-sided Bonferroni-adjusted threshold of p=0.002 was used for statistical significance.<br />
Results
The aqueous concentrations of 27 cytokines, chemokines and growth factors were simultaneously measured for both PACG group and cataract group. PACG group showed higher levels of Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins (MIP)-1β (Median= 51.29 pg/ml) as compared to cataract controls (Median= 23.24 pg/ml; p=0.0002). Seven cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-15, G-CSF, IFN-γ, PDGF-BB and RANTES) were below the limits of detection in few samples. IL-5,IL-6,IL-7,IL-8,IL-9,IL-10,IL-12,IL-13,IL-17,Eotaxin, basic-FGF,GM-CSF,IP-10,MCP-1,MIP-1α,MIP-1β,TNF-α and VEGF were detected in all the study samples.<br />
Conclusions
Concentration of the MIP-1β is significantly higher in the aqueous humor of PACG patients when compared to cataract patients indicating MIP-1β might have possible role in angle closure glaucoma.<br />