Human serum cytokine profiling in retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract

Purpose: Retinopathy of prematurity is the main cause of blindness in premature children. This study compares serum cytokine profiles of proteins known to be involved in potentiation and acceleration of cellular growth other than VEGF and IGF-1. These cytokines are compared in neonates with and without ROP.

Methods: Sera were collected from 44 premature neonates between 36-38 weeks gestation age, of which 22 had ROP and 22 without the disease. The serum concentrations of 8 proteins (follistatin, sEGFR, FGF-basic, G-CSF, HGF, sIL-6Rα, PECAM-1 and sHER-2) were analyzed using multiplex bead array ELISA assay for specific growth factors. Some of these proteins are involved in potentiation or acceleration of growth of cells particularly endothelial and fibrovascular components of tissues namely follistatin which binds TGF-Β activin that promotes cell proliferation, FGF-basic which is more powerful than VEGF in affecting angiogenesis. PECAM-1 is found in some vascular neoplasms. The remaining cytokines are not involved in angiogenic or fibroblastic processes . Unpaired t-test was used in statistical analysis.

Results: All the cytokines studied were present in larger amounts in neonates with ROP compared to those without the disease. Significant differences were detected in sera of neonates with ROP for follistatin (p=0.0197) and FGF-basic (p=0.034).

Conclusions: The finding of increased concentrations of these growth factors in the serum of neonates with ROP suggests that development of ROP is driven by mechanisms involving diverse serum growth factor cytokines. Improved understanding of these changes can be predict risk of worsening disease and offer potential adjunct to treatment of ROP.