Abstract
Purpose: :
HLA-B27 + Acute Anterior Uveitis (AAU) is the most common form of immune-mediated uveitis. We formerly showed that T-cell subtypes differ in patients with AAU during and after a flare. In this follow-up study, we assessed 27 different cytokines in peripheral blood of patients with AAU. Goal of the study was to determine if cytokine levels in peripheral blood are associated with disease activity in AAU and with T-cell subsets.
Methods: :
Blood samples were collected from 14 consecutive patients with AAU in active and inactive disease phase (2 samples per patient at different time points) and from age and gender matched controls. Patients with systemic treatment were not included. Subjects were evaluated for cytokines in peripheral blood by Bio-Plex Pro Human Cytokine 27-Plex Panel (Bio-Rad Laboratories GmbH). Percentages of each cytokine will be compared for patients with active vs inactive disease and to controls. IRB approval has been obtained. Levels of cytokines were compared using Wilcoxon test (Graph pad software).
Results: :
Out of the 27 tested cytokines, levels of Il-1b, TNF alpha, Interferon gamma and IL-17 were analyzed so far. In active status, we found higher levels (mean in pg/nl) of Il-1b (4.6 vs 3.7; p=0.023), Interferon gamma (259.6 vs 226.2; p=0.04) and IL-17 (182.6 vs 156.1; p=0.005) than in inactive. We did not see a significant difference in levels of TNF alpha (39.1 vs 32.7; p = 0.06).
Conclusions: :
Results show that levels of Il-1b, Interferon gamma and IL-17 are significantly increased in peripheral blood of patients with active AAU compared to patients with inactive disease. This relates well to our previous results regarding T-cell subsets found. In the next four months we expect to have results for all tested cytokines of all subjects.
Keywords: inflammation • cytokines/chemokines • uvea