Abstract
Purpose: :
To analyze intravitreous concentrations of multiple chemokines and growth factors in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and to compare the results with those of diabetic retinopathy (DR).
Methods: :
Eighteen BRVO (age 67.8±6.2, 9 men and 9 female), 14 DR (age 65.9±3.5, 8 men and 6 female), and 15 control subjects (age 65.3±8.7, 7 men and 8 female) were enrolled in this study. Among BRVO and DR patients, those with macular edema but no vitreous hemorrhage and new vessel were selected. Patients with a history of previous ocular surgery were excluded. Control subjects consisted of 10 patients with macular hole and 5 with epiretinal membrane. Vitreous and blood samples were obtained at the time of vitrectomy. Vitreous and serum concentrations of VEGF, IL-8, MCP-1, Mig, IP-10, basic FGF, GM-CSF, and RANTES were quantified using a FACS Caliber flow cytometer.
Results: :
VEGF, IL-8, MCP-1, Mig, IP-10 were detected in the vitreous of BRVO patients and the concentrations were 160.0, 46.9, 1596.0, 90.1, and 155.2 pg/ml, respectively. IL-8 concentration in the vitreous was significantly higher in BRVO patients compared with DR patients (24.5 pg/ml) (p<0.05). In BRVO patients, vitreous concentration of IL-8 correlated significantly with vitreous concentrations of VEGF (p<0.0001), MCP-1 (p<0.0001), Mig (p<0.05), and IP-10 (p<0.01). All the factors detectable in the vitreous were higher in BRVO patients compared with controls. In BRVO patients, vitreous concentrations of VEGF and MCP-1 were higher than serum concentrations, but vitreous concentrations of IL-8, Mig, and IP-10 were not significantly different from serum concentrations.
Conclusions: :
Intravitreous VEGF, MCP-1, Mig, and IP-10 and especially IL-8 may contribute to the pathogenesis of BRVO.
Keywords: vascular occlusion/vascular occlusive disease • vitreous • inflammation