Abstract
Purpose: :
Clinical and experimental studies have implicated chronic inflammatory processes in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). In the present studies we monitored the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is a well characterized inflammatory cytokine and of interferon-related protein10 (IP10) of which implications in the pathogenesis of DR are presently unclear.
Methods: :
Multiplex ELISA was used to measure plasma levels of IL-17 and IP10 in diabetic patients (Type 1, n=28; Type 2, n=40). Clinical assessment of DR was performed by using fluorescein angiography following standard protocols.
Results: :
Plasma levels of IL-17 and IP10, as assessed by ELISA testing, were significantly elevated in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients(p<0.01 and p<0.02, respectively) versus healthy, age-matched control volunteers. These cytokines levels were also found statistically different in patients presenting clinical signs of retinopathy as compared to diabetic patients that did not present clinical signs of DR (p< 0.05 for both IL-6 and IP10).
Conclusions: :
Elevation of plasma levels of IL-6 and IP-10 in Type1 and Type 2 diabetic patients correlated with clinical signs of DR, thus suggesting that these cytokines may play an important role in sustaining the inflammatory processes associated with DR pathogenesis. Furthermore, our data suggest that their expression pattern may provide a diagnostic tool for assessing DR progression.
Keywords: diabetic retinopathy • inflammation • diabetes