Abstract
Purpose: :
Vitreoretinal diseases are assumed to be caused by increased concentration of cellular mediators, such as cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in the vitreous fluid. We have previously shown the comprehensive analysis of vitreous fluid of diabetic patients using microbead-based multiplex ELISA system (Luminex®). On this system, next we aimed to compare the levels of cellular mediators in the vitreous fluid from several vitreoretinal disorders.
Methods: :
We studied 426patients; 92 patients with diabetic macular edema (DME), 146 with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), 28 with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), 13 with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), 63 with retinal detachment (RD), and 49 with nonischemic/nonproliferative ocular disease, such as macular hole and epiretinal membrane (control). Vitreous fluid samples were obtained at the time of vitreoretinal surgery, and various cellular mediators were measured simultaneously by microbead-based multiplex ELISA system; (1) proinflammatory cytokines such as GM-CSF, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17 and TNF-α; (2) T cell-related cytokines: IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10; (3) growth factors: EGF, VEGF, basic FGF, and G-CSF; and (4) chemokines: eotaxin, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and RANTES.
Results: :
IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and VEGF were detectable in vitreous fluid and significantly elevated in patients with described above compared with control patients. The most severe, complicated elevation of these cellular mediators were seen in patients with CRVO. Compared with DME, IL-6, IL-8, and VEGF are significantly elevated in PDR and CRVO patients. In RD patients, IL-6 and MCP-1 was significantly elevated as well as CRVO. In contrast, T cell-related cytokines and chemokines were not detectable in any samples.
Conclusions: :
We compared the levels and patterns of vitreous cellular mediators from several vitreoretinal diseases. Of all 21 cellular mediators, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and VEGF may be the key factors to determine the pathogenesis of individual disorders.
Keywords: inflammation • cytokines/chemokines • vitreous