Abstract
Purpose: :
Cytokines play an important role as mediators of inflammation and neovascularisation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possibility to use a cytokine antibody array to analyse the aqueous humor in uveitis patinets.
Methods: :
An antibody array for 120 cytokines and growth factors was used with aliquots of 80 microliter of aqueous humor. Samples of seven uveitis patients (3 chronic idiopathic uveitis and 4 Behcet dissease) and 4 controls were used. All uiveitis patrients showed active inflammation at time of sampling. Controls were taken at time of cataract surgery from eyes without a history of inflammation.
Results: :
The control samples showed positive values for 50 cytokine and growth factors. In Behcet 58 (one negative when controls were positive); in idiopathic uveitis 70 factor were postive (2 negative when controle were positive).
Conclusions: :
With the protein antibody array we were able to demonstrate the presence of more than 70 cytokine and growth factors, using a sample of only 80 microliter. Because many of these factor have not yet been studied with regard to uveitis, these may help to understand different pathophysiological pathways of intra–ocular inflammation.
Keywords: proteomics • autoimmune disease • anterior chamber