Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose:Retinal vasculitis is a major component of ocular inflammation that plays a critical role in retinal tissue damage and subsequent vision loss. We evaluated biological markers of retinal vasculitis, such as cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules that may be useful in determining disease progression, understanding mechanisms of pathogenesis, identifying therapeutic strategies and monitoring treatments. Methods:Sera from 18 healthy individuals and from 31 patients with evidence of retinal vasculitis (RV) were collected and tested for the presence of cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules by ELISA. The RV patients were diagnosed based on clinical ophthalmoscopic examination and fluorescein angiography and included 18 patients with Behcet’s disease and 13 with idiopathic uveitis. Results:Sera from patients with RV had significantly higher levels of the adhesion molecules E–selectin and sICAM–1, in comparison to normal individuals (p<0.02). When RV patients were further sub–characterized, differences were observed in these two adhesion molecules. Sera from Behcet’s patients had significantly more sICAM–1 (p<0.02) whereas idiopathic vasculitis patients had significantly more E–selectin (p<0.02). In contrast, no differences were detected in the sera between RV patients and normal controls when evaluated for other adhesion molecules P–selectin and VCAM–1,the cyokines IL–6, IFN–beta, IFN–gamma, and the chemokines IL–8 and MCP–1. Conclusions:Experimental studies have demonstrated that the expression of adhesion molecules, E–selectin and ICAM–1, on retinal vascular endothelium correlates with leukocyte adhesion and blood–retinal barrier breakdown. This study identifies the differential expression of these adhesion molecules in the sera of RV patients and suggests that these molecules may be used as a marker in following the progression of the disease and monitoring treatments.
Keywords: clinical laboratory testing • cytokines/chemokines • uveitis–clinical/animal model