Cytokines, chemokines and growth factors profile in human aqueous humor in idiopathic uveitis
Purpose
To investigate which cytokines, chemokines, growth factors are involved in the immunopathogenesis of idiopathic uveitis.
Methods
Serum and aqueous humor (AH) samples of 75 patients with idiopathic uveitis were analyzed by multiplex immunoassay. Infectious controls consisted of 16 patients with ocular toxoplasmosis. Noninfectious controls consisted of 7 patients with Behçet disease uveitis and 15 patients with sarcoidosis uveitis. In each sample, 27 immune mediators ± IL-21 and IL-23 were measured.
Results
In idiopathic uveitis, 13 of the 29 mediators, including most proinflammatory and vascular mediators such as IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, G-CSF, GM-CSF, MCP-1, IP-10, TNF-α and VEGF, were significantly elevated in the AH when compared to all controls. We clustered 4 subgroups of idiopathic uveitis (statistical analysis of hierarchical unsupervised classification), characterized by the order of magnitude of concentrations of intraocular cytokines. We associated these 4 subgroups to their demographics, and clinical characteristics. Group1 had relatively weak cytokine values with mostly posterior uveitis and retinal vasculitis; group2 presented moderately high cytokine values. In that group intermediate uveitis was more frequent with macular edema; group3 presented moderate high cytokine values (IL-6, TNF-α, IP-10) except for the IL-12, which was very high. In that group, posterior uveitis was more frequent; and finally, group4 had very high cytokines and chemokines values. In that group, posterior and panuveitis were more frequent (38%, each) and with a macular edema (42%).
Conclusion
This study suggests various clusters among the idiopathic uveitis group rather than one specific uveitis entity.
Conflict of interest
No
Authors 1
Last name
ERRERA
Initials of first name(s)
MH
Department
UPMC Eye Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania