Characteristic Profiles of Inflammatory Cytokines in the Aqueous Humor of Glaucomatous Eyes

<i>Purpose</i>: To analyze cytokine profiles of the aqueous humor of eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), neovascular glaucoma (NVG), and cataract (as controls). <i>Methods</i>: A multiplex bead assay was used to measure concentrations of 27 cytokines in aqueous humor samples from 54 eyes. <i>Results</i>: Detection rates were as follows: IL-7: NVG higher than POAG; IL-10: POAG lower than cataract or NVG; and GM-CSF: cataract higher than POAG or NVG. Concentrations were as follows: IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, and MIP-1β: POAG and NVG higher than cataract; IL-9: POAG lower than NVG; IL-12: POAG lower than cataract or NVG; and VEGF: NVG higher than cataract or POAG and POAG lower than cataract. Further analysis showed that IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, and MIP-1β were correlated with intraocular pressure and age. <i>Conclusions</i>: The detection rates and levels of various cytokines had different patterns in POAG and NVG patients, suggesting distinctive alterations in the microenvironment in different types of glaucoma.

<i>研究目的</i>：分析原发性开角型青光眼（primary open-angle glaucoma, POAG）、新生血管性青光眼（neovascular glaucoma, NVG）患者及作为对照的白内障（cataract）患者眼部房水的细胞因子表达谱。<i>研究方法</i>：收集54例眼部的房水样本，采用多重微球免疫检测法（multiplex bead assay）对其中27种细胞因子的浓度进行定量测定。<i>研究结果</i>：各细胞因子的检出率情况如下：白介素-7（interleukin-7, IL-7）：NVG组检出率高于POAG组；白介素-10（interleukin-10, IL-10）：POAG组检出率低于白内障组或NVG组；粒细胞-巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, GM-CSF）：白内障组检出率高于POAG组或NVG组。细胞因子浓度水平情况如下：白介素-8（interleukin-8, IL-8）、干扰素诱导蛋白10（interferon-inducible protein 10, IP-10）、单核细胞趋化蛋白1（monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, MCP-1）及巨噬细胞炎症蛋白1β（macrophage inflammatory protein-1β, MIP-1β）：POAG组与NVG组浓度高于白内障组；白介素-9（interleukin-9, IL-9）：POAG组浓度低于NVG组；白介素-12（interleukin-12, IL-12）：POAG组浓度低于白内障组或NVG组；血管内皮生长因子（vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF）：NVG组浓度高于白内障组或POAG组，且POAG组浓度低于白内障组。进一步分析显示，白介素-8、IP-10、MCP-1及MIP-1β与眼压（intraocular pressure）及患者年龄存在相关性。<i>研究结论</i>：不同细胞因子的检出率及浓度水平在POAG与NVG患者中呈现差异化分布模式，提示不同类型青光眼患者的眼部微环境存在特异性改变。