Abstract:

Objective To measure cytokine concentrations in aqueous humor of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and cataract with the Luminex multiplex immunoassay. Analyze the relationship between these cytokines and disease. Design Experimental study. Participants This study included aqueous humor of 24 eyes with POAG and 22 eyes with cataract. Methods The concentrations of nine cytokines in aqueous humor were measured using the Luminex suspension array technique. The clinical characteristics of patients were also obtained for correlation analysis. Main Outcome Measures The concentrations of platelet derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA), platelet derived growth factor-AB (PDGF-AB), epidermal growth factor(EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-6(IL-8), regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the aqueous humor. Results Compared with the cataract group, the levels of PDGF-AB (P=0.040), EGF (P=0.048), VEGF (P=0.037), G-CSF (P=0.029) and IL-6 (P=0.018) were significantly lower in the aqueous humor of POAG. The level of PDGF-AA was significantly higher in POAG patients than in cataract patients. The level of IL-8, RANTEs, IFN-γ and TNF-α did not differ among the groups (all P>0.05). Mean deviation (MD) values were significantly associated with the levels of IL-6 (P<0.001, ?籽=-0.778), IL-8 (P=0.001, ?籽=-0.623) and TNF-α (P<0.001, ?籽=-0.685).  Conclusion Cytokine levels in the aqueous humor of POAG patients are lower than in cataract patients, and whether this reflects the damage of optic nerve and trabecular meshowrk is worthy of further study. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2018, 27: 281-285) 

Key words: glaucoma, aqueous humor, cytokine