Association between transforming growth factors-β and matrix metalloproteinases in the aqueous humor and plasma in myopic patients

Abstract

To investigate the relationship between levels of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and tissue inhibitors of MMP (TIMP) in the aqueous humor (AH) and plasma (PL) of myopic patients. Aqueous humor and plasma were collected intraoperatively from 37 myopic patients with various axial lengths (AL) during ICL surgery. The concentrations of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, MMP-10, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-3 and TIMP-4 were measured using Luminex xMAP Technology kits (Milliplex xMAP kits). The association between TGFβ and MMP/TIMP levels were analyzed based on the Spearman's correlation test or Pearson's correlation test. There was a negative correlation between TGF-β1 and MMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-3 and TIMP-4 in the AH, and a positive correlation between TGF-β1 and MMP-1 in the PL. In the AH, levels of TGF-β2 were positively correlated with levels of TIMP-3 (r=0.441; P<0.001). In the PL, levels of TGF-β2 also correlated positively with levels of TIMP-3 (r=0.427; P<0.001)). The level of TGF-β2 was the highest among TGF-βs in the AH. A consistent positive correlation between TGF-β2 and TIMP-3 was found both in the AH and PL, indicating that systemic levels of TGF-β2 and MMPs/TIMPs may also play a role in myopic progression.