Cytokine profiling reveals increased serum inflammatory cytokines in idiopathic choroidal neovascularization

Shenchao Guo,Mingjie Zheng,Li Zhang,Bing Lu,Yizhen Tang,Qiaomei Tang,Qiuli Fu,Jian Ma,Houfa Yin,Zhenwei Qin,Danni Lyu,Xinyi Chen,Xiaoyun Fang,Lifang Zhang

doi:10.1186/s12886-019-1101-6

Abstract

BackgroundThe exact pathogenesis of idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (ICNV) remains unclear. Cytokine-mediated inflammation has been thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of ICNV. The purpose of this study was to investigate serum cytokine profiles in patients with ICNV and to explore the relationship between serum cytokine levels and ICNV severity.MethodsThis case-control study was conducted in 32 ICNV patients and 30 healthy volunteers. Clinical and demographic information was obtained from the medical data platform and the serum was analysed with a multiplex assay to determine the levels of seven cytokines: interleukin (IL)-2, IL-10, IL-15, IL-17, basic fibroblast growth factor (basic FGF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).ResultsSerum levels of IL-2, IL-10, IL-17, basic FGF, and VEGF were elevated in ICNV patients compared to controls. Serum GM-CSF levels were positively related to central retinal thickness, and serum IL-17 levels were positively related to CNV lesion area.ConclusionSerum inflammatory cytokines were significantly elevated in ICNV patients compared to controls. This suggests that systemic inflammation may play a critical role in the physiopathology of ICNV.

Highlights

The exact pathogenesis of idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (ICNV) remains unclear
Correlations between serum cytokines and clinical parameters We aimed to identify potential cytokine markers associated with clinical parameters including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), Central retinal thickness (CRT) and lesion area at baseline
We analysed the systemic cytokine profile of patients with ICNV and control subjects by means of a multiplex sampling approach, and we demonstrated that patients with ICNV have elevated systemic levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-2, IL-10, IL-17, basic basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)

Summary

Introduction

The exact pathogenesis of idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (ICNV) remains unclear. Idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (ICNV) is defined as CNV occurring in patients younger than 50 years with no detectable primary ocular or systemic diseases, such as pathologic myopia (PM), angioid streak, trauma, or other inflammatory or hereditary disorders [1, 2]. Have important roles in the pathology of CNV, representing potential targets for clinical intervention [9, 10]. The cytokine profile has been extensively studied in the aqueous humour of neovascular AMD patients [12,13,14]. Systemic levels of inflammatory cytokines in neovascular AMD have been investigated [15, 16].

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