Abstract
Purpose To investigate the levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in human aqueous humor (AH) and plasma (PL) of patients with myopia, and verify whether there is an association between these levels and their association with axial length (AL). Methods Thirty-eight myopic patients who received intraocular collamer lens (ICL) implantation were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Patients were divided into three groups based on AL with cut-off points of 26 and 28 mm. AH and PL samples were obtained during ICL implantation surgery. The levels of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3 in the AH and PL samples were measured using Luminex xMAP Technology kits (Milliplex xMAP kits). The protein levels of TGF-βs in both AH and PL samples and their relationships with AL were analyzed. Results In all, 38 patients (59 eyes) were enrolled and divided into the three groups: group A contained 7 people (10 eyes), group B contained 22 people (37 eyes), and group C contained 9 people (12 eyes). In the AH group, we detected TGF-β1 (P50: 19.97 pg/mL), TGF-β2 (2446.00 pg/mL), and TGF-β3 (26.33 pg/mL); in PL, these concentrations were 8984.00, 523.44, and 210.47 pg/mL, respectively. The levels of TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 in AH were positively associated with AL. None of the three isoforms in PL were related to those in AH or to AL. Conclusions The levels of TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 in AH were more strongly associated with the severity of myopia than the types of TGF-β in PL.
Highlights
According to a recent epidemiological study, the prevalence of myopia in the global population has increased to 50% over the past 40 years, and 10% of the world population were predicted to have high myopia [1]
10 eyes with axial length (AL) ≤ 26 mm were included in group A, 37 eyes with 26 mm < AL ≤ 28 mm were included in group B, and 12 eyes with AL > 28 mm were included in group C (Table 1)
We found that levels of TGF-β1 in aqueous humor (AH) were positively associated with AL in adult myopic patients
Summary
According to a recent epidemiological study, the prevalence of myopia in the global population has increased to 50% over the past 40 years, and 10% of the world population were predicted to have high myopia [1]. Myopia involves scleral remodeling and excessive axial length (AL) elongation [2], which can lead to posterior staphyloma, choroidal neovascularization, and tractional maculopathy [3]. This can result in pathologic myopia complications such as glaucoma, retinal detachment, chorioretinal atrophy, and macular hole, which can lead to impaired vision and even blindness [4]. Jobling et al [19] found that, in the sclera of tree shrews with induced myopia, the levels of the three isoforms of TGF-β decreased with axial elongation. In this study, we measured the levels of TGFβs in PL and AH concurrently to determine whether there are relationships among their concentrations in myopic patients and between TGF-βs and AL
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