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

Purpose: To analyze cytokine profiles of the aqueous humor of eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), neovascular glaucoma (NVG), and cataract (as controls).

Methods: A multiplex bead assay was used to measure concentrations of 27 cytokines in aqueous humor samples from 54 eyes.

Results: 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.

Conclusions: 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.