title: Conjunctival epithelial cell expression of interleukins and inflammatory markers in glaucoma patients treated over the long term.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the conjunctival epithelial cell expressions of inflammatory cytokines in normal subjects and in glaucoma patients treated over the long term.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 69 glaucoma patients treated over the long term and 15 normal subjects with no ocular abnormality or topical treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Amongst the 69 glaucoma patients, 27 were treated with preserved beta-blockers, 24 with unpreserved 0.5% timolol, and the other 18 patients with an association of > or =2 preserved drugs. All patients were treated for more than 1 year with the same treatment, with no significant differences between groups for mean ages and durations of treatment at the time of the study. Impression cytology specimens were taken and processed for immunofluorescence techniques. Conjunctival cell expressions of HLA DR, as a standard for inflammatory level, and the interleukins IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 were obtained and quantified using flow cytometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immune markers and proinflammatory cytokines in impression cytology specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a significantly increased expression of all immunoinflammatory markers and mediators in the conjunctival epithelium of glaucoma patients compared with normal eyes. Human leukocyte antigen DR was significantly higher in the 2 groups receiving preserved drugs than in the unpreserved timolol group. The 3 interleukins were similarly overexpressed in all glaucoma groups, with no significant between-groups differences except for the expression level of IL-8, which was significantly higher in the multitreatment group than in the preservative-free one.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study confirms the increased expression of immunoinflammatory markers by the conjunctival epithelium of glaucoma patients treated over the long term. The development of nontoxic preservatives or preservative-free solutions is therefore of great interest.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Quinze-Vingts National Ophthalmology Hospital, APHP, Paris-Ouest School of Medicine, University of Versailles, Paris, France. baudouin@quinze-vingts.fr
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baudouin
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hamard
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Creuzot-Garcher
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bensoussan
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brignole
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007378:Interleukins; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical