title: Increased levels of pigment epithelium-derived factor in aqueous humor of patients with uveitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether aqueous humor levels of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) are increased in patients with uveitis
  
  
  METHODS
  Aqueous humor levels of PEDF and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) were determined by ELISA in 34 uveitis samples and 9 cataract control samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aqueous humor PEDF and TNFalpha levels were significantly higher in patients with uveitis than in controls (mean (SD) 6.4 (0.8) v 1.3 (0.2) microg/ml and 14.7 (3.8) v 4.2 (0.4) pg/ml, respectively; p<0.01). A positive correlation between PEDF and TNFalpha was found in patients with uveitis (r = 0.40, p<0.01). Furthermore, PEDF levels in aqueous humor were increased in proportion to the disease activity of uveitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that aqueous humor levels of PEDF are increased in patients with uveitis. Our observations suggest that aqueous humor levels of PEDF may be increased as a countersystem against inflammation in uveitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Sho-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imaizumi
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yamakawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000737:chemistry*; D015817:Eye Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D015843:Serpins / Q000032:analysis*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D014605:Uveitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D015843:Serpins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor