title: Long-term kinetics of cytokine responses in human tears after penetrating keratoplasty.
abstract: This was a kinetic study of inflammatory cytokine levels in postoperative tear samples from penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) patients with or without corneal rejection. In a prospective design, nonstimulated tears were collected from the affected eyes of 12 patients at regular intervals for 12-14 months following PKP. Nine patients retained clear grafts, whereas three suffered endothelial rejection of the corneal graft within 14 months. The concentrations of the cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12p70 were measured via cytometric bead array technology. The postoperative concentrations of the cytokines in the tears varied among the patients, but exhibited similar alteration patterns in each eye tested. The concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher (P = 0.009 and P = 0.01, respectively), whereas those of IL-10, TNF-alpha, and IL-12p70 were significantly lower (P = 0.008, P = 0.006, and P = 0.0009, respectively) in the tear samples from the patients with corneal rejection as compared with those with uncomplicated corneal grafts. The ratios IL-6/IL-10 and IL-8/IL-10 were significantly higher (P = 0.0231 and P = 0.015, respectively), and TNF-alpha/IL-10 was significantly lower (P = 0.045) throughout the examination period in the patients with endothelial rejection. The enhanced release of IL-6 and IL-8 into the tears of patients with corneal graft rejection concomitant with decreased concentrations of IL-10, TNF-alpha, and IL-12p70 may possibly serve as an indicator of the rejection process. However, due to the large variation in the cytokine concentrations, the observed changes in tear composition do not categorically predict the final graft outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical and Health Sciences Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary. mfodor@dote.hu
authors.forename: Mariann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fodor
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gogolák
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rajnavölgyi
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berta
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kardos
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Módis
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Facskó
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013666:Tears / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins