The expression of interleukin-1 alpha, TNF and VEGF in corneal cells of patients with bullous keratopathy.
Bullous keratopathy (BK) is a chronic corneal edema with or without subepithelial bullae as a result of a loss of the endothelial cells. 15 patients with BK after cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation, due to Fuchs dystrophy (n = 3) or corneal endothelial trauma (n = 12) were included in the study. All patients were treated by amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT). Corneal epithelial cells in patients suffering from BK secreted 3.91 +/- 3.09 pg/mL of IL-1 alpha, 4446 +/- 16.8 pg/mL of TNF and 81.43 +/- 37.81 pg/mL of VEGF-I. Levels of all 3 investigated cytokines were significantly higher as compared to controls (p < 0.005). Amniotic membranes that were used to treat investigated patients contained 638.98 +/- 613.98 pg/mL of IL-1ra, 0.026 +/- 0.009 pg/mL of sTNF and 81.39 +/- 21.01 pg/mL of VEGF-R. Beneficial clinical effect of the AMT in treating BK could be explained by its natural production of pro-inflammatory cytokine antagonists such as IL-ra, sTNF antagonist and VEGF-R.
Department of Ophtalmology, Rijeka University Hospital Center, Rijeka, Croatia. renata.grzetic-lenac@ri.t-com.hr
Renata
R
Grzetić-Lenac
Maja
M
Merlak
Tihomir
T
Balog
Vedran
V
Markusić
Iva
I
Dekaris
D000650:Amnion / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D003315:Cornea / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D005642:Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D053582:Interleukin-1alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor