Aqueous humor cytokine profiling in patients with wet AMD.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the chemokine expression profiles in the aqueous humor of wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) patients and to correlate their levels with clinical findings.


METHODS
Undiluted aqueous humor samples (100-200 μl) were obtained from 16 wet AMD eyes and 12 control eyes. Forty chemokines were measured using a multiplex method. A 6×6 mm area of the macular region centered on the fovea was examined using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).


RESULTS
The detection rates were 50% or more for 15 chemokines. Compared with the control group, the aqueous humor in wet AMD patients showed a significantly higher expression of CXCL10 (p=0.004), CCL14 (p=0.002), CXCL16 (p=0.013), CXCL7 (p=0.033), and CCL22 (p=0.037), while growth-related oncogene (GRO) was significantly decreased in the wet AMD patients (p=0.001). When compared with treatment-naïve patients, the recurrent group had significant upregulation of CXCL10 (p=0.012) and CCL22 (p=0.002). CXCL16 was positively correlated with lesion size, and CCL22 was higher in patients whose OCT images showed intraretinal fluid (IRF) or hyperreflective foci (HF).


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated levels of inflammation-related chemokines, including CXCL10, CCL14, CXCL16, CXCL7, and CCL22, in the aqueous humor of AMD patients may suggest a pathogenic role for inflammation. CXCL10 and CCL22 were more elevated in eyes with recurrent wet AMD than in treatment-naïve eyes. CXCL16 was positively correlated with lesion size. The increase in CCL22 was correlated with the presence of IRF or HF. These data may be of interest in the search for biomarkers associated with wet AMD and may potentially indicate different treatment strategies.
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Fang
F
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Xiaoyan
X
Ding
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Yu
Y
Yang
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Jiaqing
J
Li
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Miao
M
Tang
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Miner
M
Yuan
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Andina
A
Hu
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Zongyi
Z
Zhan
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Zijing
Z
Li
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Retina Division, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Lin
L
Lu
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D016207:Cytokines; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab