title: Serum levels of neurotrophic factors in active toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.
abstract: Toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (TR) is the most common identifiable cause of posterior uveitis in Brazil. Response to treatment and clinical presentation may vary significantly. We assessed serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin (NT)-3, and NT-4/5 in patients with active TR, before and after TR treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with active lesion and 15 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Serum concentration of neurotrophic factors was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BDNF levels were significantly higher in patients before treatment when compared with controls (p=0.0015). There was no significant difference in pro-BDNF, NGF, GDNF, NT-3, and NT-4/5 levels between TR patients and controls. Treatment did not affect the levels of these factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BDNF may be released in the context of the active TR inflammatory response.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Medicina, Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Centro Brasileiro de Ciências Visuais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Retina Department, Boston, United States.
authors.forename: Cynthia Azeredo
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Medicina, Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Erica Leandro Marciano
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Medicina, Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natália Pessoa
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Medicina, Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Centro Brasileiro de Ciências Visuais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vinicius Monteiro
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Centro Brasileiro de Ciências Visuais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Lambert
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Oréfice
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciuma, SC, Brazil; The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Houston, United States.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barichello
authors.affiliation: Centro Brasileiro de Ciências Visuais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rogerio Alves
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Centro Brasileiro de Ciências Visuais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oréfice
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Retina Department, Boston, United States.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Medicina, Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Houston, United States. Electronic address: antonio.l.teixeira@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Antonio Lucio
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002825:Chorioretinitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000469:parasitology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000097:blood; D014126:Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; C073922:neurotrophin 4
keywords: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Retinochoroiditis; Toxoplasma gondii