In this study, we compare the vitreous cytokine profile in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) to that of patients without PDR. The identification of novel cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of PDR provides candidate therapeutic targets that may stand alone or work synergistically with current therapies in the management of diabetic retinopathy. Undiluted vitreous humor specimens were collected from 74 patients undergoing vitrectomy for various vitreoretinal disorders. Quantitative immunoassay was performed for a panel of 36 neuroinflammatory cytokines in each specimen and assessed to identify differences between PDR (n = 35) and non-PDR (n = 39) patients. Levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-15, IL-16, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF-D, c-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid-A (SAA), and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) were significantly increased in the vitreous of PDR patients compared to non-PDR patients (p < 0.05). We report novel increases in IL-15 and IL-16, in addition to the expected VEGF, in the human vitreous humor of patients with PDR. Additionally, we confirm the elevation of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, SAA, IL-8 and CRP in the vitreous of patients with PDR, which has previously been described.

Research from JAMA Ophthalmology — Macular Retinoblastoma Managed With Chemoreduction — Analysis of Tumor Control With or Without Adjuvant Thermotherapy in 68 Tumors

Given the expanding elderly population in the United States and the world, it is important to understand the processes underlying both natural and pathological age-related changes in the eye. Both the anterior and posterior segment of the eye undergo changes in biological, chemical, and physical properties driven by oxidative stress. With advancing age, changes in the anterior segment include dermatochalasis, blepharoptosis, thickening of the sclera, loss of corneal endothelial cells, and stiffening of the lens. Changes in the posterior segment include lowered viscoelasticity of the vitreous body, photoreceptor cell loss, and drusen deposition at the macula and fovea. Age-related ocular pathologies including glaucoma, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration are largely mediated by oxidative stress. The prevalence of these diseases is expected to increase in the coming years, highlighting the need to develop new therapies that address oxidative stress and slow the progression of age-related pathologies.