Comprehensive assessment of growth factors, inflammatory mediators, and cytokines in vitreous from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Authors:   Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China; National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Disease, Shanghai 200080, China, Gong Qiao-Yun , Yu Su-Qin ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China; National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Disease, Shanghai 200080, China, Qian Tian-Wei ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China; National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Disease, Shanghai 200080, China, Xu Xun ,   Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China; National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai 200080, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Disease, Shanghai 200080, China
Published: October 2022

AIM: To assess alterations in growth factors, inflammatory mediators, and cytokines associated with vitreous-retinal diseases in vitreous humor from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and to identify potential new treatment targets and strategies.
METHODS: Control vitreous samples were collected from patients with macular hole, epiretinal membranes, or rhegmatogenous retinal detachments, and PDR samples from patients with complications of PDR, who required pars plana vitrectomy. Specimens were stored at −80℃ and then investigated by Luminex multi-factor assay. Parametric and nonparametric analyses of demographic characteristics and cytokine expression levels were conducted using SPSS.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between patients with and without PDR. Expression levels of growth factors [platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AA, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA)], inflammatory mediators [interleukin (IL)-8, IL-11, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] and cytokines [chemokine C-X-C ligand (CXCL)10, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF)] were significantly elevated in vitreous humor from patients with PDR compared with those in the control group (all P<0.05). Further, VEGFA levels were lower in patients with PDR treated with anti-VEGF injection than those who were not (P<0.05), and there was no difference between the PDR group treated with anti-VEGF and controls (P>0.05).
CONCLUSION: This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the potential for combinational therapeutic strategies to ameliorate diabetic retinopathy progression by targeting growth factors, inflammatory factors, and cytokines, in addition to VEGFA.