Levels of soluble ICAM-1 and soluble IL-2R in the serum and aqueous humor of uveitis patients

Abstract

Purpose: To study the ocular and systemic behaviour of the immune activation markers soluble ICAM-1 and soluble IL-2R in patients with active uveitis.

Methods: We determined the levels of soluble ICAM-1 and soluble IL-2R in the aqueous humor and peripheral blood of 23 patients with active uveitis and 16 age and gender matched controls (who were to undergo cataract extraction) by means of ELISA enzyme immunoanalysis.

Results: Patients with uveitis presented higher levels of soluble ICAM-1 and soluble IL-2R in the aqueous humor and peripheral blood. Comparison of the aqueous humor and peripheral blood revealed higher levels of soluble ICAM-1 in the aqueous humor, while we found no differences for soluble IL-2R. Analysis of the clinical characteristics of the uveitis we studied showed no differences in the levels of these markers in either blood or aqueous humor.

Conclusions: The finding of elevated levels of soluble IL-2R and soluble ICAM-1 in the aqueous humor and peripheral blood of patients with uveitis suggests the local and systemic participation of these markers in the pathogenesis of uveitis.