Soluble Fas ligand and soluble Fas in ocular fluid of patients with uveitis

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the presence of soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) and soluble Fas (sFas) in ocular fluid of patients with uveitis.

Methods: Samples of aqueous humour (AH, n=17), vitreous fluid (n=9), and serum (n=60) were collected from patients with uveitis which included Behçet's disease, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, sarcoidosis, human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) uveitis, sympathetic ophthalmia, HLA-B27 associated acute anterior uveitis, and ocular toxoplasmosis. The AH of patients with age related cataract without uveitis obtained during cataract surgery was used as controls (n=20). The amounts of sFasL and sFas were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: Significant amounts of sFasL were detected in AH of patients with age related cataract (non-uveitis group). sFasL was also detected in AH of patients with uveitis, though the amounts were slightly lower than those in the non-uveitis group. On the other hand, the levels of sFas in AH of patients with uveitis were significantly higher than those in controls. As for the disease activity, the levels of sFasL and sFas in the vitreous fluid of patients with active uveitis were significantly higher than those in inactive uveitis. sFasL in the serum of healthy donors and patients with uveitis was below detectable levels, except for patients with HTLV-I uveitis who had significant amounts of sFasL in the serum. The levels of sFas in the serum of patients with Behçet's disease, sarcoidosis, and HTLV-I uveitis were significantly higher than those of healthy donors.

Conclusions: sFasL is present in the AH of non-uveitic eyes with age related cataract. Intraocular levels of sFasL and sFas are significantly increased in uveitis, particularly in active uveitis. These data suggest that intraocular sFasL and sFas may have a regulatory role in uveitis.

Figure 1

(A) Soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) in the aqueous humour. Non-uveitis indicates samples from patients with age related cataract (n=20). Uveitis indicates samples obtained from patients with the following (n=17): Behçet's disease, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, sarcoidosis, sympathetic ophthalmia, HLA-B27 associated acute anterior uveitis, and HTLV-I uveitis. Bar indicates average values. (B) Soluble Fas (sFas) in the aqueous humour. Non-uveitis and uveitis indicate samples from patients with age related cataract (n=20) and those with uveitis (n=17), respectively, as in (A). Bar indicates average values and an asterisk indicates statistical significance (p <0.0005).

Figure 2

(A) Soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) in the vitreous fluid. Active uveitis (n=4) and inactive uveitis (n=5) indicate samples obtained from patients with the following: Behçet's disease, HTLV-I uveitis, sarcoidosis, and sympathetic ophthalmia. Bar indicate average values and an asterisk indicates statistical significance (p<0.05). (B) Soluble Fas (sFas) in the vitreous fluid. Active uveitis (n=4) and inactive uveitis (n=5) indicate samples obtained from patients as in (A).

Figure 3

(A) Soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) in the serum. Healthy donors (n=10), Behçet = Behçet's disease (n=10), VKH = Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (n=10), Sar = sarcoidosis (n=10), AAU = HLA-B27 associated acute anterior uveitis (n=10), HTLV-I = HTLV-I uveitis (n=10), Toxo = ocular toxoplasmosis (n=10). Bar indicates average values and an asterisk indicates statistical significance as compared with control (p<0.05). (B) Soluble Fas (sFas) in the serum. Healthy donors (n=10), Behçet = Behçet's disease (n=10), VKH = Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (n=10), Sar = sarcoidosis (n=10), AAU = HLA-B27 associated acute anterior uveitis (n=10), HTLV-I = HTLV-I uveitis (n=10), Toxo = ocular toxoplasmosis (n=10). Bar indicates average values and an asterisk indicates statistical significance as compared with control (p<0.05).