Intraocular soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 correlates with subretinal fluid height of diabetic macular edema

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the correlations between aqueous concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and diabetic macular edema (DME).

Materials and methods: VEGF, MCP-1 and sICAM-1 concentrations in aqueous humor samples of 22 patients with DME and 23 patients with cataract of a control group were measured with solid-phase chemiluminescence immunoassay.

Results: Aqueous VEGF (89.2 ± 58.5 pg/ml versus 48.5 ± 27.8 pg/ml, P = 0.006), MCP-1 (684.2 ± 423.4 pg/ml versus 432.4 ± 230.4 pg/ml, P = 0.019) and sICAM-1 (3213.8 ± 2581.6 pg/ml versus 260.2 ± 212.2 pg/ml, P < 0.001) all vary significantly between DME group and control group. Maximum height of submacular fluid measured by Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was significantly associated with aqueous sICAM-1 (r = -0.45, P = 0.034). The maximum height of macular thickness measured by OCT was not significantly associated with either VEGF (P = 0.300), MCP-1 (P = 0.320) or sICAM-1 (P = 0.285).

Conclusions: Our results suggest that sICAM-1 may majorly contribute to the formation of subretinal fluid in DME patients and imply that MCP-1 and sICAM-1 may be the potential therapy targets, besides VEGF.

Figure 1

Error bar showing the vascular endothelial growth factor in aqueous humor between cataract patients (n = 23) and diabetic macular edema patients (n = 22) (independent t-test, 48.5 ± 27.8 pg/ml versus 89.2 ± 58.5 pg/ml, P = 0.006)

Figure 2

Error bar showing the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in aqueous humor between cataract patients (n = 23) and diabetic macular edema patients (n = 22) (independent t-test, 432.4 ± 230.4 pg/ml versus 684.2 ± 423.4 pg/ml, P = 0.019)

Figure 3

Error bar showing the soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in aqueous humor between cataract patients (n = 23) and diabetic macular edema patients (n = 22) (independent t-test, 260.2 ± 212.2 pg/ml versus 3213.8 ± 2581.6 pg/ml, P < 0.001)

Figure 4

Regression figure showing that the maximum height of submacular fluid measured by OCT was negatively significantly associated with aqueous sICAM-1 (r = -0.45, P = 0.034)

Figure 5

Error bar showing the soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 in aqueous humor between diabetic macular edema patients without subretinal fluid (n = 16) and diabetic macular edema patients with subretinal fluid (n = 6) (independent t-test, 4032.9 ± 2570.8 pg/ml versus 1029.6 ± 542.1 pg/ml; P < 0.001)