Differential CXC and CX3C Chemokine Expression Profiles in Aqueous Humor of Patients With Specific Endogenous Uveitic Entities

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the levels of the neutrophil chemoattractants CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL5, CXCL6, and CXCL8, the T helper 1 chemoattractants CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11, the lymphoid chemokines CXCL12 and CXCL13 and the soluble form of the transmembrane chemokines CXCL16 and CX3CL1, in aqueous humor samples from patients with specific uveitic entities.

Methods: Aqueous humor samples from patients with active uveitis associated with Behçet's disease (n = 13), sarcoidosis (n = 8), HLA-B27-related inflammation (n = 12), Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease (n = 12), and healthy controls (n = 9) were assayed with the use of a multiplex assay.

Results: All chemoattractant levels were significantly higher in all patients than in the controls. The levels of all neutrophil chemoattractants and CXCL10, CXCL16, and CX3CL1 were significantly higher in nongranulomatous uveitis (Behçet's disease and HLA-B27-associated uveitis) than in granulomatous uveitis (sarcoidosis and VKH disease), whereas the levels of the B cell chemoattractant CXCL13 were significantly higher in granulomatous uveitis than in nongranulomatous uveitis. CXCL13 levels were highest in the patients with VKH disease. CXCL9, CXCL11, and CXCL12 levels did not differ significantly.

Conclusions: Inflammation in nongranulomatous uveitis appears to be driven by neutrophils and T helper 1 lymphocytes, whereas B lymphocytes may contribute to the inflammatory process in granulomatous uveitis, particularly in VKH disease.