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. 2019 Apr 24;19(1):94.
doi: 10.1186/s12886-019-1101-6.

Cytokine profiling reveals increased serum inflammatory cytokines in idiopathic choroidal neovascularization

Shenchao Guo  1 , Houfa Yin  1 , Mingjie Zheng  1   2 , Yizhen Tang  1 , Bing Lu  1 , Xinyi Chen  1 , Qiuli Fu  1 , Zhenwei Qin  1 , Danni Lyu  1 , Qiaomei Tang  1 , Lifang Zhang  1 , Jian Ma  1 , Li Zhang  1 , Xiaoyun Fang  3
Affiliations

Cytokine profiling reveals increased serum inflammatory cytokines in idiopathic choroidal neovascularization

Shenchao Guo et al. BMC Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Background: The exact pathogenesis of idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (ICNV) remains unclear. Cytokine-mediated inflammation has been thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of ICNV. The purpose of this study was to investigate serum cytokine profiles in patients with ICNV and to explore the relationship between serum cytokine levels and ICNV severity.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted in 32 ICNV patients and 30 healthy volunteers. Clinical and demographic information was obtained from the medical data platform and the serum was analysed with a multiplex assay to determine the levels of seven cytokines: interleukin (IL)-2, IL-10, IL-15, IL-17, basic fibroblast growth factor (basic FGF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Results: Serum levels of IL-2, IL-10, IL-17, basic FGF, and VEGF were elevated in ICNV patients compared to controls. Serum GM-CSF levels were positively related to central retinal thickness, and serum IL-17 levels were positively related to CNV lesion area.

Conclusion: Serum inflammatory cytokines were significantly elevated in ICNV patients compared to controls. This suggests that systemic inflammation may play a critical role in the physiopathology of ICNV.

Keywords: Idiopathic choroidal neovascularization; Inflammatory cytokines; Serum.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and the research followed the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written consent was obtained from all patients and controls.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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