The Role Of Some Cytokines In The Pathogenesis Of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

The Role Of Some Cytokines In The Pathogenesis Of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

Azza Khalil Amer ,    Hesham Gamal

Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare human serum levels of some cytokines between 2 stages of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and non-glaucomatous controls.

Methods: Thirty patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and 30 normal control subjects were enrolled into this study. The 30 patients with POAG were divided into 2 subgroups according to their mean defect (MD) with MD better than −12 dB and worse than −12 dB on the visual field. Enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay was used to assay for the serum levels of T- helper -1 lymphocytes (TH-1) ,IL-12 and IL-23 and  tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and  T-helper-2 (TH-2) lymphocytes , IL-4 and IL-6 in the peripheral blood of different studied groups.

Results: Glaucomatous neuropathy exhibited significant increase in TH-1 cytokines (IL-12) and TH-2 cytokines (IL-4 & IL-6).  The difference in TH-1 cytokine (IL-23) was insignificant while the decrease in TH-1 (TNF- alpha) was significant in glaucomatous neuropathy.

Conclusion: Significant alterations of serum TH1 and TH-2 cytokines are associated with glaucoma, suggesting the possibility that abnormal immune environments contribute to the glaucomatous neuropathy of POAG.

Posted by: Azza Khalil Amer, prof, research institute of ophthalmology, Egypt (09-Jul-2012)