SCIENTIFIC REPORT

Increased levels of pigment epithelium-derived factor in aqueous humor of patients with uveitis

Yumiko Yoshida¹, Sho-ichi Yamagishi², Takanori Matsui¹, Kazuo Nakamura², Tsutomu Imaizumi², Koichi Yoshimura¹ and Ryoji Yamakawa¹

¹ Department of Ophthalmology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
² Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardio-Vascular Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr S Yamagishi
Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan; shoichi{at}med.kurume-u.ac.jp

Aim: To evaluate whether aqueous humor levels of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) are increased in patients with uveitis

Methods: Aqueous humor levels of PEDF and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) were determined by ELISA in 34 uveitis samples and 9 cataract control samples.

Results: Aqueous humor PEDF and TNF levels were significantly higher in patients with uveitis than in controls (mean (SD) 6.4 (0.8) v 1.3 (0.2) µg/ml and 14.7 (3.8) v 4.2 (0.4) pg/ml, respectively; p<0.01). A positive correlation between PEDF and TNF was found in patients with uveitis (r = 0.40, p<0.01). Furthermore, PEDF levels in aqueous humor were increased in proportion to the disease activity of uveitis.

Conclusion: The results show that aqueous humor levels of PEDF are increased in patients with uveitis. Our observations suggest that aqueous humor levels of PEDF may be increased as a countersystem against inflammation in uveitis.

Abbreviations: PEDF, pigment epithelium-derived factor; TNF, tumour necrosis factor

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• Yoshida, Y., Yamagishi, S.-i., Matsui, T., Nakamura, K., Imaizumi, T., Yoshimura, K., Yamakawa, R. (2007). Positive correlation of pigment epithelium-derived factor and total antioxidant capacity in aqueous humour of patients with uveitis and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Br. J. Ophthalmol. 91: 1133-1134 [Abstract] [Full Text]