Objective To detect the levels of vascular endoth elial growth factor (VEGF) in aqueous humor and vitreous of patients with neovascular glaucoma (NVG) and infer their possible effect on the development of neovascularization of iris. Methods The concentration of VEGF in 22 samples of ocular fluid of aqueous humor and vitreous respectively obtained from 11 patients with NVG undergone intraocular surgery were measured by using enzyme linked immunosobent assay (ELISA) for quantitative analysis. As control, 12 samples of ocular fluid of 6 patients with macular hole were detected by the same methods. Results The mean [AKx-]plusmn;s VEGF concentrations in aqueous humor and vitreous from patients with NVG were [(1.451plusmn;0.247)、(1.610plusmn;0.125) ng/ml] higher than those in the cotrol group [(0.189plusmn;0.038)、(0.201plusmn;0.055) ng/ml], there was a significant difference between the two groups statistically (t=12.007，Plt;0001；t=26.0 57，Plt;0.001). Conclusion The patients with NVG have significantly increased level of VEGF in ocular fluid, and VEGF might fill the role in mediating active iris neovascularization. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2001,17:305-306)
ObjectiveTo study the changes the changes of cytokine expression the aqueous humor of patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO-ME) before and after intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR). MethodsA prospective clinical study. From June 2018 to June 2021, 31 eyes of 31 patients with non-ischemic BRVO-ME diagnosed by ophthalmic examination in Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Hepingli Hospital were included in the study. Among them, 15 males had 15 eyes, and 16 females had 16 eyes. Age was 70 (65, 72) years; the course of disease was 10 (9, 15) days. All of them were first-time patients. All eyes were treated with IVR once a month for 3 consecutive months. At the end of each IVR treatment, 0.1 ml aqueous humor was extracted immediately. The concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in aqueous humor were detected by flow cytometry. The concentrations of cytokines in aqueous humor before and after treatment were compared by Kruskal-Wallis or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Spearman correlation analysis was performed on the correlation between VEGF and MCP-1 expression level in aqueous humor before treatment. ResultsThe concentrations of VEGF and ICAM-1 in aqueous humor were significantly lower at 1 month after treatment compared with that before treatment, and at 2 months after treatment compared with that at 1 month after treatment (Z=4.03, 3.25, 2.50, 3.48; P＜0.05); the concentrations of IL-6 and VCAM-1 increased and the concentration of MCP-1 decreased, but there was no significant difference (Z=－0.21, 1.42, 0.86, －0.53, 0.92, －1.57; P＞0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was a strong positive correlation between VEGF and MCP-1 in aqueous humor before treatment (r=0.78, P＜0.001). ConclusionThe concentrations of VEGF and ICAM-1 in aqueous humor significantly decrease after IVR treatment in BRVO-ME; the concentrations of IL-6, MCP-1 and VCAM-1 do not obviously change.
Objective To review the distribution and shifting trends of cultured bacteria from the aqueous humor and the vitreous body. Methods A retrospective analysis on distribution of Gram′s stain, the distribution and change of isolates was performed in 522 specimens (aqueous humor,261 and vitreous body,261) of patients with suspected endophthalmitis during a 10-year period (1989-1998). Results The positive cultures were 119 (aqueous humor,44 and vitreous body,75) of 522 specimens. The average positive rate was 22.8%. Gram-positive cocci constituting 45.4%(54) of total isolates followed by Gram-negative bacilli,34.5%(41);Gram-positive bacilli, 20.2%(24). In the positive bacterial cultures, enterobacteriaceae was the most common isolate, 18.5%, and the next was micrococcus, 16.0%; coagulase-negative staphylococcus,12.6%; and pseudomonas,10.9%.Comparing the data from 1989 through 1993 with the data from 1994 through 1998, the frequency of Gram-positive cocci had no significant change, while the frequency of Gram-positive bacilli was decreased and the percentage of Gram′s-negative bacilli was increased. Conclusions Gram-positive cocci and Gram-negative bacilli are the predominant pathogens of bacterial endophthalmitis. The percentage of Gram′s-negative bacilli has increased for 5 years. It is very important to comprehend the distribution and shifting trends of these pathogenic bacteria for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2002, 18: 104-105)
Objective To observe the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in aqueous humor and vitreous body in eyes with proliferative vitreo-retinal diseases, and to investigate the role of VEGF plays in the pathoge nesis of proliferative vitreo-retinal diseases. Methods The concentration of VEGF in aqueous humor and vitreous body in eyes with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), retinal vein occlusion (RVO), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and neovascular glaucoma (NVG) were measured by double antibodies sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The concentration of VEGF in aqueous humor and vitreous body in eyes with PVR, RVO, PDR and NVG were obviously higher than that in the control group (Plt;0.05), respectively. Among all of the diseases, the concentration of VEGF in aqueous humor and vitreous body decreased orderly in NVG, PDR, RVO and PVR (Plt;0.05). The concentration of VEGF in vitreous body in eyes with PVR, RVO, PDR and in the control group were much higher than that in aqueous humor in corresponding groups (Plt;0.05). There was a negative correlation between the disease history and content of VEGF in aqueous humor and vitreous body in patients with PVR (r=－0.819, －0.823；Plt;0.05). The disease history positi vely correlated with the concentration of VEGF in aqueous humor and vitreous body in patients with RVO (r=0.913, 0.929；Plt;0.05), and the time of vitreous hemorrhage positively correlated with the concentration of VEGF in aqueous humor and vitreous body in patients with PDR (r=0.905, 0.920；Plt;0.05). Conclusion The concentration of VEGF in aqueous humor and vitreous body in patients with proliferative vitreo-retinal diseases significantly increases, and VEGF may play an important role in the pathoge nesis of proliferative vitreo-retinal diseases. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22: 313-316)
ObjectiveTo characterize proteomic profile in aqueous humor of patients with pathologic myopia (PM) using quantitative proteomic analysis, which may provide new clues to understand the mechanisms and possible treatments of PM.MethodsA cross-sectional study. From January 2019 to August 2019, aqueous humor samples (32 cataract patients) were collected for quantitative proteomic analysis using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry at Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital. There were 11 males and 21 females. They were 58-76 years old with an average age of 68.41±6.09 years old. Sixteen patients with PM were regarded as PM group, 16 patients without myopia were regarded as the control group. The aqueous humor samples (100-150 μl ) were collected from all patients before cataract surgery. Using protein quantification and non-labeled liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis, differentially expressed proteins were obtained. Five different proteins were randomly selected for ELISA verification. The differentially expressed proteins were further analyzed by gene ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, which were validated using ELISA in the other twenty samples of each group.ResultsA total of 583 proteins were identified and 101 proteins were found to be differentially expressed, including 63 up-regulated proteins and 38 down-regulated proteins. ELISA verification results showed that the expression trend of the 5 differentially expressed proteins between the PM group and the control group was consistent with the results of Label-free quantitative proteomics analysis. The main classifications of these differentially expressed proteins were protein-binding activity modulator, defense/immunity protein, protein modifying enzyme, metabolite interconversion enzyme, extracellular matrix protein, transfer/carrier protein and so on. The bioinformatics analysis suggested that PM was closely associated with inflammation and immune interactions, and remodeling of extracellular matrix.ConclusionsCompared with the control group, the protein expression profile of PM patients' aqueous humor specimens has obvious changes. These differences indicate that PM is closely related to inflammation and immune interaction and extracellular matrix remodeling.
ObjectiveTo study the changes and correlation of cytokines in aqueous humor before and after intravitreal injection of conbercept (IVC) treatment in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).MethodsA prospective clinical study. From March to December 2019, 36 patients (42 eyes) of PDR patients treated with IVC combined with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) (the observation group) and 27 patients (31 eyes) underwent cataract surgery in the same period (control group) in Department of Ophthalmology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine were included in this study. Before PPV 5-7 days, IVC treatment was performed, and the aqueous humor were extracted during IVC and second-stage PPV in the observation group. The aqueous humor was extracted during cataract surgery in the control group. Luminex assay was used to detect VEGF-A, placental growth factor (PLGF), platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA), platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4), IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) cytokine expression. For normally distributed data, the independent sample t test was used for comparison between two independent samples; for non-normally distributed data, the Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for comparison between two independent samples. The correlation analysis used Spearman rank correlation test.ResultsBefore IVC treatment, the concentrations of VEGF-A, PLGF, PDGF-AA, ANGPTL4, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and ICAM-1 in the aqueous humor of PDR patients were significantly higher than those in the control group (P＜0.05). After IVC treatment, the concentration of VEGF-A in the aqueous humor was significantly lower than that before treatment, and the concentrations of ANGPTL4 and IL-8 were significantly higher than those before treatment (P＜0.05). There were no significant differences in the concentrations of PLGF, PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, IL-6, IL-1β, MCP-1, ICAM-1 and TNF-α before and after IVC treatment (P＞0.05). Before IVC treatment, the concentration of VEGF-A was positively correlated with PLGF, PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, ANGPTL4, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and TNF-α (P＜0.05).ConclusionsIVC treatment can reduce the concentration of VEGF-A and increase the concentrations of ANGPTL4 and IL-8 in aqueous humor in PDR patients before PPV.
ObjectiveTo study the distribution of pathogenic microorganisms in the ocular fluid of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and infectious uveitis.MethodsIt was a retrospective case analysis. From June 2018 to December 2019, 31 AIDS patients with infectious uveitis who were hospitalized or outpatient at Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center were included in the study. Among them, there were 30 males and 1 female; the average age was 38.51±11.17 years. There were 20 cases of panuveitis, 10 cases of posterior uveitis, and 1 case of infectious endophthalmitis. Serum CD4+T lymphocyte count (CD4+TC) were 0 - 239/μl during the same period. The second-generation gene sequencing technology was used to detect the collected intraocular fluid. Among 31 specimens, aqueous humor and vitreous humor were 27 and 4 respectively.ResultsAmong 31 specimens, 18 samples (58.1%, 18/31) of cytomegalovirus (CMV) were detected; varicella-zoster virus (VZV) were detected in 5 samples (16.1%, 5/31); Epstein-Barr virus were detected in 9 samples (29.0%, 9/31); human beta herpes virus type 6 (HHV6) were detected in 3 samples (9.7%, 3/31), human papillary molluscum virus (HPV), human polyoma virus, type G hepatitis virus were separately detected in 1 sample (3.2%, 1/31), all coexisting with other microorganisms. Parvovirus were detedcted in 8 samples (25.8%, 8/31); treponema pallidum were detedcted in 5 samples (16.1%, 5/31); toxoplasma gondii and Harmon coccidia were detedcted in 1 sample (3.2%, 1/31); synitelium Polycarpum were detedcted in 1 sample (3.2%, 1/31); mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, fungi, and microbacteria coexist were detedcted in 1 sample (3.2%, 1/31). Among the 18 CMV specimens, the number of gene sequences was more than 1059 (50.0%), and 104-1055 (27.7%). Among the 5 specimens of VZV, the number of gene sequences was＞1044 (80.0%). In one specimen, the mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, fungi, and microbacteria coexist, and the number of gene sequences were all＜100. The number of gene sequences of HHV6, HPV, human polyoma virus, type G virus, and parvovirus in all specimens was small. Among 31 specimens, 15 (48.4%) of pathogenic microorganisms were detected at least 2 species.ConclusionsCMV and VZV are the main pathogenic microorganisms of infective uveitis in patients with serum CD4+TC＜100/μl; treponema pallidum, toxoplasma gondii or other protozoa, mycobacterium tuberculosis, and fungi cause more infectious uveitis which are common in AIDS patients with serum CD4+TC＞100/μl. The coexistence of two or more microorganisms can be detected in the intraocular fluid of AIDS patients with infectious uveitis.
Objective To detect the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in plasma and intraocular liquid (aqueous humor and vitreous body) in patients with deabetic retinopathy (DR) and the role VEGF plays in the development of DR. Methods The concentrations of VEGF in plasma, aqueous humor and vitreous body in DR and normal group were detected by ELISA. Results The concentration of VEGF in plasma was (34.47plusmn;1.76) pg/ml in non-DR group, (53.93plusmn;3.08) pg/ml in single DR group, (53.36plusmn;3.28) pg/ml in proliferative DR group, and (178.30plusmn;10.13) pg/ml in control group. There was no significant difference in the normal and the experimental groups (P＜0.05). The concentration of VEGF in aqueous humor was (184.8plusmn;12.60) pg/ml in proliferative DR group and (90.06plusmn;8.32) pg/ml in the control group, and there was significant difference between them (P＜0.05). The concentration of VEGF in vitreous body was (741.70plusmn;92.02) pg/ml in proliferative DR group and (94.38plusmn;21.21) pg/ml in the control group, and there was significantdifference between them (P＜0.05). There was no correlation of VEGF concentration in plasma and that in aqueous humor and vitreous respectively(P＞0.05), and positive correlation of VEGF concentration was found in vitreous body and HbA1c (r=0.9067,P＜0.01). Conclusions Concentration of VEGF in plasma in patients with DR is lower than that in the normal persons,but not correlated with the concentration of VEGF in aqueous humor and vitreousbody. The concentration of VEGF in aqueous humor and vitreous body increase in patients with proliferative DR, and the increase in vitreous body and the value of HbA1c of the patients correlate. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2004，20：343-345)
ObjectiveTo analyze the sensitivity and specificity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests in the detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the diagnosis of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), using aqueous humor samples. Methods25 AIDS patients (including 21 men and 4 women) were studied. The age of the patients varied from 24 to 59 years, with an average of (39.2±9.3) years. The CD4+ T cell count was from 1 to 523 cells/μl, with a medium of 40 cells/μl. They were infected with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)for a period from 15 days to 9 years with a median of 10 months. They were divided into three groups according to the fundus and treatment, including untreated cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR), treated CMVR and control group. There were 10 patients without anti-CMV treatment and 7 patients treated previously with foscarnet or ganciclovir whose eyes were diagnosed CMVR. Control group has 8 patients who had normal fundus or minor retinopathy excluded from CMVR. Approximately 100 μl of aqueous humor was obtained by anterior-chamber paracentesis and PCR was performed in all cases. ResultsThere were CMV DNA in 9 of 10 eyes with untreated CMVR (90.0% sensitivity). Of 7 specimens from eyes with treated CMVR, 3 were CMV PCR positive (42.9% sensitivity). All 8 samples of the control group were negative for CMV DNA, indicating the clinical specificity of our PCR was greater than 99.9% for CMVR. The anterior chamber paracentesis did not cause any complications in our patients except for a patient with subconjunctival hemorrhage. ConclusionsThe assay had an estimated sensitivity of 90.0% in detecting untreated CMVR and a sensitivity of 42.9% in detecting CMVR that had been treated. The specificity of this assay was greater than 99.9%.