Association of Upregulated Angiogenic Cytokines With Choroidal Abnormalities in Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.
Terao Nobuhiro, Koizumi Hideki, Kojima Kentaro, Yamagishi Tetsuya, Nagata Kenji, Kitazawa Koji, Yamamoto Yuji, Yoshii Kengo, Hiraga Asako, Toda Munetoyo
AI Summary
Chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) shows upregulated angiogenic cytokines (VEGF-A, PlGF) and inflammation (IL-6, IL-8) linked to choroidal abnormalities, suggesting angiogenesis drives chronic CSC progression.
Abstract
Purpose
To clarify the distinct molecular pathogenesis of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV).
Methods
Aqueous humor (AH) was collected from 18 acute CSC, 20 chronic CSC, and 20 PNV patients. Concentrations of 30 cytokines in the AH were analyzed using a multiplex bead immunoassay, and the cytokine profiles were compared among these three groups of patients. The areas of choroidal vascular hyperpermeability (CVH) and choroidal thickness (CT), including measurement of the vascular layers, were investigated to analyze the features of choroidal abnormality in acute CSC, chronic CSC, and PNV. Additionally, associations between cytokine profiles and choroidal abnormalities were analyzed.
Results
Proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly upregulated in the chronic CSC group compared with the acute CSC or PNV groups. Angiogenic cytokines and VEGF-A were upregulated at levels that almost reached significance along with disease progression from acute to chronic CSC, whereas the upregulation was not significant from chronic CSC to PNV. In the chronic CSC group, strong positive correlations were confirmed between VEGF-A and placental growth factor (PlGF) (r = 0.75, P < 0.001) and IL-6 and VEGF-A (r = 0.74, P < 0.001), and angiogenesis-related cytokines were positively correlated with the typical choroidal abnormalities, areas of CVH, mean CT, and mean large choroidal vessel layer thickness. However, there was no association between these choroidal abnormality parameters and AH cytokines in the PNV group.
Conclusions
The results suggest that choroidal abnormalities in chronic CSC may be associated with upregulated angiogenesis.
MeSH Terms
Shields Classification
Key Concepts6
Proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-8, were significantly upregulated in the chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) group compared with the acute CSC or pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) groups.
Angiogenic cytokines and VEGF-A were upregulated at levels that almost reached significance along with disease progression from acute to chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), but this upregulation was not significant from chronic CSC to pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV).
In the chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) group, strong positive correlations were confirmed between VEGF-A and placental growth factor (PlGF) (r = 0.75, P < 0.001) and IL-6 and VEGF-A (r = 0.74, P < 0.001).
In the chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) group, angiogenesis-related cytokines were positively correlated with choroidal abnormalities, specifically areas of choroidal vascular hyperpermeability (CVH), mean choroidal thickness (CT), and mean large choroidal vessel layer thickness.
There was no association between choroidal abnormality parameters (areas of choroidal vascular hyperpermeability, mean choroidal thickness, and mean large choroidal vessel layer thickness) and aqueous humor cytokines in the pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) group.
Aqueous humor (AH) was collected from 18 acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), 20 chronic CSC, and 20 pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) patients, and concentrations of 30 cytokines were analyzed using a multiplex bead immunoassay.
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