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Abstract #6436 Published in IGR 3-2
Transforming and insulin-like growth factors in the aqueous humour of patients with exfoliation syndrome
Koliakos GG; Schlötzer-Schrehardt U; Konstas AGP; Bufidis T; Georgiadis N; Dimitriadou AGraefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 2001; 239: 482-487
BACKGROUND: Growth factors circulating with the aqueous may play an important role in the pathogenesis of exfoliation syndrome (XFS), which is characterized by excessive synthesis and accumulation of abnormal extracellular material. METHODS: The authors investigated the concentration of three ubiquitous growth factors (TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and IGF-1) in the aqueous humor of 50 patients with XFS (27 from Erlangen, 27 from thessaloniki). This study was performed in two centers, independently of each other, using different assay systems. RESULTS: In the aqueous humor samples collected in Erlangen, both the levels of total TCF-β1 (P < 0.001) and mature TGF-β1 (P < 0.05) were significantly increased in XFS patients compared to controls. Specifically, for total TGF-β1, patients with XFS exhibited a higher mean value (90.5 ± 37.4 pg/ml) than controls (30.2 ± 8.3 pg/ml). The mean level of mature TGF-β1 was also higher in XFS (14.2 ± 2.8 pg/ml) than in controls (4.9 ± 5.5 pg/ml). No difference was found between XFS and controls in the levels of total or mature TGF-β2 in the aqueous, or in the level of these two growth factors in the serum. In aqueous humor samples collected in Thessaloniki, a significant difference between XFS and controls was also observed for mature TGF-β1 (XFS 17.06 ± 11.02 pg/ml versus controls 9.01 ± 5.69 pg/ml; p = 0.006). No difference was observed in TGF-β2 or IGF-1 concentration in the aqueous. No correlation could be established between protein concentration and the levels of the three growth factors measured. A significant correlation was found between age and protein concentration in XFS, but not in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Since TGF-β1 induces the synthesis and accumulation of extracellular matrix, it is hypothesized that TGF-β1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of XFS. These data suggest that the increased levels of TGF-β1 are most likely due to enhanced local synthesis.
Dr G.G. Koliakos, PO Box 17034, 54210 Thessaloniki, Greece. koliakos@med.auth.gr
Classification:
9.4.4.1 Exfoliation syndrome (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.4 Glaucomas associated with other ocular and systemic disorders > 9.4.4 Glaucomas associated with disorders of the lens)