Levels of Selected Aqueous Humor Mediators (IL-10, IL-17, CCL2, VEGF, FasL) in Diabetic Cataract

Abstract

Purpose: To compare levels of selected mediators in serums and aqueous humor (AH) of type 2 diabetes mellitus cataract patients with senile cataract patients, and to determine their association with postoperative corneal edema (CE).

Methods: Patients (32 senile and 29 diabetic cataract) undergoing standardized phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation were recruited. CE was assessed using an ordinal scale (grade 0 to 3). IL-10, CCL2, IL-17, FasL, and VEGF were measured by ELISA.

Results: Diabetic patients had higher AH levels of VEGF (p = .042) and IL-10 (p = .021), lower AH levels of FasL (p = .048), and higher serum levels of CCL2 (p = .002). AH levels of CCL2 were higher in diabetic patients with more severe CE at the first postoperative day (p = .012).

Conclusions: We found disturbed AH microenvironment in diabetic cataract, with significant changes for VEGF, IL-10, and FasL. Higher CCL2 was associated with the development of early postoperative CE in diabetic patients.

• Aqueous humor
• cataract
• chemokines
• cytokines
• type 2 diabetes mellitus

Acknowledgment

We thank Ivan Krešimir Lukić for statistical editing.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports (108-1080229-0142).