Elevated Serum Immune Mediators and Subclinical Inflammation in HLA-A29-associated Birdshot Chorioretinopathy

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To determine the circulating levels of seven immune mediators in serum samples from patients with birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR).

Methods: A single-center prospective case–control study was performed. Serum concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-12p70, IL-1β, IL-17A, IL-23, TNF-α, and TGF-β1 of 22 BSCR patients recruited at Hosp6ital Clinic of Barcelona and 16 healthy subjects were determined.

Results: Circulating levels of IL-17A were elevated in patients with BSCR in remission (p = 0.008 for BSCR patients with immunomodulatory treatment [IMT] and p = 0.032 for patients without IMT) compared with healthy subjects. Furthermore, patients who were not receiving IMT had significantly higher levels of circulating IL-23 (p = 0.013 vs controls and p = 0.001 vs IMT) and TGF-β1 (p = 0.009 vs controls and p = 0.001 vs IMT) than patients under IMT or healthy subjects.

Conclusions: Our results support the involvement of a IL-17-response in BSCR and suggest that BSCR patients without IMT due to apparent remission may maintain a subclinical inflammatory background.

Keywords:

• Birdshot chorioretinopathy
• IL-17
• IL-23
• TGF-β1
• uveitis

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We thank Dr. Villoslada (Neuroimmunology Laboratory, IDIBAPS) for providing the Luminex Platform.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

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

FUNDING

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain, ‘Instituto de Salud Carlos III’, ‘Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria’ (PI13/00217). Authors have no financial disclosure.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain, ‘Instituto de Salud Carlos III’, ‘Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria’ (PI13/00217). Authors have no financial disclosure.