https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2658-0002
![Sample our Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Allied Health journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5944/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Medicine-Dentistry-Nursing-Allied-Health.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To evaluate the role of angiogenic growth factors in the pathogenesis of intraocular tuberculosis.
Methods: Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) cells were infected with varying dilution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), ranging from several thousand to a few MTB bacilli to replicate paucibacillary conditions. Angiogenesis growth factors were evaluated using multiplex fluorescent bead based flow cytometry in the culture supernatant of RPE cells infected with MTB, vitreous fluids and tear samples of uveitis patients visiting retina clinic.
Results: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were elevated and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) were down regulated in RPE-infected MTB cells. Similar pattern of VEGF and FGF was observed in the vitreous of IOTB patients. However, no changes were observed in tear samples.
Conclusions: MTB exploits the angiogenesis growth factors for pathogenesis by decreasing FGF with concomitant surge of VEGF in MTB infected RPE as well in the vitreous of IOTB patients.
Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge Prof Manni L Guptasarma, Dept of Immunopathology, PGIMER, and Chandigarh for providing RPE cell line. We would also like to thank Emeritus Prof Shobha Sehgal, PGIMER for providing valuable comments for the manuscript.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.
Ethical approval
The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee and conducted according to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. The patients enrolled were the ones referred to uveitis clinic after taking informed consent.