Chemokine Expression of Intraocular Lymphocytes in Patients with Behçet Uveitis

Abstract

Background: To compare the expression of chemokines in the aqueous humor and chemokine receptors in intraocular lymphocytes from Behçet and non-Behçet uveitis patients. Methods: A total of 95 uveitis patients were included in this study. We studied 39 Behçet and 56 non-Behçet uveitis patients. Flow cytometric analysis was performed using lymphocytes from the aqueous humor and the peripheral blood during the active phase of intraocular inflammation. We compared the expression of CXCR1, CXCR3, and CCR5 in CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and the concentration of intraocular CXCL8, CXCL10 and CCL5 in Behçet and non-Behçet patients. Results: The CD4+ cell population was higher in the aqueous humor of non-Behçet patients, whereas the CD8+ cell population was higher in the aqueous humor of Behçet patients. The expressions of CXCR1 and CCR5 were not significantly different between the two groups, whereas the intraocular expression of CXCR3 was higher in the CD4+ cells of non-Behçet and in the CD8+ cells of Behçet uveitis patients. Intraocular CXCL8 and CXCL10 levels were higher in Behçet than they were in non-Behçet patients. CCL5 levels were not different between the groups. Conclusions: This suggests that the expression of chemokines and chemokine receptors in intraocular lymphocytes is different in Behçet compared to non-Behçet uveitis patients, which might be related to the differential phenotypes of intraocular lymphocytes among different uveitis etiologies.

Immunopathogenesis of Ocular Behçet’s Disease

“…The expression of Th1-related chemokine receptors, such as CCR5 and CXCR3, is upregulated in active BD [22, 56, 60, 62], which is consistent with our finding that CXCR3 is preferentially expressed on intraocular CD8+ T cells in BU [7]. Because CXCR3 is considered a marker of the main producers of IFN- γ in the T cell population, CXCR3+ T cells may be the primary effectors of the maintenance of uveitis in BD [56].…”

“…In ocular BD patients, Th1-dominant immune response is observed both in peripheral blood and in aqueous humor as in other endogenous uveitides or in other inflammatory sites of BD patients [6, 7, 24, 61]. However, Th1 polarization in BU tends to be more extreme than that observed in endogenous uveitides of other causes and shows higher proinflammatory but lower immunosuppressive cytokine profiles [6, 24].…”

“…Behçet's uveitis (BU) is characterized by chronic panuveitis or posterior uveitis with necrotizing retinal vasculitis and tends to be more recurrent and sight threatening than other endogenous uveitides such as Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease or HLA-B27-associated uveitis. Previously, in a series of reports, we showed that immunopathogenic mechanism of BU probably differs from those of other endogenous uveitides [4–7]. In BD patients with active uveitis, immune effectors in aqueous humor and peripheral blood differentiated the disease from endogenous uveitis of other origins [4, 5].…”

“…In BD patients with active uveitis, immune effectors in aqueous humor and peripheral blood differentiated the disease from endogenous uveitis of other origins [4, 5]. The intraocular cytokine environment and chemokine expressions in intraocular lymphocytes were also different between active BU and non-Behçet's uveitis [6, 7]. Higher expressions of maturation markers in dendritic cells (DCs) may reflect disease activity in BU [8].…”

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Vitrectomy for Uveitis

“…31,32 Because the vitreous is considered to be a reservoir of proinflammatory mediators that contribute to the development of many inflammatory diseases of the eye, vitreous samples can be a valuable tool for accurate diagnosis of the pathogenic mechanism. 31,32 Because the vitreous is considered to be a reservoir of proinflammatory mediators that contribute to the development of many inflammatory diseases of the eye, vitreous samples can be a valuable tool for accurate diagnosis of the pathogenic mechanism.…”