Investigation of biomarkers in the anterior chamber aqueous humor and the vitreous body in patients with neovascular glaucoma and diabetes mellitus

Abstract

PURPOSE. To study possible biomarkers of proliferative diabetic retinopathy complicated by neovascular glaucoma and hemophthalmos located in the aqueous humor of the anterior chamber of the eye and the vitreous body, and to evaluate their role in the pathogenesis of pathological neovascularization in diabetes mellitus.METHODS. Samples were taken from the anterior chamber aqueous humor of 7 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and operated neovascular glaucoma (Ahmed valve), as well as from the vitreous body of the same patients who underwent vitrectomy after drainage surgery due to long-term total hemophthalmos. The comparison group consisted of patients without diabetes mellitus, who also had aqueous humor samples taken from the anterior chamber of the eye and vitreous. Concentration of markers was assessed by multiplex immune analysis.RESULTS. A significant increase in the levels of selected markers relative to the control group (patients without diabetes mellitus) was found in the aqueous humor of the anterior chamber and the vitreous body. The concentration of some cytokines differed significantly in the experimental and control groups suggesting the possibility of their evaluation for early detection of a more severe course of diabetic retinopathy.CONCLUSION. The obtained results expand the knowledge about the pathogenesis of neovascular glaucoma and confirm the importance of further study of the immunological aspects of pathological neovascularization in diabetes mellitus. This allows us to take a fresh look at the role of biomarkers in the process and indicates their connection with the activation and support of the pathological chain of the process of new vessels formation.