Expression of IL-8, IL-6 and IL-1β in Tears as a Main Characteristic of the Immune Response in Human Microbial Keratitis

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Concepcion Santacruz¹  Marisela Linares¹  Yonathan Garfias⁴  Luisa M. Loustaunau¹  Lenin Pavon²  Sonia Mayra Perez-Tapia³  Maria C. Jimenez-Martinez¹ 

[1] Cornea and Refractive Surgery Department, and Research Unit, Institute of Ophthalmology “Conde de Valenciana Foundation”, Mexico 06800, DF, Mexico; E-Mails:;Department of Psychoimmunology, National Institute of Psychiatry “Ramón de la Fuente”, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14370, DF, Mexico; E-Mail:;Unit of R&D in Bioprocesses (UDIBI), Department of Immunology, National School of Biological Sciences, National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico 11340, DF, Mexico; E-Mail:;Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, P.O. Box 70159, Mexico 04510, DF, Mexico; E-Mail:

关键词: microbial keratitis;    cytokines;    IL-1β;    IL-6;    IL-8;    NK cells;    human;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms16034850

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Corneal infections are frequent and potentially vision-threatening diseases, and despite the significance of the immunological response in animal models of microbial keratitis (MK), it remains unclear in humans. The aim of this study was to describe the cytokine profile of tears in patients with MK. Characteristics of ocular lesions such as size of the epithelial defect, stromal infiltration, and hypopyon were analyzed. Immunological evaluation included determination of interleukine (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in tear samples obtained from infected eyes of 28 patients with MK and compared with their contralateral non-infected eyes. Additionally, frequency of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD19⁺ and CD3⁻CD56⁺ cells was also determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with MK, and compared with 48 healthy controls. Non-significant differences were observed in the size of the epithelial defect, stromal infiltration, and hypopyon. Nevertheless, we found an immunological profile apparently related to MK etiology. IL-8 > IL-6 in patients with bacterial keratitis; IL-8 > IL-6 > IL-1β and increased frequency of circulating CD3⁻CD56⁺ NK cells in patients with gram-negative keratitis; and IL-8 = IL-6 > IL-1β in patients with fungal keratitis. Characterization of tear cytokines from patients with MK could aid our understanding of the immune pathophysiological mechanisms underlying corneal damage in humans.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.