Original scientific paper
Influence of Interleukin-1α and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Production on Corneal Graft Survival
Damir Bosnar
Iva Dekaris
Nikica Gabrić
Alemka Markotić
Ratimir Lazić
Ninoslav Špoljarić
Abstract
Aim: To determine pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion from human corneas with different pathology and to establish whether cytokine profile influences corneal graft outcome.
Method: Secretion of both proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1α and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was measured after cultivation of 47 corneas collected from corneal graft recipients suffering from different corneal diseases. Non-inflammatory corneal diseases were keratoconus (n = 8), keratoglobus (n = 2), bullous keratopathy (n = 11), and Groenouw stromal dystrophy type II (n = 2), whereas inflammatory included vascularized corneal scar (n = 14), rejected graft (n = 6), and corneal ulcer (n = 4). Corneas were cultivated at 37°C for 24 hours and frozen until cytokine detection was measured by immunoassay. Donor corneas unsuitable for transplantation were used as controls (n = 7). Corneal graft recipients were followed at least 18 months and rejection rate was calculated for each group.
Results: The median concentration of IL-1α secreted from corneas of recipients with non-inflammatory diseases was 2.47 pg/mm3 (range, 0.13-9.95). In inflammatory corneal diseases, IL-1α concentration was significantly higher (median, 5.92 pg/mm3; range, 0.48-12.68; P = 0.005). IL-1α production in controls (median, 0.63 pg/mm3; range, 0.36-1.29 pg/mm3) was significantly lower than in inflammatory corneal diseases (P<0.001) and non-inflammatory diseases (P = 0.008). Low level of TNF-α was detected only in 5 cases of vascularized corneal scars, 3 cases of bullous keratopathy, and 3 cases of graft rejection. Rejection rate was significantly higher in inflammatory than in non-inflammatory group (46% vs <10%, respectively, P = 0.008). IL-1α and TNF-α were absent from all patient’s sera, confirming its local intra-ocular production.
Conclusion: Increased production of IL-1α in corneal recipients with inflammatory diseases suggests its role in corneal graft rejection in humans.
Keywords
corneal transplantation; graft survival; interleukin-1; tumor necrosis factor-alpha
Hrčak ID:
1859
URI
Publication date:
15.2.2006.
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