Immunohistochemical study of related inflammatory cytokines in epiretinal membrane / 眼科新进展

ABSTRACT

Objective　To investigate the expression and role of inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-1β(IL-1β)、interleukin-6(IL-6)、interleukin-8(IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)in epiretinal membranes(ERM)of eyes with proliferative vitreoretinopathy(PVR).Methods　Nineteen epiretinal membranes were obtained from eyes undergoing vitrectomy for retinal detachment complicated with PVR and observed by immunohistochemical methods.Results　Expression of IL-1β、IL-6、IL-8 and TNF-α were observed in 9、12、11and 15 membranes respectively, with positive staining mostly in the extracellular matrix of epiretinal membranes. Only one membrane showed positive to IL-6 intracellularly, expression for all the cytokines simultaneously in 4 membranes.Conclusion　The findings indicate that cytokine-mediated pathways of inflammation are involved in the pathogenesis of PVR.