Measurement of interleukins in vitreous infusion fluid

Measurements of interleukin (IL)-6 and -10 concentrations in the vitreous can be used to differentiate intraocular lymphoma (IOL) from uveitis. This is the first study reporting the IL-6 and -10 concentrations in the undiluted vitreous fluid and vitreous infusion fluid, which were simultaneously examined in the patients. A total of 2 females presented with intraocular inflammation, and underwent pars plana vitrectomy. Undiluted anterior vitreous and vitreous infusion fluid were collected simultaneously. IL concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay systems. Vitreous infusion fluid of 20 ml was eventually collected following completion of core vitrectomy in the two patients. IL-6 concentrations of the first patient were 513 and 106 pg/ml in the undiluted vitreous and the infusion fluid, respectively, while those of the second patient were 263 and 29 pg/ml. By contrast, IL-10 was under the detectable levels in all the fluids. The IL-10/-6 ratio was <1 in both fluids in the patients. Cytological examination revealed the presence of reactive inflammatory cells in the vitreous fluid. The two patients were eventually diagnosed with uveitis. Measurements of IL concentrations in the vitreous infusion fluid provided significant evidence on the differential diagnosis between IOL and uveitis, when considering how vitreous infusion fluid was diluted. The present study highlighted a novel application of cytokine analyses using the vitreous infusion fluid, which may contribute to the development of future translational researches on uveitis/IOL patients.