Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 23, 2025
Intravitreal Injection and Quantitation of Infection Parameters in a Mouse Model of Bacterial Endophthalmitis
Published on: February 6, 2021
Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Triggers Differential Inflammatory Response in Patients With
Poonam Naik1,2, Sukhvinder Singh3, Dhanwini Rudraprasad1
1Jhaveri Microbiology Centre, Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Purpose:
Infections with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) lead to poor clinical outcomes in endophthalmitis patients, and its interactions with the host immune system remain largely unknown. The current study aimed to determine the association of MDR-PA infection with the cytokine expression profile in patients with endophthalmitis.
Methods:
Vitreous of 12 patients with culture-proven MDR-PA along with 12 samples from antibiotic-susceptible P. aeruginosa (S-PA) and 20 non-infectious controls were included in the study. Expression patterns of IL-6, IL-10, IL-1α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-8, and GM-CSF in the vitreous were analyzed by multiplex immunoassay and correlated with the clinical severity. We also assessed the phosphorylation level of different immune pathway molecules.
Results:
In the MDR-PA group, significantly (P < 0.05) increased expression of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α was observed in comparison with the S-PA group. The increased inflammatory mediators in MDR-PA correlated with the disease severity. Additionally, the increased expression of inflammatory mediators was positively correlated to the activation levels of Akt, STAT3, JNK, p70 S6 kinase, and NF-кB (P < 0.05) in the MDR-PA group.
Conclusions:
The current study shows the differential host immune response and phosphorylation levels of signaling molecules in MDR-PA endophthalmitis, thereby linking antibiotic resistance with distinct immune regulation.
Translational Relevance:
This study provides evidence for the use of inflammatory mediator levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α as potential diagnostic biomarkers of MDR endophthalmitis warranting prompt administration of immune modulators to avoid irreversible damage to the retina and vision loss.
Insights
Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) endophthalmitis triggers a distinct immune response, with elevated cytokines linked to disease severity. This highlights potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and intervention to prevent vision loss.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
Background:
- Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) infections cause poor outcomes in endophthalmitis.
- The host immune response to MDR-PA in endophthalmitis is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between MDR-PA infection and cytokine expression profiles in endophthalmitis patients.
- To correlate immune mediator levels with clinical severity and immune pathway activation.
Main Methods:
- Vitreous samples from MDR-PA, antibiotic-susceptible P. aeruginosa (S-PA), and non-infectious control groups were analyzed.
- Multiplex immunoassay was used to measure cytokine expression (IL-6, IL-10, IL-1α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-8, GM-CSF).
- Immune pathway phosphorylation levels were assessed.
Main Results:
- MDR-PA endophthalmitis showed significantly increased expression of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α compared to S-PA.
- Elevated inflammatory mediators correlated with increased disease severity.
- Increased inflammatory mediators were positively correlated with the activation of Akt, STAT3, JNK, p70 S6 kinase, and NF-κB signaling pathways.
Conclusions:
- MDR-PA endophthalmitis elicits a differential host immune response involving specific cytokine profiles and signaling pathway activation.
- Cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β, TNF-α) may serve as diagnostic biomarkers for MDR endophthalmitis.
- Early identification and immune modulation are crucial to prevent retinal damage and vision loss.
