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Intraocular Distribution and Aqueous-Vitreous Correlation of TGF-β Isoforms and GDF-15 in Retinal Diseases
Hiroki Mieno1, Masatsugu Hashida2, Kengo Yoshii3
1Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
Purpose:
To investigate the intraocular distribution and correlation of transforming growth factor-β isoforms and growth differentiation factor-15 in paired aqueous humor and undiluted vitreous samples from patients with various retinal diseases.
Methods:
This prospective cross-sectional study included 51 eyes of 49 patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane (n = 27), other macular disorders (n = 12), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (n = 12). Paired aqueous humor and undiluted vitreous samples were collected during surgery. Concentrations of transforming growth factor-β1, transforming growth factor-β2, transforming growth factor-β3, and growth differentiation factor-15 were measured using multiplex immunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Intraocular distributions were compared, and correlations between aqueous humor and vitreous cytokine concentrations were evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation.
Results:
In patients with epiretinal membrane and other macular disorders, transforming growth factor-β1 and transforming growth factor-β2 concentrations were significantly higher in the aqueous humor than in the vitreous body, whereas growth differentiation factor-15 was more abundant in the vitreous. Conversely, in proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients, transforming growth factor-β1, transforming growth factor-β2, and growth differentiation factor-15 levels were significantly higher in the vitreous body. Across all disease groups, a strong positive correlation was observed between aqueous and vitreous growth differentiation factor-15 levels, while no significant correlations were found for any transforming growth factor-β isoforms.
Conclusion:
Transforming growth factor-β isoforms and growth differentiation factor-15 display distinct intraocular distribution patterns depending on retinal diseases. Notably, growth differentiation factor-15 showed a consistent aqueous-vitreous correlation across disease groups, suggesting that its concentration in the aqueous humor may partially reflect posterior segment conditions and may serve as an indicative marker.
