Objectives: Investigate the role of cytokines in Behçet uveitis.
Background: Cytokines may take part in this pathogenetic mechanism. Elevated and/or altered levels of specific cytokines have been found in patients with Behçet's disease in many studies.
Methods: Twenty patients with Behçet uveitis and 20 patients with Behçet's disease without uveitis were included to the study in compliance with International Study Group Criteria. Twenty non-Behçet uveitis patients were included in the study. In this group, active uveitis was found in 30 % and arthritis in 35% of patients. Serum levels of cytokines (Interleukin-2-4-6-8, IL-2-4-6-8), tumor necrosis factor-alpha, TNF-alpha) and local growth factor (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) were measured.
Results: Levels of all cytokines were highest in Behçet patients without uveitis except for IL-2 and IL-6. These cytokines were also highest in patients with non-Behçet uveitis too. Despite the tendency of this distribution of cytokines, only three cytokines, TNF-alpha, IL-8 and IL-4 were significantly different from the controls. The levels of TNF-alpha, IL-8 and IL-4 were significantly lower in patients with Behçet uveitis than in Behçet patients without uveitis. Interestingly, the levels of IL-2 and IL-6 were statistically similar in all groups. VEGF showed no significant difference between the studied and control groups. However, in contrast to cytokines, only the levels of VEGF were correlated with the activity of uveitis (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Consistent with previous reports of different immune effectors in Behçet uveitis, it may be suggested that its underlying immunopathogenesis may be much different from other causes of endogenous uveitis (Tab. 3, Fig. 1, Ref. 20). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.