The Expression Of IL-23 In Serum And Vitreous In Patients With Diabetic Retinopathy

Objectives:To determine the relation between the stages of DR and the levels of serum and vitreous IL-23 in patients with type 2 diabetes compared with healthy controls.Methods:1. The serum samples were obtained from 45 patients with type 2 diabetes with or without DR and 15 non-diabetic healthy subjects. The patients with diabetes were classified into three groups according to the stage of DR:no DR (NDR; n= 15), non-proliferative DR (NPDR; n= 15) and proliferative DR (PDR; n= 15).2. The vitreous samples were obtained from 10 patients with PDR and 10 patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment retinal detachment or idiopathic macular hole undergoing vitreoretinal surgery. The concentrations of IL-23 in serum and vitreous were detected by ELISA.Results:1.The serum concentration of IL-23 in NDR group、NPDR group、PDR group and the healthy group are 12.20±0.77pg/ml、26.95± 1.48pg/ml、399.97±18.21 pg/ml、46.21±2.57pg/ml respectively. The NDR and NPDR group are lower than the healthy group(P<0.05),the NDR group is lower than the NPDR group(P<0.05).The PDR group is higher than the healthy controls (P<0.05).2. The vitreous concentration of IL-23 in PDR group (146.60±23.76 pg/ml)is higher than the control group(29.89±2.73pg/ml). The difference between tow groups are statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion:The concentration of IL-23 in serum and vitreous in PDR patients are obviously higher than those in control groups, which gives us a hint that IL-23 may be involved in the progression of PDR. The concentration of IL-23 in serum in NDR and NPDR patients are lower than normal, which suggests us that some anti-inflammatory mechanisms may play a role in the early stage of DR and suppresses the expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-23.