Protein Profile of Immunoregulatory Factors in Diabetic Cataract

The study compared the levels of several immunoregulatory molecules (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), Fas Ligand (FasL), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interleukin-17 (IL-17)) in serum and aqueous humor between type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, without clinically evident diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema, and nondiabetic cataract patients.

Investigators also investigated whether concentrations of immunoregulatory molecules significantly correlated with intraoperative and postoperative parameters. Particularly, investigators focused on the development of corneal edema as one of the main causes of low visual acuity in the immediate postoperative period after intraocular lens implantation.

Since disturbed cytokine and growth factor microenvironment in diabetic eye may contribute to an increased frequency of intraoperative and postoperative intraocular lens (IOL) surgery complications, the findings may be relevant for the development of therapeutic strategies aimed to restore protein profile of immunoregulatory factors in parallel to cataract treatment.

Inclusion criteria

• patients undergoing phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation
• for diabetic group: duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) for 10 to 15 years
• for diabetic group: therapy with oral hypoglycemic agents for glycemic control
• no other ocular (retinal) or systemic diabetic complications of T2DM

Exclusion criteria

• patients who had cataract that could result from some other ocular condition, systemic disease (except T2DM for diabetic group) or trauma
• patients with immune disease, local or systemic inflammation which could affect cytokine concentration in serum or aqueous humor (AH)