Sequential in-office vitreous aspirates demonstrate vitreous matrix metalloproteinase 9 levels correlate with the amount of subretinal fluid in eyes with wet age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate levels of 37 native pathway proteins of the vitreous proteome from a subset of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients with and without subretinal fluid (SRF).

Methods: A total of 62 consecutive samples were aspirated from 12 patients with AMD, six who had SRF at baseline, and six who did not have SRF at any point during the study. Vitreous levels of the 37 native pathway proteins were analyzed in these patients using reverse phase protein microarray technology.

Aqueous cytokine and growth factor levels do not reliably reflect those levels found in the vitreous.

Purpose: Recent studies have illuminated the vitreous proteome as a potentially important diagnostic tool that will predict disease progression and response to treatment, in eyes with retinal disease. Studies to date have demonstrated correlations of protein levels between vitreous and aqueous humor. Because these results are un-expected and analysis was only done on a few endpoints, the present study further analyzes the relationship between aqueous and vitreous by probing a wide array of proteins in patients with posterior segment diseases.