Epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related serum markers ET-1, IL-8 and TGF-β2 are elevated in a Finnish wet age-related macular degeneration cohort.

Purpose: It has been hypothesized that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) may occur in the retinal pigment epithelium of advanced stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Various serum and plasma growth factors and inflammatory mediators have been linked to AMD. We were interested in finding out whether systemic levels of EMT-associated markers were altered in the serum of wet AMD patients.