Age-related pro-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic changes in human aqueous humor.

Aim: To reveal age-related aqueous cytokine changes in human aqueous humor.

Methods: Aqueous humor was collected from 12 young children (3-6.5 years old) and 71 healthy adults (22-106 years old) with cataract but without other systemic or ocular disorders. Levels of 22 cytokines, chemokines and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured and analyzed.

Results: The following proteins showed significant increase from childhood to adult: interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-13, IL-6, IL-12(p70), IL-10, CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, IFN-α2 and VEGF (all <0.05). IFN-γ, IL-13, IL-12(p70), IL-10, CCL3, CXCL9 and VEGF also showed moderate strength age-related increase in the adult group (>0.5). The strength of correlation between aging and CCL4 were fair (=0.398). The concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-1β and TNF-α were low in both groups.

Conclusion: From childhood to adult, the immunological milieu of the anterior chamber become more pro-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic. Such changes may represent the parainflammation state of the human eye.