Comparison of metabolic profiles in aqueous humour of Fuchs' syndrome and presumed viral-induced anterior uveitis patients.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To investigate and compare the metabolic profiles in the aqueous humour of Han Chinese patients with Fuchs' syndrome and presumed viral-induced anterior uveitis (PVIAU). METHODS: The metabolites in the aqueous humour of 20 Fuchs' syndrome patients, 20 PVIAU patients and 20 senile cataract control patients were detected by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Differential metabolites were analysed by Student's t test, multivariate analysis, cluster analysis and correlation analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis was applied to explore the potential disrupted metabolic pathways in Fuchs' syndrome and PVIAU. RESULTS: Comparisons of metabolic profiles identified 29 differential metabolites between Fuchs' syndrome patients and controls, 36 differential metabolites between PVIAU patients and controls, and 30 differential metabolites between Fuchs' syndrome patients and PVIAU patients. DL-serine was markedly elevated in Fuchs' syndrome, and 1-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine in PVIAU. KEGG pathway analysis suggested that the differential metabolites in Fuchs' syndrome compared with control were mostly enriched in central carbon metabolism in cancer, adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and mineral absorption, while those in PVIAU compared with control were mostly enriched in protein digestion and absorption, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and ABC transporters. The metabolic pathways differentially affected in Fuchs' syndrome compared to PVIAU included central carbon metabolism in cancer, protein digestion and absorption and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: In Fuchs' syndrome and PVIAU patients, the aqueous humour exhibited specific metabolic profiles and enriched metabolic pathways, which provides a better understanding of the pathogenesis of Fuchs' syndrome and PVIAU in Han Chinese patients.