Evaluation of systemic IL-6 trans-signalling in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate systemic trans-signalling of interleukin (IL)-6 in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). METHODS: Fifty-one POAG patients and 47 matched healthy controls were enrolled. Serum concentrations of IL-6, sIL-6R, and sgp130 were quantified. RESULTS: Serum levels of IL-6, sIL-6R, and IL-6/sIL-6R ratios in the POAG group were significantly higher than those in control group, while only the sgp130/sIL-6R/IL-6 ratio was decreased. Among POAG subjects, advanced-stage patients exhibited significantly higher intraocular pressure (IOP), serum IL-6 and sgp130 levels, and IL-6/sIL-6R ratio than those in the early to moderate stage. The ROC curve analysis revealed that the IL-6 level and IL-6/sIL-6R ratio performed better than other parameters in diagnosing POAG and discriminating POAG severity. Serum IL-6 level was moderately correlated with IOP and C/D ratio, while a weak correlation was observed between sIL-6R levels with C/D ratio. IL-6 and sIL-6R levels were correlated with each other in POAG patients but not in healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Overstimulation of systemic IL-6 trans-signalling has been implicated in POAG.

Roles of IL-8 -251A/T and +781C/T polymorphisms, IL-8 level, and the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the association between IL-8 gene polymorphisms, IL-8 level, towards the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: Meta-analysis was performed from available studies that investigated IL-8 -251A/T (rs4073) and +781C/T (rs2227306) polymorphisms and IL-8 levels in patients with AMD and controls. RESULTS: Overall, the pooled result showed a significant association between AMD with allelic (T vs. C; OR 1.53; p = 0.005), dominant (TT + CT vs. CC; OR 1.95; p = 0.017), homozygous (TT vs. CC; OR 2.03; p = 0.039) and heterozygous (CT vs. CC; OR 1.92; p = 0.032) models of rs2227306; while subgroup analysis revealed a significant association between rs2227306 with wet AMD in allelic (T vs. C; OR 1.69; p = 0.016), recessive (TT vs. CT + CC; OR 1.81; p = 0.00007), and homozygous (TT vs. CC; OR 2.64; p = 0.003) models. No significant association was observed between rs4073 with AMD in all inheritance models. In parallel, patients with AMD, particularly wet AMD had an elevated level of IL-8 compared to control. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that patients with AMD or wet AMD have higher IL-8 levels compared to control, which is also supported by the evidence that carrier T allele of rs2227306 exhibited an increase in the risk of AMD or wet AMD. Thus, IL-8 +781C/T (rs2227306) polymorphism and the level of intraocular IL-8 may be useful as a biomarker for early detection and a therapeutic target of AMD.

Roles de polimorfismos de IL-8, -251A/T y +781C/T, nivel de IL-8, y el riesgo de degeneración macular asociada con la edad / Roles of IL-8 -251A/T and +781C/T polymorphisms, IL-8 level, and the risk of age-related macular degeneration

Objetivo Aclarar la asociación entre polimorfismos del gen IL-8 y nivel de IL-8 en el riesgo de degeneración macular asociada a la edad (DMAE). Métodos Se realizó un metaanálisis a partir de los estudios disponibles que investigaron los polimorfismos de IL-8 −251A/T (rs4073) y +781C/T (rs2227306), y niveles de IL-8, en pacientes con DMAE y controles. Resultado En total, el resultado agrupado mostró una asociación significativa entre DMAE con modelos alélicos (T vs. C; OR 1,53; p = 0,005), dominantes (TT + CT vs. CC; OR 1,95; p = 0,017), homocigotos (TT vs. CC; OR 2,03; p = 0,039) y heterocigotos (CT vs. CC; OR 1,92; p = 0,032) de rs2227306; mientras que el análisis de subgrupos reveló una asociación significativa entre rs2227306 con DMAE húmedo en modelos alélicos (T vs. C; OR 1,69; p = 0,016), recesivos (TT vs. CT + CC; OR 1,81; p = 0,00007), y homocigotos (TT vs. CC; OR 2,64; p = 0,003). No se observó asociación significativa entre rs4073 con DMAE en todos los modelos de herencia. Paralelamente, los pacientes con DMAE, particularmente DMAE húmedo, tenían un nivel elevado de IL-8 en comparación con el control. Conclusión Este metaanálisis sugiere que los pacientes con DMAE o DMAE húmedo tienen niveles más altos de IL-8 en comparación con controles, lo que también está respaldado por la evidencia de que el alelo T portador de rs2227306 exhibe un aumento en el riesgo de DMAE o DMAE húmedo. Por lo tanto, el polimorfismo IL-8 +781C/T (rs2227306) y el nivel de IL-8 intraocular pueden ser útiles como biomarcadores para la detección temprana y objetivo terapéutico de DMAE (AU)

Objective To clarify the association between IL-8 gene polymorphisms, IL-8 level, towards the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Meta-analysis was performed from available studies that investigated IL-8 −251A/T (rs4073) and +781C/T (rs2227306) polymorphisms and IL-8 levels in patients with AMD and controls. Result Overall, the pooled result showed a significant association between AMD with allelic (T vs. C; OR 1.53; p = 0.005), dominant (TT + CT vs. CC; OR 1.95; p = 0.017), homozygous (TT vs. CC; OR 2.03; p = 0.039) and heterozygous (CT vs. CC; OR 1.92; p = 0.032) models of rs2227306; while subgroup analysis revealed a significant association between rs2227306 with wet AMD in allelic (T vs. C; OR 1.69; p = 0.016), recessive (TT vs. CT + CC; OR 1.81; p = 0.00007), and homozygous (TT vs. CC; OR 2.64; p = 0.003) models. No significant association was observed between rs4073 with AMD in all inheritance models. In parallel, patients with AMD, particularly wet AMD had an elevated level of IL-8 compared to control. Conclusion This meta-analysis suggests that patients with AMD or wet AMD have higher IL-8 levels compared to control, which is also supported by the evidence that carrier T allele of rs2227306 exhibited an increase in the risk of AMD or wet AMD. Thus, IL-8 +781C/T (rs2227306) polymorphism and the level of intraocular IL-8 may be useful as a biomarker for early detection and a therapeutic target of AMD (AU)

Vitamin D and its receptor polymorphisms are associated with glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To clarify the association between serum vitamin D levels and its receptor polymorphisms with glaucoma risk. METHODS: A meta-analysis was performed from available studies investigating serum vitamin D levels and vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms in glaucoma patients and controls. RESULTS: Twelve studies in total, including 130,676 and 476 subjects, were analysed for the association between serum vitamin D levels and VDR polymorphisms with glaucoma, respectively. Collectively, it was found that glaucoma patients have lower levels of vitamin D compared to controls (SMD=-1.16, 95% CI=-1.56--0.76, P<0.00001). In parallel, the pooled results showed a significant association between glaucoma and allelic (b vs. B, OR=1.84, 95% CI=1.37-2.46, P=0.00001) and recessive (bb vs. Bb+BB, OR=3.16, 95% CI=1.30-7.66, P=0.001) models of VDR BsmI (rs1544410) polymorphism, but not with VDR TaqI (rs731236) or FokI (rs2228570) polymorphisms. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that patients with glaucoma may have vitamin D deficiency. In addition, the vitamin D signalling cascade may be a contributing factor in developing glaucoma, which is supported by the evidence that b allele carriers of VDR BsmI exhibited an increase in the risk of glaucoma. Thus, dietary supplementation of vitamin D may become an important approach as an additional treatment for glaucoma.

Aqueous humor interleukin-6 levels in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG): A systematic review and meta-analysis. / Niveles de interleucina-6 en el humor acuoso en glaucoma primario de ángulo abierto (GPAA): revisión sistemática y meta-análisis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the change in aqueous humor interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels among primary open-angle glaucoma (GPAA) patients. METHODS: Studies that investigated IL-6 level in the aqueous humor in GPAA patients using the detección methods of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) y multiplex bead immunoassay were retrieved. A meta-analysis was performed a determine the overall change in IL-6 of GPAA patients compared a controls. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies were selected. Analysis combining the results of studies using both detección approaches did not show any changes in the level of IL-6 in GPAA (SMD=-0,07, 95%IC -0,73 - 0,59, P=0,83), possibly due a the heterogeneity of ELISA data. Since multiplex bead immunoassay is more sensitive than convenciónal ELISA in detecting antibodies, further isolated analysis of multiplex bead immunoassay results revealed that GPAA patients had a lower level of IL-6 in the aqueous humor compared a controls (SMD=-0,40, 95%IC -0,70 - 0,09, P=0,01). Moreover, a sensitivity test also confirmed that no alteracións of results were observed in all pooled studies y pooled studies from multiplex bead immunoassay, suggesting the stabilities of our synthetic results. CONCLUSION: Because of its robustness, the pooled data from multiplex bead immunoassay was used a draw a conclusion in this study, showing that the reducción of IL-6 levels in aqueous humor was observed in patients with GPAA. Further studies are still warranted a confirm our findings.

Chemokine IL-8 level in aqueous humor of open-angle glaucoma: A meta-analysis. / Nivel de quimioquina IL-8 en humor acuoso de glaucoma de ángulo abierto: un metaanálisis.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate an accurate level of IL-8 in aqueous humor among open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients. METHODS: Meta-analysis was performed from available studies that investigated the IL-8 level in the aqueous humor of OAG patients and control subjects. RESULTS: A total of 17 studies were selected. The pooled result showed that IL-8 levels in aqueous humor of patients with OAG were higher than in control subjects (SMD=0.98, 95% CI=0.68-1.27, p<0.00001). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicates that patients with OAG may have a higher aqueous humor IL-8 levels compared to control subjects, which supports the notion that IL-8 is one of the contributing factors in the development of OAG.

Sexual dimorphism in SARS-COV-2 infection.

Previous studies have demonstrated that female patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) demonstrate more favorable prognosis relative to male patients. In this article, we elaborate the possible role of estrogen in the modulation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection severity. The potential interplay between several factors, including inherently lower estradiol (E2) and slightly higher estrogen receptor ß (ERß) levels in males, with inflammatory mediators are described. Altogether, there seems to be a sexually dimorphic response towards SARS-CoV-2 infection, and a possibility that COVID-19 severity is dependent on both E2 levels and ERα:ERß expression ratio in lymphoid and lung cells.