Ilaria Maccora, Mekibib Altaye, Kenneth D Greis, Hermine I Brunner, Alexandra Duell, Wendy D Haffey, Tiffany Nguyen, Megan Quinlan-Waters, Grant S Schulert, Alyssa Sproles, Virginia Miraldi Utz, Sherry Thornton, Sheila T Angeles-Han
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Uveitis is an inflammatory ocular disease secondary to disruption of the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and blood retinal barrier (BRB). Known clinical factors do not accurately predict uveitis risk in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Tear fluid is easily obtained for biomarker study. We aim to identify tear-based markers associated with the presence of uveitis in children with JIA.
Methods: In a cross-sectional comparative cohort study, tears were collected by Schirmer strips from children with oligoarticular JIA-associated uveitis (JIA-U) and JIA without uveitis (JIA-no-U). A tandem isotope tagging (iTRAQ and TMT) strategy was used for relative quantitation via nanoLC-MS/MS to quantify proteins in the affected eye. Log transformed relative protein abundance of protein levels was compared between groups using Wilcoxon exact test. We explored the influence of arthritis activity and topical corticosteroids (CS) use on protein levels. STRING analysis was performed.
Results: Tear samples of 14 JIA-U and 14 JIA-no-U patients were analyzed. Thirteen proteins were differentially expressed between both groups. Stratified analysis based on arthritis activity (inactive arthritis) and topical CS (off CS) showed that alpha-2-macroglobulin (p = 0.012), apolipoprotein A1 (p = 0.036), S100A9 (p = 0.05), haptoglobin (p = 0.066), and transthyretin (p = 0.066) consistently differentiated between both groups. On STRING analysis, these proteins were associated with the RPE, BRB, and inflammation.
Conclusion: Importantly, we identified proteins involved in the RPE, BRB, and immune response that were differentially abundant in the tears of children with JIA-U compared to JIA-no-U, regardless of arthritis activity or topical CS. Candidate tear-based biomarkers may represent a non-invasive means to detect uveitis.
期刊介绍:
Ocular Immunology & Inflammation ranks 18 out of 59 in the Ophthalmology Category.Ocular Immunology and Inflammation is a peer-reviewed, scientific publication that welcomes the submission of original, previously unpublished manuscripts directed to ophthalmologists and vision scientists. Published bimonthly, the journal provides an international medium for basic and clinical research reports on the ocular inflammatory response and its control by the immune system. The journal publishes original research papers, case reports, reviews, letters to the editor, meeting abstracts, and invited editorials.