DETECTION OF MESSENGER-RNA FOR THE CYTOKINES, INTERLEUKIN-1-ALPHA ANDINTERLEUKIN-8, IN CORNEAS FROM PATIENTS WITH PSEUDOPHAKIC BULLOUS KERATOPATHY

Purpose. Cytokines have been implicated in corneal inflammatory diseas es. The authors sought to determine if corneal diseases with different patterns of inflammation are accompanied by characteristic patterns o f cytokine expression. Methods. The authors used reverse transcription -polymerase chain reaction to detect mRNA for 12 specific cytokines fr om patients with Fuch's dystrophy (n = 7), pseudophakic bullous kerato pathy (n = 12), or normal corneas (n = 4). Results. Using Wilcoxon ran k sum analysis, mRNA for interleukin (IL)-1 alpha or IL-8 was signific antly more abundant in corneas from patients with pseudophakic bullous keratopathy relative to either comparison group. mRNA for the T-cell marker, CD4, and for T-cell derived cytokines, IL-2, IL-4, and interfe ron gamma, could not be detected in any corneal sample. Message for IL -1 receptor antagonist and transforming growth factor-beta(1) or -beta (2) was readily detectable in most corneas regardless of diagnosis. Co nclusion. The findings indicate that the pattern of cytokine mRNA expr ession reflects differences in the pathogenesis of these corneal disea ses.