T cell ubet and IL-2R/IL-2 level in patient with glaucoma

PURPOE: We hypotheize that cellular immunity may have a previouly unrecognized role in glaucomatou optic neuropathy. The purpoe of thi tudy i to analyze ubet of T cell and the level of cytokine IL-2 and the oluble IL-2 receptor in peripheral blood from patient with normal preure glaucoma (NPG) or primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) in comparion to age-matched control ubject. METHOD: In thi tudy, 38 patient (20 NPG; 18 POAG) and 19 control were included. IL-2R and IL-2 were aayed by ELIA. T cell ubet were analyzed by flow cytometry and lymphocyte proliferation wa ued to meaure the reactive ability of T cell to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). REULT: The frequency of CD8+HLA-DR+ lymphocyte were increaed in patient with NPG (P = 0.008), and CD3+CD8+ lymphocyte increaed in both NPG (P = 0.03) and POAG patient (P = 0.0004). CD5+ lymphocyte were higher only in POAG patient (P = 0.0012). In comparion to control, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ lymphocyte wa imilar in both group. The mean concentration of IL-2R in NPG (P = 0.011) and POAG (P = 0.0023) patient were higher than that found in control ubject although IL-2 concentration were imilar in thee group. In addition, the reactive ability of T lymphocyte to the non-pecific reagent (PHA) wa reduced ignificantly in NPG (P = 0.02) and POAG patient (P=0.04). CONCLUION: The alteration of the cellular immune ytem in patient with glaucoma upport our hypothei that the immune ytem may play an important role in the initiation and/or utainment of glaucomatou optic neuropathy in ome patient.